Don't Look Back This is a 7 part series - Part 6

Imagine this.

The smoke is billowing out the windows, the embers are raining down, and your lungs are on fire with the fullness of hot air. Your home burned down to the ground around you. You’ve escaped, but barely. You managed to get out alive, and not only that, your family is safe, too.

What exquisite mercy. You were scooped up out of the most dire circumstances and protected. You were saved. But, your pictures, your memories, your things. They are all still inside that blaze. You know you ought to be thankful you got out with your life. Yet, so much of your story is in those four walls, with those things.

You would never go back in, right? Not into a burning building, certainly. But, what if you stole just a quick glance? Here is a warning from Jesus about quick glances back to hopeless situations, “Remember Lot’s wife.” (Luke 17:32)

Who was Lot’s wife?

In Genesis 19, we learn about Sodom. We are told that a pair of immoral cities (Sodom and Gomorrah) are set to be destroyed because of their utter wickedness. A man named Lot, his two daughters, and his wife will be spared. They are able to quickly gather themselves and flee their home with two angels by their side. The angels make it clear that Lot’s family must hurry and that they are being spared a certain death.

“And as they brought them out, one (angel) said, ‘Escape for your life. Do not look back or stop anywhere in the valley. Escape to the hills, lest you be swept away.” (Genesis 19:17).

In a moment of either worldliness or humanness, Lot’s wife quickly steals a disobedient glance back at her homeland. We’re not sure if she was contemplating returning to her sinful past or if she was simply longing for her home, but what we do know is that she wasn’t putting faith in what she’d been told. She’d been told by two angels of the Lord that she’d been spared, and therefore must leave and not look back.

Because of that quick act of disobedience and distrust, she’s turned into a pillar of salt.

Such instant punishment for such a seemingly small abuse. But, she’d already been pardoned once. How often do we want to return to the mire of our sin, even though we’ve already been saved? How often do we doubt the goodness of God and His promises? How often do we want to do it our own way, certain that we know what is good for us?

After warning us to remember Lot’s wife, Jesus goes on to say, “Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will keep it.”

I cannot add a breath to my own life. I’m utterly incapable of sustaining myself. What I know is this: As a follower of Christ, I have been spared and been given a great mercy. So, in an act that sometimes feels like the death of me, I must believe in His goodness, and that what He's saved me for is so much greater than what He's saved me from.

You are Bound No More. 

Update For Bound No More Series

Bound No More Series has been postponed. Initially we were going to start June 28th. However due to the content of the material and information we will cover, I wanted to make sure we have time to promote it well. If you know anyone that is struggling with abuse of any nature, Please connect then to me. This series is going to be powerful and if this weekend was any indication of what will occur OH my my my... Its going to be liberating and full of God's demonstration of his power over the enemy (The Devil) and his love for each person there.

Now let me say this...

It is my hope that as God directs us to be more compassionate towards his broken hearted children that he will give us strategies that will not only allow us to be more effective in the healing and deliverance ministry that this series will become but that God will teach us how to better serve one another through love. 

It is said hurt people, hurt people. I am a living witness of this and I understand how devastating that can be. It is my prayer that if you feel a desire to be apart of this ministry, that you will contact me. We need volunteers in every area of service. We want to have a very present online and in person ministry. That means, I can not do it all alone. 

There is a balm in Stockton, CA and it is spreading across the nation and even the world.

You are Bound No More!

Pastor Linda Hillman 

(c) 2014 Living Above Hurt Ministries 

(209) 565-4055 

Pastorlindahillman@hotmail.com

Bound No More

The one thing we need but many of us struggle to get is respect. In life, we will go through some hard times and if we are lucky, we will be able to come out on the winning side. However, what about the one that are caught in the cracks. Is there hope for the woman whose been abused (emotionally, mentally, physically or socially)? Who is there to let that woman know there is hope in her hopeless situation?

We hear so much about sisterhood yet we are set apart. We gossip about one another steal each other men and if we get the chance, we will ruin another’s reputation so we look good. Now does this sound like sisterhood? More importantly how are we being good examples for the girls and women to come after us? Are we allowing them to find hope for their situations? Let me share my story and may be, someone will see there is hope and make a change for the better.

As a teenager, I suffered being molested, verbally abused and lived in a house raging with domestic violence. I grew up with anger issues and never tried to deal with them. I had relationship after relationship fail. One day I came to the realization that the life I was living was just a shadow of what could be. I did not have to live with the pain, frustration and depression. I could rise above it. I could be free. However, I knew that it would take some restoration of my inner emotions. I would have to learn how to look at life differently, not using my own reasoning because it was skewed and fragile.

I sought help from counselors and coaches that help my see past the hurt, habits and hang-ups. I was able to start a relationship on a healthy note and those negative friends – well I was able to influence them to be more positive. This did not happen over night it only started with a single step.

The first step can be the hardest however, if you are truly ready for healing to occur in your life then you will allow this step to take place, including removing all negative and unhealthy influences in your life. Many times, it is what we allow in our lives that hinder us the most. I had to deal with the past in order to maintain my present and secure my future.

We learned in history that if we do not learn from history it is bound to repeat itself. Well, this is true even in our lives. If we are not willing to learn from bad decisions, our fears, our failure and, even more importantly, our successes then we are bound to repeat them. Dr. Susan Jeffers says, “Life is not a struggle but an opportunity”. Additionally, you only get a single opportunity to make it count. Do not live with regret and remorse. Not to make light of the experiences you have been through, Nevertheless, if I can learn to let go of the pain and anger, then why not you?