Walk away? How? My vows, they mean something to me! We’ve been together for years and we have children together, I can’t just walk away! Two simple yet powerful words have the ability to shift your entire world. Why is walking away so difficult? Why is it SO MUCH easier said than done? Why does it take the power of a tsunami, or near death altercations to exit situations we know in our hearts are killing us? Is it commitment, investment, strength, resilience, love or is it pride and fear? Maybe a combination of them all, however, just the thought of walking away from a toxic relationship always leave us feeling paralyzed and spinning into a dark abyss with one word left glaring - FEAR!

Then, it begins: The what if’s’ and the how? How will I make it? How will I pay my bills? How will I support my kids? What if I can’t survive without my mate? What if my children are hurt? What is my next step? Fears voice is loud, but there is tiny voice whispering in pain, crying out from our inmost parts, begging us to walk in faith and not fear. The list of worries, doubts, and fears escalate to a mountain the size of Mount Everest and when that happens we decrease our God down to the size of a pea….or shall I say a mustard seed.

What do you do when you have the Red Sea before you and the Pharaoh and his army behind you? Sit and feel hopeless, grumble and complain or walk on in faith? Change does not come without pain. When our knees are knocking from the sheer terror and fear of the journey before us, too often, that sound of fear rings louder than one simple truth…

Our God, the Lord Jesus Christ, is bigger than ANY and every problem or situation you or I, can or ever will go through.

Environments which rob our peace, destroy our health and steal our joy are detrimental to our lives, and while you are the only one who can determine when enough is enough, God sends us S.O.S signals and little red flags as warnings. After we ignore those long enough, or make excuses to stay, He will send a BULL horn that it’s time to exit stage left, and often that sign comes through the deterioration of our health.

I lived this painful truth. It took me being diagnosed with Lupus and the Holy Spirit making it clear that I would die if I stayed, that turned the lights on for me. I wanted to live and not die and proclaim what the Lord had done. I wanted to watch my children grow up and become awesome men of Valor and live out their dreams and goals. I wanted them to be men who treat their wife like a Queen and as the Word instructs. But that was quickly fading. Stress and peace can’t flow through the same channel. No amount of prayer or fasting was changing the abuse I endured from my ex-husband. His tears were empty and meaningless, at least until the next offense. I learned that God will never go against our will and although we were one flesh, I couldn’t pray against his. I couldn’t control him, but I could control me.

Here they come: Where will I go? How will I make it? The devil truly had a field day using fear and doubt to play double dutch in my heart and mind. I didn’t have parents to run to, to shield me or to guide me through this midnight hour I was about to enter. Both of my parents were deceased. I had no plan, just my faith, and the Word. That was the only pin hole of light I had. “I the Lord am Father to the Fatherless.” To add the cherry on top of this delicate pastry of disaster, I was a stay at home mother for 8 years. I am a mother of 4 sons, and had no financial resources outside of the “allowance” my husband provided for me. All of those circumstances made this situation appear hopeless. Christ in me, is the Hope of Glory!

How did I do it? Jesus Christ gave me the faith. He opened every heart and door (imagined and unimagined) and cleared a pathway for me and my sons to escape. He lifted me out of the pit and set my feet on solid rock. He used my friends, family, strangers, and even my enemy to elevate us to a safe haven. He moved my paralyzed feet which felt cemented to my situation and moved them in a direction of peace. He worked in miraculous ways that proved to me that Jesus is alive and he heard every cry and saw every tear.

Our job is to remember who we are in Him! You see, part of why we stay through abuse and endure it is because Satan works on destroying our self-esteem and self-worth. However, when we know who we are, EVERYTHING changes!

We are children of the Most High God! We are beautiful women, gorgeous rubies, and powerful life givers. Every curve, hue, and step of our stride reflects the beauty of God. We are all originals, handmade designs, crafted by the Master architect. We can do anything BUT fail! So get up, learn the lesson, dust yourself off, and get up again.

As a believer we don’t accept failure as final. This is not the end; our God is just beginning to do a new thing in our lives, the beginning of a new chapter. We have the Greater one residing on the inside of us. Jesus has ALL authority in his hand and when He lives inside of you that same resurrection power lives on the inside of you. We are joint heirs with Christ!

That means, we are Kings Kids and we get ALL the benefits of being a Kings child: living in peace, having true joy, not worrying about homes, cars, and material possessions. When you are the King’s child you live in a palace, and we ladies are life givers. We “breathe life” into any environment we dwell in. So, if your home has 6 bedrooms or it’s an efficiency, we make it a palace because of the love we add to every room. As the King’s child you know your every need will be met, you lack no good thing, you dwell in safety, you sleep peacefully, and you do not worry. Simply put you live life FEARLESSLY.

Now, the question is will we choose to live FEARLESSLY and walk in the Truth of Who we are in Christ or will we make the choice to allow ourselves to be trapped, perplexed, and ensnared by fear? Can we walk away from the “stuff” and run into freedom? Can we walk away from what others may think or say, and listen to voice of the Good Shepherd? Can we walk away from any unhealthy relationship in our life with integrity, our heads held up high, knowing that He has a plan to prosper us, to give us hope and a future!

Walking in faith takes practice but the truth is we do it everyday. When you make plans for tomorrow, that’s faith. When you board a plane or boat, you don’t check the pilot or captains credentials, you just believe and have faith that they will get you to your destination safely. How is it that we will have faith that a person who is causing so much pain in our life will change, but we lack faith to believe that God will take care of us if we walk away?

Fear is a magnet and whatever we fear we will attract. Fear is that toothless lion, who pretends, deceives, and prowls around looking for who he may devour. Fear doesn’t walk alone. Yeah, my sisters, even Satan knows the power of 2 or more. He brings his best friends, Shame, Guilt, & Doubt. Although, he is ever so real, he is powerless over the children of God.

So walk on my Sisters! When God speaks, walk on boldly and fearlessly knowing your Heavenly Father has a plan for your life and He has already provided all you need. You’re his daughter and He loves you. You only need to walk on in Faith and believe and trust Him. The doors are wide open and waiting for you to walk through. The opportunities are endless. You may be afraid to leave, but aren’t you afraid to stay? Start living today. Love yourself enough to walk in freedom and know in your heart that you deserve to live FEARLESSLY!

Restored and Fearless!
Monet Love-Peterson

For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, of love, and a sound mind. (2 Timothy1:7)