After the storm


Forgiveness and Boundaries

A Devotional Reflection

There have been many moments in my life when I allowed things to be said or done to me—and instead of addressing them, I simply swept them under the rug and kept walking forward.

Actually, that was most of my life.

I didn’t believe in myself or my worth. I accepted anything and everything others pinned on me—whether it came from a parent, a teacher, or a bully. I carried it all.

In my generation, we were raised not to talk back, and certainly not to question anyone in authority. That left many of us wide open to harm—especially at the hands of people who were supposed to protect us.

But I’ve learned something powerful.

I’ve learned how to forgive... and how to move forward.

In just the last five to seven years, I’ve also learned what boundaries are—why they matter, and why it’s not only okay to have them, it’s healthy. It’s holy.

We all make mistakes. We all have moments when we don’t shine our best light or speak our kindest words. Myself included—sometimes my emotions act before my brain gets a chance to catch up. But as I’ve untangled the lies I believed for too long, and as I’ve begun to see my true worth—the worth God gave me—I’ve learned to both respect and enforce boundaries.

At first, it felt hard and even unkind. But now, I trust God to show me who I am. And the more I trust Him, the less nonsense I’m willing to accept.

Life is short, y’all—and my peace is priceless.

So when someone crosses a boundary or treats me in a way that’s unhealthy, I can love them and forgive them—but I will not set myself up to accept that behavior again. Period.

I believe in counseling. I believe in owning my part. But I no longer carry the full weight of everyone else’s choices. I’ve done that. I’ve paid the price. I even had the stroke to prove it.

I’m blessed to live a life I’ve helped shape—with God’s guidance. Most of it is beautiful. Some of it, not so much. But here’s the truth: I created every part of this life, and with God’s help, I can keep shaping it into something that reflects His heart and my healing.

So when someone tries to insert garbage or unkindness into my life, I get to make a choice: I can reject those words, explain my boundary if they’re willing to hear it, forgive them… and move on.

I don’t have to stay stuck in any place that isn’t healthy.

I am worth protecting.
I am enough.
And I am a child of God—deeply loved and fully seen.

Scripture Reflection

🕊 “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”
— Proverbs 4:23 (NIV)

🕊 “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”
— Ephesians 4:32 (NIV)

Reflection Points

  • Are there any areas in your life where you’ve allowed unhealthy behavior to continue out of fear, guilt, or obligation?

  • What boundary might God be inviting you to set—with love and clarity?

  • How does forgiveness play a role in your healing without requiring you to stay in unhealthy dynamics?

Prayer

Father, thank You for the grace to forgive and the wisdom to set boundaries. Help me to walk in love and in truth. Heal every place where I believed I wasn’t worth protecting. Remind me that I am deeply loved, seen, and held by You. Teach me how to guard my heart—not in fear, but in faith. Amen.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

No fear

Well, that escalated quickly. We are officially in a financial hole, and at this point, only God can get us out. We’ve done the diligent work to get out of debt—but we haven’t built stability. That “one paycheck away from broke” warning? It’s real. And today, it hit home. This morning we found out that Scott’s entire paycheck for the week was used to cover medical expenses. The  entire check. And of course, this is the week when all the major bills are set to come out. Now we’re sitting here with nothing to cover them. So, now what? Well—I could beat myself up for not preparing better. But the truth is, we  have  been preparing. More than ever. And yet here we are, between a rock and a hard place. Now, I’ll be honest: the temptation to run back to old comforts like food or distraction is real. But guess what? I just started a 90-day focus on my health and healing this week. Can you say the stupid slimeball enemy just  overplayed his hand ? If the goal of this chaos w...
Read more

The Blueprint Begins

The Beginning I never would have imagined there was such a thing as a “Heaven blueprint.”   Growing up in survival mode—surrounded by chaos, confusion, and abuse—I didn’t even know what Heaven really was. Don’t get me wrong, I went to church with my grandma. And after my mom and dad divorced, my mom would toss us on the church bus whenever it rolled through our neighborhood—probably just to get a couple hours of peace (and now, after raising four kids myself, I totally get it). I enjoyed going. We got a snack, we sang songs, and for some reason, I was always captivated by the messages. It was a Southern Baptist church, and the pastor preached hellfire and brimstone like it was his full-time job. Honestly, I credit his vivid descriptions of hell with why I gave my life to Jesus at just 8 years old. No way was I trying to go there. Shortly after, my little brother knelt in front of the TV while we watched The 700 Club and got saved too. Then a neighborhood friend gave his life to Jes...
Read more

The Call

  Blog 4: The Call It’s a Seek. See. Act. season. If I’ve learned anything in this life, it’s this: God has always been there . Everything I’ve ever needed has already been planted within me—I just didn’t know how to access it. And if there’s one constant in life, it’s change. With every new season comes a fresh invitation to grow, to heal, and to evolve. But those invitations don’t always look like doors—they often look like storms, struggles, or silent stretches. Looking back over the story I’ve shared so far, here’s what most people don’t realize: I was saved for years, but I didn’t know God. I hadn’t met the Holy Spirit. I didn’t understand that I was the daughter of a King, an heir to Heaven’s throne. That truth was hard for me to accept. I was raised in chaos, shaped by survival. So the idea that I was royalty? Destined for divine inheritance? That felt impossible. Unbelievable. I could believe it for everyone else. When I read the Bible, I believed the promises—fo...
Read more