before the junior prom.

The day my mom asked me if she could go on a date was one I'd never considered happening to me. At the time, my little brother and I were the only humans that inhabited the second floor of our home, along with our puppy, Chip, and some dust bunnies that came along with teenage kids. My mom's bedroom was on the main level. Because we were both old enough to get ourselves up and ready in the morning, it was a rare occasion that she wandered up the wood stairs before we left for school. I was seventeen years old and the only thing on my mind was a mint green dress with a black lace band around the middle that I was about to wear to my junior prom. When she wandered up the stairs early in the morning, I knew something was up. But when she asked, it didn't feel forced or uncomfortable, but definitely out of place. Only because I was the girl and she was the mom. I think I even said, "Shouldn't I be the one asking you if I can go on a date?"

We live in Smalltown, USA, so she knew she couldn't get away with just going and talking to us about it later. Because as it turns out, half of my close friends did in fact see her on her first date as an adult woman. They proceeded to ask me all the details at church that night. All I knew was his name was Bill, and he had oddly been coming by the church bookstore where my mom volunteered each week for some time. Apparently, he really liked to read. Actually, he really liked my mom.

Growing up, divorce isn't something you ever picture in your life. I envisioned my future family. I envisioned my parents being grandparents. I envisioned what it would look like to have my brothers as uncles, but never did I consider having a blended family. My mom and Bill dated for almost three years before getting married. Stepfamilies were also something I'd never considered, but they are now a part of my story.

My step-mom, my dad, my father-in-law, me, Jordan, my mother-in-law, my mom, and my step-dad. 

After Bill had his heart transplant, I began to see redemption on a much more real level. [This is the beginning of a series of lessons that came from here.] As I looked around the room, I saw my family, brothers, parents, step-sibilings, step-uncle, cousins, etc. As weird as we all are, we are family. We didn't come together as a product of something awe-inspiring or even righteous in the eyes of the Lord. Divorce wasn't God-designed. But what the Enemy intended for brokenness, the Lord redeemed for good. Isn't that the story of grace? I come to the Lord out of brokenness, out of darkness, out of my flesh. And He redeems my situation, my hurts, my hangups, my mishaps, my mistakes for His glory...ultimately for good.

I love that I serve an all-knowing, powerful God that can take a broken family and create something new. Something that encourages me; something that pulls me closer to Him; something that teaches me constantly about His glory; something that takes me away from a belief in coincidence and points me to Jesus. That's the story I now hold as the one of my family.

In the book of Genesis, Joseph is sold into slavery by His brothers. It was a bad sitch. I'm sure he felt alone, lost, and hopeless. The devil loves us in that place. He can convince us of anything when we feel we are without help. If you continue reading, that wasn't the end of the story. Joseph goes from slave to prisoner to second to Pharaoh. He ends up feeding his brother and keeping the family that betrayed him alive. Sound familiar? Jesus went from helpless infant to ostracized nomad to criminal to saving you, me, and every person, present and past, from loneliness, brokenness, slavery that comes with sin.

Before Joseph dies, his brothers apologize. And he forgives in the most eloquent, faithful way.

"Do not fear, for am I in the place of God? As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive..." (Genesis 50:20)

The evil that the Enemy intended for my family and I through divorce was righted by an incredible Father that is a leading and loving head of His entire family. Joseph's brothers were fearful of the future, but Joseph had seen his life as a beautiful picture of the Lord's constant care.

I don't believe in coincidence. I believe in the God's providence. My mom, who was timid to ask me permission to date Bill, had no idea that Bill was diagnosed with congestive heart failure. She had no idea that when she said "in sickness and in health" that meant changing pick-lines for medication and spending weeks of her life in the hospital. It's no coincidence that my mom, with nursing AND physician's assistants degrees, married Bill.

Although being a part of a family that had to use the word "step" when referring to each other was something I never considered, the Lord used it as the ultimate Teacher that He is...for good.

Redemption and the Lord's providence are real. I have seen the Lord's constant care for me and my family, the whole family, and can tell you without a shadow of a doubt not to fear. Because the Lord provides a place of freedom, shelter, and goodness.