Our Heart's Song: Susan's Story

www.SusanBMead.com

 www.DanceWithJesus.com

Your Hand.  O Lord, hold my hand…

Have you ever wanted to ask God to hold you?  To heal you?  To give you hope when it feels hopeless?

Me too…

You see, I spent over 22 years in corporate America until I realized things get broken, discarded and replaced in life, but people matter… and I wanted to spend time with those who matter most to me.   Why did I think this?

In 2004, I lost Bette, my younger sister and a brilliant PhD nurse, to suicide…

In 2008, I lost Kyle, my 20 year old college-aged son to drugs and alcohol, and

In 2013, I was in the grandstands cheering on Amby Burfoot, her cousin, as he ran the 45th anniversary of winning the Boston Marathon, only to see the first bomb explode directly across the street…

Having experienced my share of grief, I learned firsthand God shines the brightest light in the darkest moments and shows up when we need him most.  I simply want to share my journey to inspire, empower and equip others…

You too can find grace and healing in the midst of your trials and tribulations.

Isaiah 41:10 (NIV)

So do not fear, for I am with you;

do not be dismayed, for I am your God.

I will strengthen you and help you;

I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Isaiah 41:13 (NIV)

For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right

hand
and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.

Isaiah 42:6-9 (NIV)

“I, the Lord, have called you in

I will take hold of your hand.

I will keep you and will make you
to be a covenant for the

people and a light for the

to open eyes that are

to free captives from prison
and to release from the

dungeon those who sit in darkness.

“I am the Lord; that is my

I will not yield my glory to another
or my praise to

See, the former things have taken

and new things I declare;

before they spring into being I announce them to you.”

Isaiah 45:1-7 (NIV)

“This is what the Lord says to his anointed,


to Cyrus, whose right hand I take hold of
to subdue nations

before him
and to strip kings of their armor,
to open doors

before him
so that gates will not be shut:

I will go before you
and will level the mountains;


I will break down gates of bronze
and cut through bars of

iron.

I will give you hidden treasures,


riches stored in secret places,
so that you may know that I

am the Lord,
the God of Israel, who summons you by

name.

For the sake of Jacob my servant,


of Israel my chosen,
I summon you by name
 and bestow

on you a title of honor,
 though you do not acknowledge me.

I am the Lord, and there is no other;


apart from me there is no God.
I will strengthen

you,
though you have not acknowledged me,

so that from the rising of the sun
to the place of its

setting
people may know there is none besides me.


I am the Lord, and there is no other.

I form the light and create darkness,


I bring prosperity and create disaster;


I, the Lord, do all these things.

O Lord, THANK YOU. Heavenly Father, You are my Lord. 

Thank You.  For:

strengthening me

helping me

upholding me

telling me do not fear

calling me in righteousness

keeping me

making me light

making blind eyes open

freeing the captives

releasing those in darkness

subduing nations

stripping armor

opening doors

hidden treasure

summoning me…by name!

strengthening me

There is none besides You, the LORD. We praise Your Holy Name, Father.  You told us, so we know there is none besides You, O LORD. Hold our hands, Father.  Be our comfort as you walk with us, hand in hand, healing us, freeing us, strengthening us.  Today.  Tomorrow.  Forever and ever. In Jesus Name. Amen

Enter for a chance to win your copy of Susan's book, Dance with Jesus. All you have to do is reply below with a comment. I will randomly select a winner on Sunday afternoon, August 2, 2015!

Author Bio:

Susan B. Mead is an author, speaker, chaplain and mom.  She authored the book, Dance with Jesus: From Grief to Grace, which hit #1 on Amazon Hot New Releases in Christian Grief the day it released.  For more information about Susan, visit her blog at www.SusanBMead.com.  Susan invites you to “Join the Dance” at www.DanceWithJesus.com to take her 5 day “One Step of Faith” Challenge.

 (This post was written by Susan Mead as a part of the Our Heart's Song Series this month. I encourage you to read her story and check out her website. This is one of the many incredible women that I had the privilege to meet at the SheSpeaks Conference I attended at the end of this month. Over 800 women across the world gathered together and ask God to take us to the next level in our speaking/writing ministry. I ask that you would please pray for each woman as she shares her story.)