There was a time that I was trying to fight the battle but I have come to the place that this spiritual battle belongs to the Lord. He is our defense. My heart is often tempted to give up but we do have the God of all hope and He can move mountains and He does miracles in people's hearts. God Can!

I am standing on the Promises by forgiving, detaching with peace, releasing this estrangement to God, and praying and asking others to pray. God must give me the strength to do this, daily. I often am tempted to take it back. I must pray and trust that God will work in His timing and in His way and that His name will be glorified in it.

God bless you all.

I have come to a peace that I have not known in years and years. I always prayed--but in my prayers, I think I was still looking for particular answers, for control...still clutching the sorrow. I have turned the estrangement over to God and given up the control. I pray for my EC, and let go. Now I find that I can love them, but I am not trapped in trying to respond to the cycle of cruelty and negativity that this experience has brought out in others---this is new. And the other day my ED sent me an e-mail wanting to start to communicate. I am glad to hear from her, but I don't feel the desperate swell of emotions I might have just days ago.

Then, there was a challenge...my DH was at a diner with a group of friends and he saw our ES (the younger moved out two weeks ago---he just disappeared, and we have no clue why he would not speak to us. The boys did not acknowledge him, and my husband was devastated. I know the experience was not mine, so I cannot say how I would feel--wretched, probably, but my first thought was to give him the peace I have found. I did not feel the grief or the anger, and I wanted to help my DH deal with his feelings....we have company now, but after we have the house to ourselves again, I would like him to come onto the site...

Several months ago, our minister preached about Jesus'es family---His ancestors. He told us how Jesus did not come from a perfect family, and there was humor in his rattling off the actions reported in The Bible---but the point meant so much to me....Our families don't have to be perfect and neither do we; but we need only follow Him and trust.

Hi Marie, I have been encouraged by your words of faith and wisdom when it comes to our EC. I have left all the past hurt and pain with our Lord and trust in His promises that He will " work everything out for good" but in His time.

I am holding on to His promise that I should not forget the courage I had in the past when I went through tough times in my life and He always came through for me. I know that our Lord will take care of our ED and I continue to pray each day for her and leave her in His hands. By doing this, I have begun to experience a peace about the whole situation.

I cling to the promise that He is with me through this estrangement. God said that He would be with me through every trial, joy, everything in my life. So, I cling to that promise to me from God. Without God in my life, and the knowledge that He loves me and will help me with everything..I would be lost, and would not be able to cope...but Jesus helps me every day. Every step of the way..He's there to help me.
PSALM 34: 17 "The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles."
ISAIAH 43: 2 "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall he flame scorch you."
JAMES 4: 8 "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.'