Blogging Awards

After a weekend of being sick (this weather is killing me!), I am going to cover the two more blogging awards I’ve been blessed to recently receive.  The blogging world is filled with such wonderful writers who build an extremely supportive community.

I would like to first thank Liz C. at Stay Strong, Daily Warrior, for nominating me for The Valiant Blogger Award.  This was an award actually created by Liz.  The Valiant Blogger Award is for the blogger who is brave and courageous. It is dedicated to someone who, despite being faced with the most difficult obstacles in life, chooses to fight on and never give up. It is for the lion-hearted, one who faces fears and challenges, who has become an inspiration to others along the way.

Liz is an amazing lady whose blog uplifts and encourage others.  She writes about so many things.  She writes about and clearly lives her life through a Christian worldview.  She has devotions for teens, lifts up those who have struggled and come out stronger and with hope.  She also creates opportunities for bloggers to interact support each other.  Stop by to read her blog and be encouraged.

RULES:
1. Post the award on your blog.
2. Provide a link to the Hall of Valor.
3. In 200 words or less, share about the greatest challenge in your life and HOW you got through it.
4. Give one piece of advice to people who are struggling with something in their life.
5. Thank the person who nominated you, and nominate a new blogger for the award.

I nominate:

1. Cheri at Joyously Hopeful – you can read about her below.  She deserves this award.  She has come through so much and, yet, look at the name of her blog – she is joyously hopeful.
2. Secret Angel – This is a beautiful blog written by a survivor of abuse and domestic violence.  She has even created a ministry to help those who have suffered abuse to help them find hope and plans are to eventually have Secret Angel houses to provide safe places for those leaving abusive situations.

My Greatest Challenge

Living with abuse throughout my life has been hard, to say the least, but the biggest challenge I have faced is discovering my husband’s affair with a family “friend”, his subsequent suicide four days later and the discoveries that followed.

Over the past seven years, we have learned how to live as a single parent family.  There have been many lessons to learn and growth that has had to happen.  I didn’t know the answers or the best way to help my boys work through their pain and anger without their losing hope or who they were. But God did and does.

We have and are working through it, but it hasn’t been by my power or anything I’ve personally done except for how I’ve always held tight to Jesus.  My focus is on Him and I feel His presence.  I’ve cried out to Him too many times to count, but He always answers.

I’ve been fortunate to have the support of several people who have walked this terrible road with me and lifted me up.  They’ve been Jesus’ hands and feet.  God always made sure I was cared for and had at least one person I could talk to about anything.

One Piece of Advice

Remember that you are never alone.  Abuse and suicide are very isolating things and so much blame and guilt is thrown on you, many times when it is unmerited, which happens all the time in abusive relationships to keep you “under control”, and it is, unfortunately, the “gift” of suicide – those who die leave behind people who will ultimately ask why, even with a suicide letter being left, and what they could have done to prevent it.

God is always with you and everyone usually has at least one person they can go to for help and support.  There are also many support groups and professionals to help you escape an abusive situation and to get counseling to work through it all.

One More…

The fourth award is something that I goofed on in that it is the same award as the first one.  So, since I covered the rule portion of the award in my last post, I will, instead, take this space to  talk about the person who nominated me.  Cheri, of Joyously Hopeful, nominated me for The Versatile Blogger Award.  Cheri is a blogger who shares her life with her children, two of which are on the autism spectrum.  She is a great example of a single Christian mom (after her husband’s death) who never gives up and she  inspires with the activities she does with her kids.  She shares her faith throughout her posts.  Stop by to read her blog and get to know a little about her.

I nominate:

1. Grizzle Grist Mill – She writes about her family, love, rough times and God in such wonderfully written ways.  There is a lot of heart in her writing and you feel it when reading her blog.
2. The Writer’s Desk – She writes about her thoughts, memories and family in different forms of writing.  She also writes fiction over several posts for a complete story.  I find her writing to be charming as well as interesting.
3. Woven and Spun – Sandy is an amazing writer who has been published many times.  She writes wonderful devotionals, book reviews, gluten-free recipes and even lists and links to upcoming writers’ conferences.

~ Joanna Lynn