Growing up as the child of an alcoholic father who abused my mother and neglected us kids, taught me how to be a really strong protector, a really good nurturer, and a provider. I was well prepared to be a parent long before that event ever occurred.
There are two sides to every coin though. My childhood gave me the above strengths, but I discovered that most often my strengths actually hinder what God wants to do in the lives of the people I love.
The downside of my strength is: I had a hard time relating to a loving heavenly Father for all of my needs, and the nurturing aspect to my personality can lean in a mild degree towards a “savior type” compulsion. I was often guilty of trying to ‘fix’ the circumstances in my children’s lives so that they wouldn’t suffer.
Have you ever stopped in the middle of helping your kids or a friend out of a jam, and thought, “maybe it would be better if they took their lumps and let God teach them something from their situation?”
It wasn’t easy but I had to come to the point of surrendering my kids totally to God, meaning I had to assume a “Hands Off” attitude. I’ve learned that it’s safer to pray that God make the choices for the people I love, even if that means discipline, even if that means hardship.
That might mean not being there for a hand-out when one of my adult kids needs money.
That might mean keeping my mouth closed when it comes to advice and just listening and praying for them instead.
That might mean standing back as they hurt in hospital after a suicide attempt, and telling them to trust God and no one else, and crying buckets of tears with them.
Surrender your loved ones to God, and stop trying to save them yourself.
Sofi’s Bridge by Christine Lindsay.
This is the theme of Sofi’s Bridge, my latest historical romance, releasing this April 16 for digital, and May 1 for paperback at can be purchased at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Christian Books.com and Pelican Book Group.
To read the first chapter of Sofi’s Bridge, click HERE.
ABOUT CHRISTINE LINDSAY
Christine Lindsay is the author of multi-award-winning Christian fiction. Tales of her Irish ancestors who served in the British Cavalry in Colonial India inspired her multi-award-winning series Twilight of the British Raj, Book 1 Shadowed in Silk, Book 2 Captured by Moonlight, and the explosive finale Veiled at Midnight.
Christine’s Irish wit and her use of setting as a character is evident in her contemporary romance Londonderry Dreaming. Her newest release Sofi’s Bridge also features a dashing Irish hero.
Aside from being a busy writer and speaker, Christine and her husband live on the west coast of Canada. Coming August 2016 is the release of Christine’s non-fiction book Finding Sarah—Finding Me: A Birthmother’s Story.
July 2021 New Releases More in-depth descriptions of these books can be found on the ACFW Fiction Finder website General Contemporary: Rocky Mountain Restoration by Lisa J. Flickinger — Josephine Thorebourne doesn’t deserve happiness. Not after the mess she’s made. Mid-voyage, on the steamship Jameson, she learns of the tragic loss of her family’s money….
Although I spread my writing out it often works that it appears around cyberspace at the same exact time. If you’re a married woman I invite you to visit me at Adding Zest today. I share my experiences with SPICE, an acronym used with Natural Family Planning or NFP. This is a site that candidly…
Julie’s Note: Darlene has graciously offered to give away one physical copy of her book below. Please leave a comment on what you’ve learned this year and I’ll draw one winner on November 28. *** I’ll make a list of God’s gracious dealings, all the things God has done that need praising, all the generous bounties of God, his…
First published April 22, 2014 Christian women don’t have to choose between being sexual and spiritual. They have legitimate longings that the Church has been afraid to talk about, and books like Fifty Shades of Grey exploit. Whether you are single or married, sexually dead or just looking to revive your sex life, Pulling Back the Shades will address your desire to be both sexual AND spiritual. With solid…
What a treat today. Not only do we have an interview with Jennifer Hallmark, we also have an excerpt from her latest release, Jessie’s Hope. She also shares all the places you can go on her blog tour because she has some ahhh—mazing prizes in store! What’s the theme or message we’ll find in Jessie’s…
Have you checked this out yet? Courtney at Faithful Blogging has great prompts going on and the prompt I’m using today is this: What is your favorite book of the Bible and why? My answer hasn’t changed since the first time someone asked me in the mid ’90’s. Esther. I’ve been mocked for choosing a…
Thank you for sharing this, Christine. It’s not easy to step back and allow God to work in our kids’ lives, but I’m learning (finally!) that it’s best for all concerned.
Thank you, Julie, for featuring Christine and her story.
Blessings to you both.
Christine Lindsay is the author of multi-award-winning Christian fiction. Tales of her Irish ancestors who served in the British Cavalry in Colonial India inspired her multi-award-winning series Twilight of the British Raj, Book 1 Shadowed in Silk, Book 2 Captured by Moonlight, and the explosive finale Veiled at Midnight.
Thank you for sharing this, Christine. It’s not easy to step back and allow God to work in our kids’ lives, but I’m learning (finally!) that it’s best for all concerned.
Thank you, Julie, for featuring Christine and her story.
Blessings to you both.