God's Brave Women - Michelle's Story

As a young child, I always knew I was different. This "knowing" wasn't coming from an external world, it was coming from the inside. This "difference" inside of me was a powerful force that intrigued me to cultivate. When cultivated and nurtured, that force took me to places beyond what I had hoped for. Places where good overcomes bad and benefits many – very HAPPY places! I wanted to keep going to those places as a girl! Those places were contrary to the external environment of poverty, mental illness and running from pedophiles I experienced in childhood. I did time in foster care. But honestly, I do not remember being afraid. This force inside me comforted me, protected me and guided me. I did not recognize that force was Jesus until I was 9 years old and given to my paternal grandmother.

I was not raised in a nuclear family but always felt loved. Unconditional love was shown to me by my nana, I felt love and respect from two step-fathers, and my mother believed my life was guided by the north star. She had delusions of grandeur. She never recovered emotionally from the motor vehicle accident on Mother’s Day 1972 that we (my mother 4-5 months pregnant with me) were involved in that killed my father at age 17 and three others. I have two brothers, neither of which I shared a home with for long. I love them dearly, and we catch up wherever we leave off. And then there is my sister, Jess. She is not my real sister, she's my paternal aunt that I had the pleasure to grow up with. We had so many great adventures. I knew I was safe when I went to live with my Nana.

My Nana worked at the school so we could have a religious education. I knew education was my ticket out of poverty. The priests encouraged my college education by taking me to colleges and helping me enhance my social skills, always respecting my differences as an asset. My nana was the greatest example of bravery to me, raising three children on her own. My nana never saw herself as brave but surrounded herself with loving and interesting people. I am the first person in my immediate family to go to college, and I worked hard to obtain my advanced degree and certifications.

I did not see myself as brave until I married a man with two adopted children from a previous marriage. We then had two more children. You have to be brave to raise a family, much less a blended family, in a god-forsaken world. Bravery comes with a price but is worth the investment. You see, we are ALL different. We have to be to fulfill God's ultimate design for mankind. Ephesians 2:10 says, "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." And 1 Peter 2:9, "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness and into his wonderful light". I pray for a world where we embrace our differences and respect others to live our most prosperous life in joy. Jeremiah 29:11, “For I Know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.”