I play many roles here on earth – wife, mother of 3 boys, homeschool mom, daughter, ministry leader, recovery sponsor, sister, friend – but my identity comes from the amazing and relentless love of my Savior, my God.
Born on the date of Martin Luther King’s birth, God planted a dream in my heart at a very early age. I would see the stage at church and think how I wanted to be on it. To speak of freedom, grace, and love. But I was crushed by low self worth and seemed bent on self-destruction. No way was I going to end up on that stage. More likely, I’d never even make it to 30.
So I thought – but God had other plans.
After more than 30 years of stress, dysfunction, and extremely poor choices, I finally chose to give up control of my life and place it in God’s hands. Our gentle, patient Lord took my hand and led me down paths that I only dreamed I might go. He has restored me in body, mind, and spirit, and freed me from the bondage of shame. As I chose obedience and surrender, He gave me the gift of truly living fully alive – and He will do the same for you! Thank God, He is not finished with us yet!
Phillipians 3:12-14
Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Charmaine Rusin 