Discovering My Church Home

I will never forget the day I visited Gateway church for the first time. I was in July of  2007 and I was totally excited. I came that day broken and depressed. I needed help mending my family.I had recently got out of a battered women's shelter in Dallas. My children and I had relocated from New York due to extreme abuse from my ex-husband. The State of New York relocated us. My first stop was in Memphis to start a new life. That was short lived when my ex came and started the same pattern of abuse and drugs.  We were transported to Dallas by choice. I felt so alone  and lost. I knew that I had to get me and my children in a strong Church. We had been very active in church back in Syracuse. Actually,  I discovered Pastor Robert on life today when he would guest host Life Today. We were still in Syracuse at the time. When I was in the shelter I went online to look up the church website.  Two things stood out there was a single parents ministry and freedom ministry. I knew that I needed help and support with my children. I knew that I was broken.I had so many holes in my soul that I did not think I could go on. I was really the walking dead. I know if it had not been for the Lord I would have lost my mind. Since the  shelter was in Dallas and I did not have a car I couldn't go to visit Gateway. Finally the day came when we found a place in Plano and I could sleep in my own bed. I still didn't have a car but Gateway was always on my mind. Finally God blessed us with a car. The children and I drove from Plano faithfully. That Sunday in July I Knew something had to change. I could not go back home the same. After the sermon was over I knew I needed to go to the Altar. I walked  up to the Altar and  remember standing right in front of Pastor Debbie.  I will never forget that as I bowed my head Satan whispered to me "look how the pastors wife is looking at you, she thinks you are nothing" well that took me aback. It seemed like time just stood still. I heard another voice that said "this is your church home." That Sunday the Devil played on the broken state I was in. If It had not been for God speaking to me I may have walked away from the house of healing for me and my children. Pastor Debbie is a wonderful woman of God.  We must be careful  when we hear things out of our brokenness. The enemy wanted to destroy and eventually kill me. He had already stole my peace, stability, happiness, health. Well I praise God that he had to release it all and give it back.! I am healing, growing and prospering in this House of God.

shuana

Prayer For Single Moms

Heavenly father I lift myself and my children up to you. I don't know the way I should go but you do. Help me to renew my mind according to your word. I give you every emotional and mental wound that I am holding on to (name Them). Father I chose to forgive(name) I know in my own strength i am not able. Help me to have a love for you, your word and your people. I close every door that I have opened to the enemy, I break generational patterns of (name Them) I apply your blood to them now. I will walk after you and teach my children your ways. I choose this day to serve you with my whole heart. I will live according to the principles that you have established for me and my family. Lord protect my children from evil influence. Close every door that's not of you. Bring them friends who will be great influences. Bring adults who will speak into (name child or children) life. Heal wounds in my children that I don't know about. bring peace and comfort to every single mom now. I thank you now for being husband, father, comforter,protector and my life. I pray In your name Jesus
Amen

God Loves Single Moms

Being a single mom can be a difficult task. Some of the issues alone make you feel like pulling your hair out. That's the way i felt for a very long time. Society will throw words out like: failure, bondage average, weak, disadvantaged and  never. Over a period of times when we hear things like this we begin to believe them.when i became a single mom i did not feel that i could do it alone. I an so thankful that I began a relationship with the Lord when my Boys were one and two years old. My life changed in so many ways. Here are five lessons that i learned about being a single mom.
1)  God really does love me.
I did not feel like i was worthy of love. no matter how we came to be a single parent God will accept us and direct us if we allow him to.
2 ) What society was saying about me being a single parent did not matter.
when i picked up God's Holy word and began to read the promises that he had made my thinking changed.
3)  We must be careful about the words we speak over our children and our situation.
the words we speak have power to kill or destroy. part of having faith is speaking what The Word says and
not how i feel.
4)  God really is provider and husband.
God Has been really faithful in providing the things my children and i need. God has never let us down and he will not let you down either.
5) I can trust God to do what his word says.
Anytime i have not seen the word work for me is because i disobeyed God . It is very important to obey God.
Single Moms God is faithful. I know we have lots of hurt and the pain can feel like it is unbearable. If we turn to god and cry out to him he will deliver us. Their is nothing that we can do to make God stop loving us. He really does have a plan for us and for our children. The Best thing that we can do is to fully accept Jesus as Lord and Savior and Rest In Him .He will take care of us. We must believe and surrender. When we do it will be so much easier.

With Love

• Shuana Searcy