This is Episode 2, of Empowered Through Hope Beyond Brokenness. Today we are exploring hope beyond brokenness and fatherlessness. My name is Stephanie Wright and today you will hear my story about how hope took me beyond the brokenness of not having a father in my life.
So what was your brokenness and how did hope take you beyond that brokenness? Everyone has had some brokenness in their life. Share your experience and especially share how you overcame that brokenness through hope and trust in God. Email me at cgmpresents@gmail.com and I will contact you about an opportunity to share your story of “Hope Beyond Brokenness.”
Sharing your hurt can bring hope to others.
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Hello, and welcome to Episode 2, of Hope Beyond Brokenness. My name is Stephanie Wright. Let’s get started.
So, what is your personal story of brokenness and how did Hope help you go beyond that brokenness? Here’s my story.
My brokenness story is growing up without a father, being fatherless. I did, however, unlike a lot of children, have the love and support of my mother, grandmother and grandfather. But, like most kids, I still wanted that ideal family with a father.
When we talk about fatherlessness, we are talking about not having a father in the home as well as having a father in the home who was not a good father. That definition of a “good father” is relative. Of course, we all expect a father to provide for the basic necessities but I would have just been grateful for my father to have been there for me.
If you had a father in your life - even someone who may not have been considered a great father, well you still had a father, so you wouldn’t understand those of us who did not have a father in our lives. One of the saddest parts of not having a father, is people sometimes take advantage of you and do and say some pretty hurtful things when they know that male presence is not in the home. Stay with me, I will be sharing how hope took me beyond my brokenness, but I want to share just a few stories with you about not having a father. I shared in another podcast that my father served time in prison so naturally at least at that time in my life he couldn’t be there for me. I recall one time I wanted to participate in a beauty pageant and I was told that because my father was an ex-convict, I could never win a beauty pageant or I shouldn’t even enter the contest. Well, I was pretty devastated when this person said that to me. There was another time when the kids in the neighborhood learned our father was an ex-convict and I was so ashamed and I somehow managed to deny it. When there is no father in the family (and sometimes even when there is) the worst thing about fatherlessness is when people try to sexually abuse the fatherless. I came close to being raped by a trusted relative one summer when I was just twelve years old. To this day that person has not apologized for what happened that day and he probably won’t. I would like to believe this person stopped short of violating me because he did know my father and feared what might happen to him. But honestly I believe it was the Lord who was there all the time protecting me even though I had not yet committed my life to Him. (This is the first time I have ever shared this part of my life with anyone.) Another very sad part about being fatherless is when you tell people about situations like inappropriate advances by others and the people you trust to defend you, don’t believe you.
Now let’s talk about how hope took me beyond the brokenness of not having a father in my life. When I finally dedicated my life to Christ I, of course, spent a lot of time studying the Word. Then, one day, I read in Psalm 68:5, that God is a “father of the fatherless.” That sealed it for me. I latched onto that scripture as if my very life depended on it because it did! I no longer had to feel sad, lonely, and hopeless because I did not know an earthly father. I let God know I expected Him to be the father I never had and He has not failed me yet nor will He. Do you have any idea just how empowering that is? My father is not a superhero, He created all the superheroes. My father doesn’t just fly in the sky He bends the sky (2 Samuel 22:10) and steps down to bless me and He fights every battle for me. If you have never read 2 Samuel 22, in its entirety, you should. It’s a powerful praise to God.
My Father, blessed and continues to bless me, protected and continues to protect me from the people who wanted to and still want to hurt me. I would go so far as to say, the people who wanted to see me destroyed - because that is what the devil would like to see happen-see you utterly defeated and destroyed. Instead, my Father taught me how to transform hopelessness into hope for others. I started sharing my story of being the daughter of an ex-convict without shame and it encouraged other children of incarcerated parents. I shattered the image that some relatives had of me as the daughter of an ex-con and became the first African-American district attorney in the Northern District of Iowa. Funny story. I was preparing to attend a family reunion some years ago and when I told one of the reunion organizers I might not be able to attend the reunion because I may have to be in court, this person thought I was a defendant in a criminal case. I let this person know that I was the prosecutor, not the defendant. That was a liberating moment for me. Earl and Vivian’s daughter was successful against all odds.
As I said before, the Lord was there for me all the time even before I accepted Jesus as my Savior and Lord. He has been a true Father in other ways. He has blessed me to be a wife, mother, and grandmother. I am also grateful for how He has allowed me through the Charles George Missions ministry to physically travel the world to spread the gospel. And since June of 2020, I have shared the gospel worldwide digitally through this podcast. Time does not allow to tell all the wonderful and miraculous things the Lord has done in my life. Suffice it to say, He gave me and continues to give me, “Hope Beyond Brokenness.”
As long as we are on the chessboard of life we will have to deal with brokenness. By that I mean, other life events will try to break our spirit or past brokenness experiences will try to resurface to regain control. But remember that God controls every move you make on the chessboard of life and He gives you hope beyond every form of brokenness. I can say that unequivocally when it comes to fatherlessness. God has given me an unshakeable hope beyond that former state of brokenness. And you know what? I know that as my Father, He will continue to give me hope beyond brokenness for every situation I am confronted with if I trust Him and remember He is my Father who can do anything, for with God nothing shall be impossible.
So what was your brokenness and how did hope take you beyond that brokenness? Everyone has had some brokenness in their life. Share your experience and especially share how you overcame that brokenness through hope and trust in God. Email me at cgmpresents@gmail.com and I will contact you about an opportunity to share your story of “Hope Beyond Brokenness.”
Sharing your hurt can bring hope to others.
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