Testimonial Tale

 

A bold affair with a delightful demise

where my soul & mind complies

to loose ended circumstance

left unbounded & allied

while waiting on Him

His hands in mine

standing alone

yet together

facing forever

eyes to the heavens

side by side, steps coincide

His word is my map, my guide

you'll find me only reliant on Him

solely contented in the path He provides

 

 

 

Lets rewind a bit. Growing up, no, I didn't go to church, and the idea of "family" I’d grown accustomed to, was the absence of my real dad, which was replaced by this new guy. A story sort of like Cinderella, but not really at all, because when things didn’t go his way I was sure to get a busted lip, or a black eye.

 

He finally left us when I was fifteen.

 

Which leads to the next chapter in my life I'll call "partying".

 

From the ages fifteen to seventeen, I’d popped every pill I got my hands on, drank until I blacked out on a regular basis, smoked weed every chance I could, stole anything I wanted from anyone around me. Committing felony after felony, constantly failing in my attempts of filling this holy canteen. Eventually, one arrest after another, I forced my mother into sending me to an orphanage, where I spent about 6 months (on and off, depending on the break outs and being taken to Juvy for the minimum 21). Adding up all my stays, I spent roughly a little over a year in correctional institutions and rehab facilities.

 

Feb 2007 began what was the longest of all incarcerations, a consecutive six months. Praise God I received the court approval to be released on July 23rd, 2007, three weeks early, because Brooke was born 6:46pm on July 24th, 2007.

 

Looking back at how He’s always been there with me, His love is just that much more incomprehensible.

 

 

Fast forwarding into my early adult years, eighteen to twenty-one. I married Brookes father, completely disregarding how badly he treated me. We moved to California, had our second child, David. It was only a short time before I gave up on trying to convince him to stop having affairs, and moved back home, where I planned to live a chainless life of being single and free. Though I came back expectant of being freed, I fell into all sorts of new bondages. One was that dark pit of "social drinking". You could have found me at any number of bars, three, four, five nights a week, terribly confused, thinking a million friends would complete me. I was emptier and more alone than ever, living a life that ultimately lacked what I'd truly been seeking.

 

 

At twenty-two, ironically, yet so divine, in a bar is where I met the first "Christian" man I'd ever dated, or even associated. Bless his heart, for during that short time we dated, he managed to talk me into going to church with him, disregarding all of my half hearted, incorrigibly atheistic ways.

I know now it was Jesus in him that caught my interest, but I clang to this man for dear life, sure that I’d found what I'd been so desperately needing. That fulfillment, that thirst quenching love. Yet, I had no idea he'd merely been placed in my life as a providential stepping stone along the path God had begun.

 

 

Mid August, 2012 is when He demanded my attention. And oh boy did He get it.

 

 

That relationship ended abruptly. I was dumped. The very following day, I was fired from a great job, without any warnings or cause. Then, the next day, His most audacious move (I'd like to say it was a bit of a grand finale), was the washing away of my cell phone at the beach. Long story short; it wasn't high tide, not even close, and in the blink of an eye a wave literally washed my iPhone away. There is no exaggeration to this story. No way would I make something like that up.

 

It was evident that His will was going to be done, no matter how hard I fought it.

 

Within a matter of just a couple days I was so overwhelmed. All that was seemingly significant, all that consumed me was taken away. My boyfriend, my job and my smart phone all vanished. He striped my life of distraction and it was the end of my comfortable little world as far as I could see.

 

I remember the morning of August 20th, 2012 like it was yesterday. I woke up, in a puddle of tears, wishing my life would just end already. Yet, in all the emotional chaos I called out to Him, asking for the smallest sign that He even existed and if He did, would He please rescue me. I can still feel the very sign of surrender. In that very moment He took every ounce of anguish and turmoil away, Because...

 

"You will seek me and find me, when you seek with all your heart" - Jeremiah 29:13

 

 

 

It's something not our minds, but only our hearts can comprehend.

 

 

 

I met Jesus that day.

 

 

 

Since, Georgianna has been my rock, my home. And although I could name each individual who has single handedly impacted my life, they already know who they are. For my heart beats in constant gratitude because of their generous acts of discipleship in leading me to become the Godly woman I’m called to be.

 

Today, and all thereafter, I am under watch of the greatest Shepard ever known, no longer one of His lost, wandering sheep. I am no longer the Cinderella of the story, but a princess of the Almighty King, blessed with a mouth full of words that will serve Him for eternity.

 

 

 

I am Cassandra Hartford & this is my reality.

Reviews

[Rhianne Ney]

This is inspiring and it really had a great impact after I read this, there are some people who are really lost and still wondering where to find God and where He could've been in this moment.
Not knowing that He was always there, always watching over us and waiting for us to turn and comply to Him. Sure, it might've been a long road for you but in the end you emerged as victorious as you can be and that's already what completes and make you a whole being in the grace of God.

God bless you, dear Sister (:

[Isa Ruffatti]

First of all, you've certainly got something here. It's amazingly inspiring and your wording (or diction) is pretty good. I think you might have to build the story a bit more and tie up loose ends (don't know if it has more chapters) like when she leaves her husband she does not once mention what happened to their children (taken into the adoptive system, stayed with her husband?) as well as who is Georgianna. You could elaborate on whatever role Georgianna had in the protagonist's journey. The ending is fantastic. This neat little story is really good, keep writing!

[words of rooted design]

It's actually more of an autobiography of my life, written to those close to me. They understand the context, and can fill in the details.

Thank you for your review!

[Isa Ruffatti]

Ohh, but great work! Even for those who don't know you, you've made it easy to understand. A pleasure to review your work, it was amazing.

[CreativeStroke]

This is a very powerful testimony to the mercy and grace of our Savior. The impact that people had on your life and the road you had to travel to reach this point of fully knowing Christ is definitely a journey worth sharing with others. Thank you so much for sharing this. It definitely had an impact on me as I was reading it and gave me some time today to reflect on the love and grace of God alone. Only he can truly satisfy us in life.
Beautiful write Cassandra! Thank you again for having the courage to share this with all of us!

[lee von cleef]

Silence every day give him silence so you can listen.

[Junert]

The miracles Jesus perform in our lives. We'd think we are unworthy of His love, and maybe we are but He's always there. With arms wide open and kindness no human has. That merciful Lord we serve. We thank you Jesus.