8 Hard Truths My Redemption Taught Me (Special Episode)

Celebrating Eight Years of Redemption

Welcome to a special episode of Heart for Creatives!

March is a big month in our household, for several reasons. One of which is the celebration of the day the Lord stepped in to resurrect me back to life.

Eight years ago this month, I was nothing more than a walking corpse. My spirit had died, my emotions had decayed, depression and anxiety ruled my life to such an extent I was on the verge of suicide. Yet God saw me and spoke life over me, performing a literal miracle.

I am a living, breathing, walking testimony, and I always love commemorating the time by remembering the miracle that only God could’ve performed.

Though I’ve tried many times to adequately put into words just how deeply God transformed my life. I can’t seem to do it justice.

There’s so much beauty to behold when the Lord does a miracle that I’ve often wondered if it was similar to the struggle John, the Beloved, had when he was tasked to write the book of Revelation. How do you put such wonders into human words and do them justice?

And while that’s not the conversation of today’s episode, I would love to share some joyous, albeit hard, foundational truths I’ve gleaned in the 8 years since my redemption.

8 Hard Truths God Taught Me After My Redemption

God redeemed me, transformed me, healed me, commissioned me, and established me in ways I never would have ever imagined possible. And in celebration of turning 8 years redeemed, I’d love to share with you eight truths we must hold to as we seek to cultivate sustainable rhythms and thriving writing careers.

Also, as a quick side note, you know how giddy kids get the closer they are to turning double digits. That’s how I’m feeling these days. Like “Ooh, I’m eight. I’m almost to double digits!” LOL.

Anyhoo … if this is your first time here, I’m absolutely thrilled to welcome you into this space!

Why These Truths Mattered for My Writing Journey

As I sat down to prepare for this week’s chat, I couldn’t get away from reflecting on how much has changed in the last eight years.

I still feel like me. Just a more mature, firmly rooted version of the Desiree God had always intended for me to become.

My mind struggles to wrap around it most days. Out of everyone on earth, God chose me. This unknown pastor’s wife from a small church in a town few have ever heard of.

Yet, He saw me in 2018 on the brink of death, covered in sin and shame, and He saw someone worth saving.

I did not go looking for Him, but He came running for me. I can never thank Him enough for the wonders He has done in my life.

There are many scriptures I love to use to help illustrate the depth of my redemption. You’ll often hear me reference it as a spiritual heart transplant (I’ll link that blog post in the description), which connects to Ezekiel 36:25-27.

Which reads:

Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols.I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.

These last eight years have seen my foundation completely obliterated, built new, and my life awakened to not only the revelations of God but to a deeper understanding of His nature and character.

I have met God as real, and there is no turning back.

And in celebration of my eighth redemption birthday, I’d love to break down a few golden truth nuggets.

Starting with …

Truth No. One — God is sovereign at all times.

Now, if you’re wondering why this is a hard truth, here’s why:

Even when the prayers aren’t answered the way I had hoped … Even when the miracle didn’t come … Even in the agony of the waiting … Even in my darkest moment … Even when I don’t understand why I’m suffering in mind or body the way I am …

God is still sovereign.

Trusting God’s Sovereignty When Life Doesn’t Make Sense

The book of Job is a fascinating account in scripture, even if it can be hard to process. Like Job, there are times in our lives when our hearts burn with questions for why we’ve suffered hardship, heartache, loss, etc.

And that burning in our hearts can leave our minds grappling for answers.

Yet despite all of Job’s lengthy questions for God, the Father responds to Job with a series of “where were you” statements.

My favorite being:

“Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding.” (Job 38:4)

Quick FYI … God was not shaming Job with all the “where were you …” statements within Job 38-39. Essentially, God was opening Job’s eyes to what grief and sorrow was blinding him to.

Namely the magnitude of God’s majesty. God is the Eternal One. The Creator of Heaven and Earth. The One who reigns on high, forever and ever.

And there are times when we, too, need to be reminded of just Who it is that we serve.

So even if things aren’t going the way we had hoped in our creative pursuits, God is always sovereign. He is trustworthy and worthy of our praise.

This truth will not only urge us to recognize God’s authority, but it will also challenge us.

As writers building businesses, we often feel the pressure to control outcomes. Whether that’s for book launches, reader engagement, income goals, etc. But this truth put into perspective that our role is obedience, while our sovereign God manages the outcomes of our labors.

God alone brings the increase.

Reflection: If we’ve committed our lives to God like we say we have, will we surrender to His governing hand and submit to His sovereignty when we don’t understand the wrestles we go through?

If you’re feeling a tug in your spirit, sit with that question and ponder it a moment.

Then, when you’re ready, let’s keep the truth train rolling with our next nugget.

Truth No. Two — God is always just, doing what is good for all, not simply for self

This was a truth that took time to take root. Being the fallible human that I am, I’ve often spent more time focused on myself, going to the Lord about my heart’s desires and hopes for the future.

However, when God sets out to use a person for His glory, He not only focuses on what He can do for that one individual. He seeks to maximize the impact of the harvest by using that one life to save many.

When God Uses Hardship for Good

In the book of Genesis, we study about Joseph, who was Israel’s favorite son. As a youth, Joseph was arrogant and prideful, and his life took many twists and turns he had never expected.

Over the course of his life, he was betrayed by his brothers and sold into slavery. He was even falsely accused of a crime he hadn’t committed and was thrown into jail.

No one would question the hardship Joseph suffered at the hands of others.

However, those very hardships were used to shape Joseph’s character to make him a man of integrity. One that God could trust to not only save one kingdom, but two.

God gave Pharaoh a dream to prepare the people for what was to come—seven years of plenty but also seven years of famine. Joseph interpreted the dream and was thus elevated in status from prisoner to being second over Egypt.

Pharaoh entrusted Joseph to organize the harvest, manage the storehouse, and oversee the needs of the people.

If you want to read more on how Joseph managed the famine, check out Genesis 47.

But the culmination of Joseph’s trials came to a head when there was restoration between him and his family.

Genesis 50:15-21 reads:

When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “Perhaps Joseph will hate us, and may actually repay us for all the evil which we did to him.” So they sent messengers to Joseph, saying, “Before your father died he commanded, saying, ‘Thus you shall say to Joseph: “I beg you, please forgive the trespass of your brothers and their sin; for they did evil to you.” ’ Now, please, forgive the trespass of the servants of the God of your father.” And Joseph wept when they spoke to him.

Then his brothers also went and fell down before his face, and they said, “Behold, we are your servants.”

Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God? But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive. Now therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones.” And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.

I share that because I have seen more rejection and spiritual abuse since my redemption than I know what to do with, LOL. Friends who were as close as family became my proverbial Judas.

Yet despite the turmoil and betrayal, God was present. And even if I didn’t feel as if the pain was just, God was always just.

What I endured through the years since my redemption has shaped my character and made me a woman of integrity. Not to save nations—no one in their right mind would want that mantle. However, God is using this very business to bless the lives of others.

Even at the cost of one, He is impacting the lives of many, and how could I not get behind that?

Again, do you see how these could be considered hard truths? However, regardless of how challenging these truths are to receive, if we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, we will witness the purpose behind all God puts His hands to.

So, let’s take a deep breath and press into our next nugget.

Truth No. Three — God will use what threatens to capsize us to position us

In Acts 27, we read about Paul’s journey to Rome, part of which was spent sailing on a prison ship at the worst possible time and in a terrible storm. Making the journey anything but smooth.

Thick clouds blocked the sun, moon, and stars that the sailors used to navigate. The men were cold, low on provisions, hope had deserted many, and several considered death imminent.

Yet God met Paul right where he was, giving hope and assurance that Paul would arrive in Rome. He even assured Paul that no lives would be lost as long as no one jumped ship.

And isn’t that the most tempting concept: to jump ship during the hardest, darkest, and most painful points of our journey.

Shipwrecked with Purpose

Yet we see that very storm crashes Paul into position—quite literally with a shipwreck. Despite the storm, Paul found himself positioned to display a miraculous outpouring of God’s healing power upon the idolatrous people of Malta.

An entire island witnessed the reality of God because Paul and the others happened to be shipwrecked there.

Storms along our creative journeys don’t always signify doom and failure. Sometimes the very season that feels like it’s sinking our creative calling is the one God uses to position us for greater influence. Where we witness the greatest outpouring of God’s glory that we have ever seen.

Keep your eyes on Jesus, my friend. He is present in every storm.

Lots of good things are being discussed today. I hope you’re feeling encouraged as we transition to our next truth.

Truth No. Four — Never underestimate the power of one.

There are accounts all throughout scripture of God using the seemingly insignificant to display His might and glory.

Many of us are familiar with Young David conquering a giant. Or the young lad giving his meal to Jesus, who then fed thousands.

However, the story most people are unfamiliar with is yours. Yep, the story of your life, impacted by God, and poured out as a beacon pointing to Jesus.

I love how 2 Chronicles 16:9 says,

For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.

My friend, there isn’t anything God can’t handle or anything He isn’t able to do.

There is no problem that we would ever face that we couldn’t go before our Heavenly Father, and He will meet us in that place.

Sadly, our instincts tend to default to our own understanding, knowledge, and wisdom. As fallible beings, we focus on what we can see rather than trusting our unknown future to a known and present God.

How God Uses One Faithful Life

Yet, I have had the unique perspective to see just what God can do with one heart.

Because sometimes that’s all it takes.

One spark. One prayer. One determined act of faith.

One heart that is willing to be all in for Jesus. That one heart that knows with certainty what it means to adore Christ. Not for what she could gain, but simply because He is her King.

Something shifts when a single heart is wholly devoted to Jesus. And I have witnessed multiple times how God will impact the one, and that one will spark a revival.

I have witnessed how God changed the lives and destinies of entire households (not counting my own!), and each time all it took was one person willing to stand in the gap, no matter what.

One that would do the hard things, make the hard sacrifices, and choose the path less traveled.

Standing Firm Like David’s Mighty Men

I’m not sure if you’re familiar with David’s mighty men from 2 Samuel 23. These men were essentially David’s elite warriors.

If you have a few minutes later, definitely go through and read their accounts, but I’ll share a couple here real quick.

During a conflict with the Philistines, Eleazar stood alone in battle. Scripture says the men of Israel retreated, but Eleazar remained. And he fought so valiantly that his sword stuck to his hand as God brought a mighty victory.

Can we picture that for a moment? Fighting with such ferocity that our hand clamps onto our sword so soundly we can’t unfurl our fingers, and our hand becomes stuck.

Yet Eleazar stood, refused to back down, and God brought the victory.

We also read about Shammah in 2 Samuel 23, who stood in a field when the Philistines attacked again. And yet again, the rest of the people fled in terror. Not Shammah, though. He stood his ground, defended it, and defeated his enemy as God brought another victory.

The power of one.

My friend, sometimes that really is all it takes, and God can bring forth extraordinary victories.

What is something in either your life, family, or writing career that feels under attack in this season? Go to the Lord, hear from Him, and then courageously choose to stand where God has placed you.

If God is for you, nothing will be able to stand against you (ref. Romans 8:31).

Alrighty, we’re halfway through our truth nuggets. However, if you need to pause and sit a little longer in any of these, go for it. Please don’t feel as though you have to rush or plow ahead.

If the Holy Spirit is whispering encouragement with your name on it, then, my friend, that’s exactly what we’re here for.

These truths feel heavy in a way, but they are so purposeful for our foundations. And we need those solid, resilient, immovable foundations to establish sustainable careers that bless our families and impact our readers.

And if we’re honest, many of the deepest lessons God teaches us come through the seasons we would never willingly choose.

Truth No. Five — Suffering is purposeful for growth.

That makes me hurt just thinking about it. Although, as a bit of encouragement, I will testify that nothing is ever wasted. God will use everything to grow, strengthen, perfect, and establish you.

Another thing to note is this: Jesus will not ask you to do something He wasn’t willing to do Himself.

Isaiah 53:3 describes Jesus as being “despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.”

Then Hebrews 5:8-9 tells us, “though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him.“

But here is the hope … suffering is never permanent. Suffering is always temporary.

Many writers assume success means avoiding hardships, but Scripture shows us that God will use hard seasons to build your character, refine your faith, purify your heart, and mold you into His likeness.

If you find yourself in this type of season, then may the words found in 1 Peter 5 comfort you:

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

~1 Peter 5:8-11

My friend, I feel heavy with this, but that heaviness gives us the perfect segue into our next nugget.

Truth No. Six — Sometimes you’ll have to encourage yourself, because only you can put in the hard work.

Even when God proves that we have Him and we have others, in any situation we go through, there are times when we’ll have to encourage ourselves in the Lord and keep pressing onward.

Similar to what we see from David in 1 Samuel 30.

David and his men had just come back from a war campaign to discover that their home had been attacked by the Amalakites, who then had carted off their women and children as captives.

Naturally, David and his men were grieved and heartbroken, and we read how the people turned on David in their grief.

Which meant David had to make a choice. Listen to the hate and cave in fear of the people, or turn to the Lord.

David chose to strengthen and encourage himself in the Lord.

As creative mom-entrepreneurs, we won’t have people dropping in to give us gold stars for completing the daily to-dos.

And as we journey through life, we soon learn that no one is going to take down our giants for us. We have to be the ones that put in the work.

The Lord will supply the proverbial sling and stone, but you’re gonna have to swing your arm to take down the giants who’ve stood against you, your future, and your family.

It won’t be easy, but it will be worth it. I believe in you, and I know for sure the Father does too.

But even as we take the hard stance and seek the face of the Lord in the midst of battle, we won’t always understand why things happen as they do.

Which brings us to our next truth.

Truth No. Seven — God won’t always explain why, but we can still trust Him.

This truth comes with a slight caveat. While we won’t always know the whys for everything that happens, it doesn’t mean we won’t ever understand at some point. Even if that understanding doesn’t come this side of eternity.

There have been many times when, months or years down the road, the lightbulb will go off, and what happened in a certain season makes total sense.

But many times, the Lord will invite us to partner with Him, and all He will tell us is to trust Him.

Learning to Trust God Without All the Answers

I can’t help but chuckle at how relatable the prophet Habakkuk’s conversation with the Lord is in Habakkuk 1.

Like many of us, Habakkuk went before the Lord asking a list of “whys?” Why the violence, why the unanswered prayers, why the strife and suffering?

And God responds in verse 5 with,

“Look among the nations and watch—Be utterly astounded! For I will work a work in your days which you would not believe, though it were told you.”

Isn’t it just like human nature that even if God told us why, we wouldn’t believe Him?

And I’m convinced that many of my unanswered prayers or questions had been for my good so that my unbelief didn’t interfere with the promise God had given.

In fact, in this current season, I’m being stretched in a lot of ways when it comes to trusting God. Because it’s only in Christ that we deepen wells of faith and cultivate greater levels of trust and dependency upon God.

None of which is easy. Most of which I don’t understand.

But here is what I do understand:

God is sovereign. He is just. He is holy. He will always do what is right, even if that right thing happens to be hard in the here and now.

My friend, if this truth happens to hit hard, then I’d love to share some scriptures that I pray will encourage your heart.

→ 2 Samuel 22:31 — “As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the Lord is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him.“

→ Psalm 9:9-10 — “The Lord also will be a refuge for the oppressed, A refuge in times of trouble. And those who know Your name will put their trust in You; For You, Lord, have not forsaken those who seek You.“

→ Lamentations 3:22-23 — “Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.“

→ Jeremiah 17:7 — “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, And whose hope is the Lord.“

→ Psalm 34:18 — “The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit.“

Lots of good stuff today! If you’ve made it this far, you are my people, and I pray the Holy Spirit is ministering deeply to your heart.

I have one more truth to share to round out our eight, and that is:

Truth No. Eight — No matter what, God is faithful.

When you are on a trust journey with the Lord, this one can feel rather shaky. Yet regardless of what we perceive or don’t perceive about our circumstances, the fact that God is faithful will never change.

The Lord is the same today, yesterday, and forever (ref. Hebrews 13:8)

And of all our truths today, this one can be the most challenging for many.

God, by nature, is incomprehensible. Our limited minds cannot adequately fathom all the facets of God and come away with a complete picture. We can study God our entire lives and always find something we didn’t know before.

And when we study the Bible for any length of time, the most heartbreaking picture we’ll uncover is the depth of God’s love for an adulterous and rebellious people.

No matter how many times the Father draws mankind to Himself, the world constantly rejects Him.

Yet 2 Timothy 2:13 teaches us that, “If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.“

In a world constantly changing, what does not change is God and His word, making Him the best foundation for us to build our lives and writing careers upon.

Can I get an amen?

A Recap of the 8 Hard Truths My Redemption Taught Me

Well, my friend, we covered a lot today. Let’s do a quick recap of those 8 encouraging (albeit hard) truths:

1. God is sovereign at all times.
2. God is always just, doing what is good for all, not simply for self.
3. God will use what threatens to capsize us to position us.
4. Never underestimate the power of one.
5. Suffering is purposeful for growth.
6. Sometimes you’ll have to encourage yourself, because only you can put in the hard work.
7. God won’t always explain why, but we can still trust Him.
8. No matter what, God is faithful.

And as you continue building with God the writing life He has entrusted to you, may these truths become anchors for your journey—especially in the seasons when creativity feels hard and the calling is heavy.

Closing Encouragement for Christian Writers on their Journey

Thank you so much for joining in on this special reflection chat! You are always a blessing, and I treasure our time together. If you’d like to learn more about my testimony or the spiritual heart transplant, feel free to check out these companion posts:

→ Hello, World! How my life has changed.

→ Remembering A Miracle

Want to continue the conversation?

Prayerfully, this chat encouraged you. If you’d like to continue the conversation or have a testimony to share, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I’d love to celebrate you as you fulfill God’s will for your life.

That’s all for today, my friend.

Until next time … Happy writing, and enjoy the journey.