Someone To Talk To

There are many, many people that have helped me in life. One in particular is ‘Saint’ Audrey. I have to use the single quotations because she will protest saint. (which tells you something about her already)

Audrey doesn’t have an official title in a church or an organization, but she has mentored many women in various seasons of life … whether it’s through a crisis or boring mundane times of life.

Audrey’s path and mine intertwined after she sought me out at church and wondered how I was doing.

“Recovering,” I answered flatly. I was in the middle of major physical recoveries after horrific injuries from an accident had changed my life.

She read between the lines, “how’s the rest of you doing — your mind and spirit?”

I mumbled something about being fine, then paused. The emotional and spiritual trauma of adjusting to a new normal was tougher than I ever imagined it would be.

“Would you like someone to talk to?” She asked.

“Yes!”

She heard the desperation in my response and invited me over the following day. That started weekly visits that saved me. Saved me from myself. From stuffing my true feelings and pretending all was okay, when it wasn’t. Saved me from making some bad decisions when my anger at my husband, others and God threaten to explode.

One freeing thing she told me was that being angry is okay. Feeling all my feelings is okay! It’s what I did with them that mattered.

Audrey was God’s ears and voice for me repeatedly. Not that she told me how to live or what to do. She did the exact opposite.

She listened.

She asked questions to make sure she understood my (rambling) train of thought. She gave me books to read and quotes/verses to think about. She encouraged me to be still.

To ponder. To pray. She trusted me to hear from God.

Though we don’t connect regularly anymore, she still occasionally sends me a note or a Facebook message (That’s another thing I love about her — over 50 ;) and still learning new things!)

Audrey — I appreciate you!

PS. I’ve also written about Audrey here (on my old blog)

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This post is part of an (in)couragement Carnival hosted by (in)courage. Head over there to read more posts about people that bless others.

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