Running On... AUG/SEP 2017 | Page 24

deciding I could do it, I was still afraid the whole time, because I just did not know what he would have done to me. If I wanted to do anything, I had to make sure I did it while I was at work. Otherwise I was timed by him for when I should be home.

Who should live like that, nobody? I was happier at work, for I could breathe, unless it was just me and my children at home.

I set a time line of what I needed to do and how it needed to be done,

so that I would be okay and my children as well. Yet when going through a divorce, nothing is never smooth sailing. But, it didn’t matter to me as my Father gave me the courage to make this happen.

I had to find my voice. I had to say no more to being in bondage and no more to living a life of being afraid in my own home. I'm often asked if you had a chance would you do anything differently. Yes I would have never allowed anyone to push me to go on a date with someone I wasn't interested in. Then at the same time I think but I wouldn't have my 3 WHY's, which is my 2 beautiful daughters and handsome son, whom has made me a G.Momma of 6 beautiful and amazing grandchildren.

Again but God, I had some work to do and it took me four years to complete the leave, but I did it with a lot of pain. Yet, it was the pain worth having, for I was not being controlled or abused anymore. In order to walk in PURPOSE God showed me I had to endure some pain.

As it is stated, in Romans 12:2, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

This means that as your transformation is being done, a metamorphosis will occur. Let’s look at the caterpillar and how it becomes a butterfly. The caterpillar is in its shell, and as it is working its way out of that shell, it becomes a cocoon and then a butterfly.

The stages of the butterfly start with it being an egg, a caterpillar, a cocoon, and then the butterfly. As a human, your stages may be of being in that shell of control, deciding on becoming you, moving into you, and then being you.

Let me give you a real

life scenario.

As you enter a relationship and you commit yourself wholeheartedly to that relationship, what if that commitment turns into someone controlling you? After you come to your senses, you realize this is not how it supposes to be, so you take it upon yourself to take back your life.

What you did is work your way out of that shell and set yourself free to be you.

You can obtain this transformation by choosing to be transformed from your old ways and becoming that new you, by seeking God’s words and living it, and by believing God will transform you. Pray as it is stated in Matthew 7:7, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” And lastly, you can obtain transformation by your vision, so write it down and follow it.