Wrecked No More: A Guest Post by Andrea Ward

Photo by: Idodds

From Denise: The "Love Found Me" series continues today with a guest post from my friend, Andrea Ward. Andrea and I became friends through an online writing community, and I'm honored to have her share on the blog today.

It was 1994 and I was not happy with life. I was too shy to make new friends and WAY to shy to talk to boys. I was lonely and didn't know what to do about it. I felt out of place and out of sync with everything around me. I felt guilty for things beyond my control. I felt misunderstood by others. I felt unknown to myself. I felt unlovable and obsessed over the relationships I didn't have.

I had many conversations in my head, but few out loud. At home, I stayed in my room. At school, I had two close friends. I talked to no one else because I felt no one else cared. I made sure that no one else knew. I wrote poetry trying to express my pain.

I blamed myself and I blamed others. It was not pretty. It was an ugly year full of pain. Not one part of the downward spiral or grabbing the survival line was pretty. However there was one moment of light. One honest prayer that broke through all my pain and anger. I prayed part of "Don't take the Girl" by Tim McGraw, "Take the very breath you gave me."

He didn't take my breath, but then and there He started taking my heart and my life. The very next day my parents discovered the depth of my pain and we talked. We really talked. A few months later there was a cute boy who grabbed my attention. A friend of mine invited me to the same youth group he attended. Of course I went. And I found a group that loved me. I found adults that listened to me. I had found a home for my heart. In October 1995, I found the lover of my soul and a love that would never fail me.

He found me as a lonely painful girl and loved me until I blossomed into the daughter he always knew I could be.

Love found me a wreck and loved me into a new creation. 

In what ways did love find you a wreck and transform your life? Share with us in the comments!

Andrea Ward is a blogger, writer, wife, mother, teacher, and youth leader. She loves good food, good books and good conversation. A cup of great coffee will make her day great and if it that said cup is fair trade, she’s through the roof! She blogs Jesus, You, and Me and you can find her on Twitter.