Hugs!!!

This was my Message from God on Facebook today:

 

On this day, God wants you to know

... that this very message is a little hug. Hugs tell us many things; that we are loved, that we are important, that we are valued. This message is a little hug from God telling you all those things. Enjoy it, be blessed by it and try to figure out a way to hug God back.

 

I love hugs!!!   When I was married I would give my husband hugs and he would semi hug back, more of a loose hug with a slight pat on the back like you do when you hug a semi-acquaintance, but not your spouse.  

 

God works wonders.   I won't go into the sordid details of how we separated.  I am over that and moving on.   I will tell you, though, that I was devastated.  It was the worst year of my life and I started saying the Rosary and returned to Mass.   I wanted to get away so I looked for a retreat and found one called "Healing the Hurts of the Heart" at Rosaryville, outside of Ponchatoula.   It was an amazing weekend and I could feel God's love in my heart.  It was a Catholic Charasmatic Retreat.  I had heard of "Charasmatic" before but didn't know what it was.   I left that retreat wanting more so I started attended the weekly Charasmatic Conference Renewal of New Orleans (CCRNO) meetings on Wednesday nights at St. Benilde.    The people were so welcoming and loving.   I spoke with someone there who I had seen on my retreat and she invited me to join a women's prayer group, Women Empowered by the Word of God.   I was very nervous going to my first meeting but the women all welcomed me with open arms and gave me hugs. 

 

I had also seen the advertisement for Beginning Experience in the CCRNO song book.   For those of you who don't know what Beginning Experience is, it is a peer based ministry for helping individuals dealing with the loss of a spouse through separation, death or divorce.  I had seen in the church bulletin while I was married but never thought I would be divorced again.

 

I attended my first weekend in October, 2010 and it help me deal with my own deep emotions - all of them.   All of the people there, team members and first timers, knew what I was going through and didn't judge.  At the weekend everyone becomes friends and hugs each other!   I finally felt a "true hug" for the first time in years.  

 

I left that weekend wanting to help others so I joined team, which I will write about at a later date.  I will say this, that out of my divorce, I have met the most amazing people and have so many new friends now, because God led me to them.  God has a plan!