The Bridge

So many cliches about bridges. Here comes another one.

I hope not. I pray that our few moments together can speak something different about you, your present situation, and what is next.

I am going to reference a bridge, but I believe God has something for you that you may not have considered before today.

It is said that a bridge carries you from your past to your future. What if it is created to carry you from your present to your destiny instead? Instead of a bridge over troubled water, could it be a bridge over the unknown?

I challenge you to envision the bridge that will carry you and your dreams to God’s plan for you.

Anyone who has encountered the pain of divorce knows that dreams of a life-long love with the spouse of your youth was to be a dream realized through a lifetime of sharing and enjoying each other. You had desires and plans to grow old together while enjoying the fruits of your labor and the family you created through your marriage. Now it is gone.

There are many kinds of bridges. Let’s take a looks at a few.

The quickest and simplest bridge is actually what people would call a tightrope. It is a single piece of material that can literally be thrown over to the other side. I could preach a whole message on the person who is on the other side telling you this is a good idea. Let’s just not go down that rabbit trail.

You see a tight piece of material that looks like it is connected securely to your destiny. I guess the next thing to do is walk across, right? What is stopping you?

Some people think this should be the way across the great divide to their destiny; simple, easy, and fast. Yes, it can be unsafe and less than secure, but let’s move out of the pain of our present.

I don’t recommend this. Being in your present doesn’t mean you want or desire to be there.

Your present is only where you are at this moment in time. You get to choose how you exist there as you prepare to move forward.

Now a rope bridge that has some rickety wooden planks for steps looks safer and still a relatively quick way across to the other side. To each his/her own.

Crossing a bridge usually entails some time and effort. I just prefer not swinging in the wind, trusting those old pieces of wood to hold my weight long enough to make another step without splitting in two pieces causing me to grab on for dear life.

Some have the patience and desire to build a wood suspension bridge, put together with wood and nails. This kind of bridge take longer to build, but if it is not created with the correct angles and secure materials, it may not allow a truly secure means of crossing. It can be done, but is it the safest and strongest way across?

I am afraid of heights, and sometimes driving over a bridge I may get a little uneasy if it is windy and I am stuck in the lane next to the edge driving 65 mph between a dump truck and a slower RV praying he gets to the top.

The strongest, safest, and easiest way to cross the depths of despair and disappointment to reach the destiny God has for you is to realize that it takes time to create the bridge of healing.

It takes pilons driven into a solid foundation. It takes materials of strength, forged from steel that will not buckle under the weight of what God has you to carry across this great expanse. It takes time to design, engineer, supply, and construct a masterpiece to carry you to your God-given destiny.

The bridge that God has for you is a bridge not made with human hands, but crafted by an Almighty God who loves and cares for you.

You bring your belief, your faith, and your obedience and God will drive those pilons of relationship deep into His created earth.

He already has the design ready to go. He is looking for your faith to step out with Him into laying the beams of faith, one after another, over the foggy clouds of fear you may have. He is waiting for you to supply the obedience of following His plan and timing to create a safe crossing into your destiny.

Don’t try to cut corners and try to jump the divide like Evil Knievel. It will only result in more pain and suffering. You may not be in the present place you are now, but you will usually find yourself much worse off than where you are now.

My heart goes out to those who attempted the quick and easy way to healing. The vast majority would do it differently, if they are being honest.

The strength, security, and ease of crossing the bridge built God’s way is more than just a way to leave your present. It is a means of bringing the extremely valuable gifts, talents, and treasures you possess with you into His destiny for you. These are meant to come with you.

This bridge is not created to carry your baggage. Leave it behind. You have to much good to carry. You do not have the space or the need for it.

You also need to bring the right people with you on your journey. God will provide others that have His heart and desire to support you as you build this bridge with Him. You didn’t think God would let you and Him build it alone, did you? God wants loving, supportive people to build this bridge to your healing so that you have someone to celebrate with on the other side.

What kind of bridge are you building? Whose plans are you using? Who is on the other end helping you?

Take the time to build with God. A bridge created with belief, faith, and obedience will provide you the way to the other side, from your present to your destiny; God’s destiny for you.

Be Blessed!!

Have you listened to the Divorce to Healing Podcast? Check it out HERE !!!

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This Is Not What I Asked For

Separation? Divorce? Pain? Financial Ruin? Loss?

Today at church, our pastor started a new series called “This Is Not What I Asked For”.

Wow!! What a way to get me to finally update the blog with a new post.

I couldn’t help but be taken back in my mind to when I was left broken hearted and betrayed. Twice. I did not plan for that. I did not want that. I did not ask for that.

I am sure if you are not in that place right now, you have experienced those feelings in the past. I am right there with you again.

God has a way of taking us to our past to move us forward from our present to His future.

As God reminds me of those things that I have long since forgotten and been healed from, I have a fresh desire to help you through your struggles and healing process.

I have become too comfortable and busy in my own life and with my own family. I have been making plans and living life far removed from the pain where I once lived.

In many ways, that should encourage you. It has been over 18 years and I can tell you that taking God’s hand and letting him heal me completely was the greatest thing that has ever allowed me to move forward. It is the only way to fully and completely overcome what you are going through today.

Yet, it has allowed me to try to make plans that do not include my passion; helping others. I have been failing that part of the reason I experienced all of the pain and suffering.

I have given God the glory for the healing, yet not moved on into the fullness that He has had for me. Please don’t make the same mistakes I have made.

My plans in life of getting married and living happily ever after didn’t happen. Twice. Now after being happily married for over 18 years and experiencing my greatest life to this point, it is not enough.

My wife and I are more in love and growing more in love every day. We have 2 beautiful children and are recently new grandparents of a little grand-daughter. Yet, these were not my plans.

This is not what I asked for. It is actually what God has blessed me with, even though I messed up so many times and chose my plans. I didn’t need to experience that, but I am so thankful for what I have now.

This might be confusing. It looks like from the outside I have it all.

I never experienced divorce as a child. My parents are still together and a blessing to all of us kids. I grew up in a together home. Not perfect, but together and loving.

THAT is what I asked for when I got married. But that is not what I got. I got cheated on and abandoned. I got treated like the bad guy. My plans got dismissed and trashed like a left over gum wrapper.

Twice.

I am now much closer to what I asked for. Helping you is also a part of that.

It is ok to realize that the plans we make fail. It may be our fault and it may not. It may be through a tragic loss, abuse, adultery, or a large number of reasons. We are human. We are not perfect, and neither are the people in our lives.

It is ok to make plans and strive every day to make those plans work. My wife and daughter are huge planners. They love making a plan and completing it. If it wasn’t for plans we would not have raised skyscrapers or put a man on the moon. I can guarantee you that NONE of those things happened with out a change of plans.

A rough draft is just that; rough. The best plans are those that figure in all the contingencies, yet are able to flex and adapt to the changes needed. Even final plans end with a punch list where you need to dot all the i’s and cross all the t’s before the plans are complete.

God has plans for you and your life.

I am still learning this after over 25 years of marriage, divorce, marriage, divorce, and marriage.

We can’t change the past, yet we can learn from it as we heal from it with Jesus!!

I want to encourage you today to know that God’s plans for you are the BEST plans for you.

Jeremiah 29:11 New International Version

11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

What are your plans? Are they YOUR plans, or are they GOD’s plans?

Know that God loves you and is ready and willing to share His plans for you as you spend time in His Word, praying, worshipping Him, and being around your church family through a group and attending in person or online.

The ultimate plan changer is the One who has the Master plan.

Interesting why that is the name of the plan, isn’t it?

Here is a link to the message from Pastor John Wyatt with Celebration Church from Jacksonville, FL if you would like to see it:

Be Blessed!!

YouVersion Bible App Reading Plans:
(over 180,000 downloads to date)
31 Days: http://bit.ly/2DNy6E6
7 Days: http://bit.ly/2DTHQwD

If you would like to support this ministry, feel free to purchase a copy of my book or donate below:

Book: http://amzn.to/2ctwjHp

Paypal: http://PayPal.Me/brentpapineau3

Venmo: @Brent-Papineau

Any purchase or donation would be a huge blessing. Much love!!

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