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Inspiring Women... Restoring Hope
Christy Johnson, award-winner writer, speaker and former "woman at the well" is passionate about imparting hope to women drawn to unhealthy relationships.
I never open Christy's blog that my heart is not blessed! Nancy
Wonderful-I laughed and I cried. God is glorified through your life. Bobbye
Your testimony was so powerful! I bought all 3 cds and I listen to the Esther one over and over. Tierra
Very outstanding speaker. Genuine and relevant for our culture. Thank you! Cindy
Christy, your message is so needed. Than you for your honest and heartfelt words. Myrna
Christy has a great gift for entertainment. Pam
Christy, you have truly blessed us with your wonderful presentation and testimony. Patty
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| YouTube: Dying Traditions |
We've got to change our culture so our young people can enjoy healthy Godly relationships. Check out our video, Dying Traditions
Dying Traditions is a palindrome, a sequence of sentences that can be read both forward and backward. When read backwards, it has the exact opposite meaning...
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| Events |
| Candlelight with Christ
February 20, 7:00
Holy Trinity Lutheran Church
Edmond, OK
Revive's Hearts & Hands Banquet last Thursday was such a blessing. Thank you for all that attended! Together we can make a difference to transform our city!
Include "How-to" articles or hints and tipd | |
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| Hey Friend, |
Today's devotional is not something I wanted to send. At all. It's way too personal and exposing. Even though I felt like the Lord was prompting me to share on this very subject, I resisted. Instead, I prepared something else. But when I went to Bible study today, all my group talked about was the very thing I was running from.  I was acting just like Jonah. God told me to go one way, and I ran in the opposite direction. Good thing Jonah warned me: There's whale vomit in Tarshish.
Does that ever happen to you? You resist, He pursues. The Lord confirms His will at every turn and in one morning you receive more confirmations than Marriott and Hilton combined? So, here I go--spilling my guts and exposing my flesh.
Why did I resist so much? Simple...because I want your approval. I want you to think I have it all going on. What a joke! That's why I need Jesus. He's the only one that can cover my flaws. Truth is-underneath my flesh, disfunction lurks. Like a creepy mildew, it grows even when I can't see it.
I used to hate those Christmas letters I'd get every year. You know the ones. My friend, Julia, calls them the "my-family's-better-than-your-family" letters. I used to read them and weep because their bragging rights made me feel ashamed and defeated. I didn't always have glowing things to say about my family.
A couple of generations ago, it was a huge betrayal to air issues. Thankfully, our culture has grown wiser. It's when we hide our issues, they multiply. When we expose them to the light, we can receive the hope and healing of Christ. Isaiah 58 says that when we pour out to others, our healing will quickly appear. I want God to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cord of every yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke! Satan has nuthin' on me or my family! So, let's bow both knees to Christ and surrender every need to Him.
He's the Yoke-Breaker!
When you need to see how special you are, read these:
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| Defeating the Shame Game |
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Praise the Lord, o my soul, and forget not all his benefits- who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion (Psalm 103:2-4).
When my first marriage ended in divorce, I thought the shame of dealing with drug addiction was a thing of the past. I never dreamed it would come back to haunt me.
My daughter Brittany was always so quiet and responsible, but after she graduated from high school things changed. My timid freckle-faced artist morphed into a loud and obnoxious druggie. I hated it when my friends asked how Brittany was doing. What was I supposed to say-she's smoking crack and popping pills? Instead, I skirted the issue by giving vague details like, "She's working at Quiznos," or "She just got her own apartment."
Of all people, she should know better. The first ten years of her life were filled with chaos due to her father's drug habit. Even so, I couldn't help but blame myself. I raised her in church, and even taught Bible studies and served in leadership. Now that Brittany was challenging my "train-up-a-child-promise" I felt I had messed up somewhere.
I envied my friends and couldn't help but compare myself to them. Their daughters were still active in church, going to college, and getting married. What had I done wrong? Internal critiques harassed me daily but like a belt that was one notch too tight, I stuffed the shame.
After graduation, John and I wanted her to continue living at home so she could attend a local college, but Brit couldn't wait to move out. She thought our rules were too restrictive. Her only trips home were to catch up on laundry. When I asked about her classes, she got defensive. Then during her second semester she announced, "I'm not going back. I'm flunking most of my classes anyway."
I had suspicions earlier, but now it was hard to deny. Her constricted pupils and personality changes were all too familiar. I offered counseling for her, but she refused and met every confrontation with bitter scorn-until the phone call I got after she was picked up for drug possession.
"Mom, I'm in jail. Can you bail me out?"
Her request was as casual as if she were asking to borrow a pair of jeans. She seemed to delight in the shock value of her behavior.
How could she make choices like this? Especially after what drugs have done to our family?
By the time bail was arranged, Brittany was transferred to the county jail. When I arrived the next morning, read the rest | |
