Tag Archives: trust

August 10, 2011 · 5:00 am

Healing Your Marriage When Trust Is Broken.

“You never forget the day that changes your life forever. The day that turns your heart and your family upside down.”

And, those are the first words my good friend, Cindy Beall, pens in her book, Healing Your Marriage When Trust is Broken. I know Cindy and her husband, Chris. I’ve sat around their dinner table. I’ve eaten Cindy’s amazing black bean salsa and steak fajitas. I’ve spent hours shopping with her helping her pick out the perfect pair of denim. ‘Cause she is understands a good pair of jeans is from the Lord. So, what I’m saying is….I know her story.

And, it’s the most amazing story of redemption in a marriage I’ve ever personally known.

But, it’s one thing to know her story. It’s another thing to read it. To read the brutal transparency of what her heart looked like after Chris confessed he had been unfaithful. To read the shock. The betrayal. The shattered dream.

And, then to read the forgiveness. The healing. The restoration. The marriage that God made better than new.

If you think your marriage is unrecoverable. If you wonder if you will ever be able to trust again. If you have lost all hope….

Cindy’s book will inspire you to believe otherwise.

She will win your heart with her honesty. And, she will help you write your own story of redemption.

To purchase Cindy’s book, go to Amazon.com.

4 Comments

Filed under Marriage

Tagged as betrayal, Cindy Beall, forgiveness, healing, infidelity, Marriage, restoration, trust

June 16, 2011 · 5:00 am

Keep Getting Out of the Boat.

In small group last night, we were talking about getting out of the boat and the risks involved. I retold that story in Matthew where the disciples were crossing the lake and a bad Mama Jama storm hit. I’m sure they were shaking in their fishing sandals. Then, Jesus showed up.

27 But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here!” 28 Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.” 29 “Yes, come,” Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted. 31 Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?” Matthew 14:27-31

For Peter to walk on the water, God had to show up. God will show up in your life and tell you to get out of the boat and trust Him. But, often times, we don’t get out, because we are afraid. Afraid we may make a fool of ourselves. Afraid of what others will think. Afraid there is too much financial risk. Afraid we are really not seeing God in it. Afraid we may fail. Afraid we may sink.

But, in order for our lives to affect eternity, we have to be willing to take risks. When God shows up, we have to get out of the boat no matter how uncomfortable it might be. There will be times we will take our eyes off of Christ and sink. There will be times we may become too self-sufficient and no longer dependent on the One who showed up in the first place and sink.

Even still, we never stop getting out of the boat.

Sure. Staying in the boat is comfortable. It’s safe. It provides security. But, it’s really a false sense of security. The real security comes in knowing that you are doing exactly what God has called you to do. The real contentment comes in getting out of the boat and keeping your eyes on the One who will make it all possible.

You might argue, “But, Peter sank!” But, Peter freaking walked on water! And, our small group consensus was the dude succeeded!

Maybe, God is asking you right now to risk something and step out of the boat. That means He has showed up. So, trust Him. Step out. The conditions may not be ideal. My good friend, Michael Thurston reminded us last night that it wasn’t calm, still waters Peter stepped out into. Those were some pretty dang rough waters. So, don’t wait for perfect conditions. Instead, wait for God to show up. For Him to whisper to you. For Him to keep presenting you with the same opportunities over and over again as if to say, “Hey! I’m not dropping this! Get out! Do it!”

He loves you. And, you already have everything you need to do all He has called you to do.

Get out! Do it! And, if you sink, allow God to dry you off and grow you. Then, get out of the boat again.

And, again.

“A ship in harbor is safe – but that is not what ships are for.” – John A. Shedd

5 Comments

Filed under Chasing Dreams, God Stuff, making an impact, Spiritual Journey

Tagged as getting out of the boat, risks, taking risks, trust, walking on water

January 13, 2011 · 5:00 am

What If.

I’m gonna give it to ya straight. I know I’ve blogged on this before, and I’m sure to blog on it again. This is me. In my head. Driving my Yukon. By myself. Because, who helps one drive? Stupid: “by myself.” But, I’m leavin’ it in this post. ‘Cause I’m so see me, love me and all. Rabbit trail, rabbit trail.

Back to inside my head. I’m drivin’ yesterday afternoon. I’m thinking about how much Kris is gone lately. He is a pilot. Did y’all know that? Those pilot people fly airplanes. Away.

Little fears start surfacing.

What if he is gone too much too often? What if our marriage suffers? What if my children suffer? What if there is another snow day, and all of my kids are home ALL DAY AND NIGHT, and I’m the only parental reinforcement around?

What if?

As fast as those thoughts went swirling around my head, another voice calmed my stormy mind.

“I will trust You.”

And, that was the next thought that dominated my little head.

When has He ever not proved Himself to me?

You may be allowing thoughts of fear consume your mind right now. Worry. Doubt.

I can throw out the Matthew 6 scripture to you about not worrying about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. But, honestly, that scripture has never helped me with my worry one bit.

I’m just sayin’.

Sorry, Dad.

But, I can tell you that God makes good on His promises. I can tell you that He has made good of my ugly finances. He has made good of my messy relationships. He has made good of those times where I distanced myself from Him. He has made good of those moments where I failed as a mother. He has made good of my disappointments. He has made good of my broken heart.

He has made so much in my life good.

So, what if?

I will trust Him.

And, you, my friend, can trust Him, too.

If you would like for me to pray with you today about something that has you worried or an area of your life that you really need to trust God in, comment here or email me personally at durstee@aol.com I will pray for you today.

1 Comment

Filed under God Stuff, life, Spiritual Journey

Tagged as disappointment, doubt, trust, worry

January 7, 2010 · 8:38 am

A Little Reminder.

Guest Blog: Mike Oliver

Mike and his wife, Shari, pastor Coastal Community Church in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. Mike is one of my mentors, and he also cooks my favorite peas whenever I visit.

Sharing with a friend last night, I reminded him of something we all know but fail to rest in way too often. After hearing his circumstances, I remembered what I tell myself from time to time and reminded him this simple truth… “God is your source”.

We tend to lean on what we do and what we know. We become secure in our ability to be “self-sufficient “. The difficult part of self-sufficiency is the word “self”. It may just be me, but too many times our friend “self” shines like a rock star then suddenly shows up INsufficient.

God reminded us through this passage in Isaiah:

Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses, who trust in the multitude of their chariots and in the great strength of their horsemen, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel, or seek help from the LORD. Isaiah 31:1

When we are making the cash and rolling at work and home, we get this independent feeling and false sense of security that WE have done it all! Here lies the foundation for two ugly emotions to roll. One is pride. We get this haughtiness and sense of accomplishment. The other ugly emotion is the bookend of this play. After you have placed confidence in your self-sufficiency and hit the inevitable wall of lack, fear comes in and puts demands on your “self.” And, in the end our “self” is found wanting!

Don’t get me wrong, God places gifts in our lives to have success in life, and if we are smart, we use our talents and time to honor Him and live in fruitfulness. But we are thinking best when we know there is only one who is all sufficient. This thinking gives us two better bookends of emotion. One is humility, always thanking God for fruitfulness. And, the other is trust, giving us an anchor in times of need.

And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 2 Corinthians 9:8

3 Comments

Filed under God Stuff

Tagged as dependence, finances, self-sufficient, success, sufficient, trust

January 26, 2009 · 6:00 am

A Safe Place.

I’ve been blessed over the years to have people in my life who are a safe place for me. By safe place, I mean friends who let me be Dusty without passing judgment. I can tell anything to these friends and know that my words – my feelings – spoken in confidence will remain in confidence. These same friends can speak into my life when I am out of line, because they truly love me.

They would never let me wear bulky shoes with a feminine dress. Nor would they let me eat a hot Krispy Kreme donut all by myself. And, they would never, ever uncover any yuck part of me.

Whenever we uncover another, we create a path of destruction for that person to have to travel down. Unfortunately, I have had moments in my life where I have done just that.

But, I have learned from those moments. And, I have become a safe place for others.