Estrangement: Turning Pain into Peace

Send me a text…what do struggle with most in estrangement Today I'm talking to my awesome audience with a short message. I've published 26 episodes now and the response has been staggering. Although I do know what countries my listeners come from, I don't know much more. So, today I am asking a favor. Would you take a minute to contact me and tell me what has resonated with you most...

Send me a text…what do struggle with most in estrangement Nothing hurts more than a broken heart. Emotional pain is often more damaging than any physical pain. And sadly, it is most painful when it’s created by a family member. Because that is intended to inflict brokenness. A friend can betray you and while it creates disappointment and anger, the emotion intensifies when it’s someone in your fam...

Send me a text…what do struggle with most in estrangement What comes to mind when you think of the word closure? One definition is the act or process of closing something such as a relationship with an estranged person in your life.  Does that sound negative to you? What emotions does it evoke?  Another definition states that closure brings a sense of peace, understanding and release that comes wi...

Send me a text…what do struggle with most in estrangement How do you move past estrangement so that you can pursue peace? That question came to me recently as I pondered what topics I could share with my audience of women dealing with estrangement.  It came through a devotional I read that joy and peace are the doorways for us to live by the power of the Holy Spirit. Joy is a deep-seated contentme...

Send me a text…what do struggle with most in estrangement If you’ve had an estranged relationship with someone, chances are you would love it to become a healthy one. Most who have estrangement also have relationships that are fun and enjoyable. You find yourself attracted to those people.  You can’t get enough of the joy and love emanating from relationships like that. Yet, the estranged one is p...

Send me a text…what do struggle with most in estrangement Are you ready to stop replaying hurtful words that have been spoken to you? It’s a sad but fact that families can say the most hurtful things to one another. And if you’re on the receiving end, it’s hard to get those out of your mind.  Have you ever streamed a favorite show or movie, and the dreaded spinning circle appears? It’s called buff...

Send me a text…what do struggle with most in estrangement You’re hurt by words spoken to you by a close friend or family member. It’s a recurring thing. Pain permeates your soul. You may regret words you spoke or hurtful and vulnerable emotions you shared.  Where does the relationship go from there? Do you walk away for good this time? Do you keep trying and reaching out? You feel like your heart...

Send me a text…what do struggle with most in estrangement Happy New Year! We all love new beginnings, right? Out with the old and in with the new is a familiar motto for ringing in a new year. And not much as changed. You’re still estranged from someone you care about. A child, grandchild, sibling, or someone else.  You’re hoping that this may be the year it all turns around. The relationship is h...

Send me a text…what do struggle with most in estrangement It’s a new year. Are you ready to rise above estrangement and adversity and chart a new path for yourself? I’m not talking about establishing new years resolutions. I am talking about revolutionary changes.  Change can set your heart free from anxiety and worry about anything and everything. There has never been a better time than now. You’...

Send me a text…what do struggle with most in estrangement I have a gift for the estranged in today’s episode. After all, it’s the gift giving season, right? Estrangement creates sadness and accentuates that we feel unloved and unwanted. I am hopeful that you’ve read my story of estranged relationships. It’s on my website.  Would it surprise you to know that not all my relationships have been resto...

Send me a text…what do struggle with most in estrangement Have you ever felt as though you were being refined by fire? Or in a cauldron where the pressure intensifies?  I have and let me tell you, it isn’t fun. I would’ve rather had pulled teeth!  Today I am speaking to the Christian woman who feels like she can’t catch a break. Confusion and chaos reign. You wonder why you can’t get clarity, and...

Send me a text…what do struggle with most in estrangement Post-divorce kids’ estrangement is widely prevalent and may continue for many years. A recent conversation with a dad was heart breaking as he lamented the loss of relationship with his kids. Like many, the divorce wasn’t amicable, and the kids chose to side with the mom.  My purpose today is two-fold.  ·       Advocate for the kids no matt...

Send me a text…what do struggle with most in estrangement The shame of estrangement lives in all of us. You may not be estranged from anyone right now, but a strong likelihood exists that you may in the future. Does that surprise you? When you consider that over 70 million people in the U.S. alone are estranged from at least one person, it’s no wonder that it’s far reaching. Estrangement doesn’t p...

Send me a text…what do struggle with most in estrangement As one who is estranged from someone you love, do you wonder where God is in the relationship? Does he see your pain? Does he hear your prayers? Do you wonder why he doesn’t seem to care or lend any support to your broken heart?  I asked all those questions many times. I wondered if he even cared or if I should even bother him with my hurti...

Send me a text…what do struggle with most in estrangement If you’ve been through a marriage breakup then you know that divorce and estrangement go hand in hand. Divorce is hard and complicated. Relationships suffer. People think divorce affects the two married partners and kids, but its tentacles reach much further.  That’s what I discovered in my divorce 30 years ago. No two divorces are the same...

Send me a text…what do struggle with most in estrangement Today’s episode is about mothers who have strained or estranged relationships with an adult child. A mother’s love is a different relationship than any other she may have in life. Whether you birthed or adopted your child, your love as a mother is fierce, protective, and unending.  If you are like me, you’ve experienced some rough patches t...

Send me a text…what do struggle with most in estrangement There’s always hope no matter what the situation. But that’s not easy to see or feel if you’ve been abandoned or rejected. It can seem so elusive at times and that’s why I love the scripture in the Bible that says God is always with us.  If we go to the depths of the sea he is there. If we go to the far ends of the earth, he’s there too. He...

Send me a text…what do struggle with most in estrangement Rejection is a painful emotion. Whether it’s the little girl on the playground who is overlooked or a dream job that slipped away, it’s hurtful. And its effects can be lasting.  When I first began thinking of this topic, I related it to estrangement. If you’ve been rejected in a relationship, you know the pain and triggers that can keep you...

Send me a text…what do struggle with most in estrangement Communication is the hallmark to good relationships, and it seems like it’s a lost art today, doesn’t it? All you must do is turn on the television or jump on social media for a minute and you can see the vitriol. Families have stopped talking to one another if they don’t agree completely on politics. It’s terribly sad.  As I look back on e...

Send me a text…what do struggle with most in estrangement When they won’t forgive – that person or people with whom you are estranged – what do you do? That’s a question I asked myself hundreds of times.  You want to move on. You’ve forgiven and you don’t understand when they won’t forgive you. How many times must you try? How hard do you have to pray? Do you feel as though you are serving a life...

Send me a text…what do struggle with most in estrangement As I talk with women about reconciling estranged relationships, I find a common theme that is an obstacle for them.  Sometimes it’s on the part of the woman I am speaking with and sometimes it’s the person with whom they desire to reconcile.  It’s a 5-letter word that keeps you stuck and its as common as peanut butter and jelly. Its name is...

Send me a text…what do struggle with most in estrangement Forgiveness is often associated with negativity. You don’t want to forgive. You don’t believe someone who has hurt you deserves forgiveness. Why is it so hard?  I understand those feelings. When someone abandons you as a child, it isn’t easy to forgive. When betrayed, it’s difficult to even say the word. You may even want them to suffer in...

Send me a text…what do struggle with most in estrangement You want to avoid conflict that may lead to further estrangement, but should you? And what will that decision cost you? Should you learn to keep your mouth shut or speak up? Whether you are in an estranged relationship or not, that is a dilemma many women face daily. And with compelling cause. There is a right and wrong way to express yours...

Send me a text…what do struggle with most in estrangement The quality of your relationships impacts the quality of your life. You may feel that you must maintain a relationship, good or bad, with certain people – family members or otherwise.  Your upbringing and other factors are ingrained into your mind. Your worldview may include staying in a toxic or otherwise unhealthy relationship because tha...

Send me a text…what do struggle with most in estrangement Estrangement healing is something that every woman I speak with desires more than anything. And yet, it seems so elusive. ·      Do you feel frustrated when a trigger or memory threatens to undo all the demanding work you’ve done? ·      Are you wondering if healing is even attainable? ·      Do you wonder if emotional pain is just somethin...