Is there someone you wish you were closer with? However, no matter how much you try, it never seems to happen?
This was the partial inspiration for my latest release “Forever Changed.”
There are certain family members whom I wish to have a closer relationship with instead of feeling like polite strangers. No matter how many times I’ve tried to make contact, those efforts have been received with everything from mild interest to no response.
My heart has cried at the times when we were together and conversation never moved beyond common courtesies and niceties. There have been outings and events set up that were cancelled or delayed on numerous occasions.
This heartache led to questions such as “what would happen if one of us were no longer here,” “why is it a struggle to connect,” and “what if the connection came too late.”
In my story, Danielle Davis is at the pinnacle of success when she discovers her sister and brother-in-law have been killed in a tragic accident. She returns to her small hometown in South Carolina to learn she’s now responsible for seven children, two grandmothers, and a farm. By stepping into her sister’s life, Danielle begins to learn more about her sister and her life.
When Danielle stumbles across her sister’s journal, she discovers just how much her sister loved her, missed her, and longed to connect once again.
The tables have now turned and Danielle desires to make a connection and renew her relationship with her sister. Except, now it’s too late.
So, what do we do when there’s some type of disconnect?
- Cry—we cry a little and allow ourselves to feel the pain and process our feelings. Take the time to grieve and not suppress the emotions.
- Journal—write out our feelings. Through this process we may be able to figure out why there’s a disconnect or what type of relationship we long for. What do we long for that the other person is not willing to offer? Do we want a close relationship like other people have with their siblings or cousins?
- Reflect—are their patterns in the relationship? Has something changed? Was there an inciting incident or a slow drifting apart? How do our differences and similarities affect one another?
- Conversation—if the other person is willing, have an honest conversation to clear the air and discuss what you’re seeking in your relationship. We must be willing to listen and not take offense throughout the exchange. While this may be a cathartic chat, it can also be a painful discussion.
- Pray—above all pray and give the pain to God. He can redeem the disconnect no matter how great, in His time.
- Forgive—this may take a while but forgive yourself as well as the other person. Forgiveness does not mean forgetting. Decide on what boundaries to set in the future and remain firm.
- Focus—on other interests and purposes that energize and excite you. Move on and enjoy other relationships and hobbies.
God can and will redeem our pain and even the most challenging situations. I’ve learned that He never does things in the way or on the timetable we expect. His ways and timing are different and better than ours. He knows best. (Isaiah 55:8-9)
So we must leave ourselves open to allow the Lord to work.
How has God moved in your life? What answers have He provided that you never experienced?
At the pinnacle of her Broadway career, Danielle Davis is savoring her success. Just as her dreams are now within grasp, tragedy forces her to return home to South Carolina. Following the untimely deaths of her sister and brother-in-law, Danielle discovers she’s now responsible for seven children, two grandmothers, and a farm she knows nothing about. When a young woman from the 1930s begins making mysterious appearances to her, Danielle embraces her as an unexpected confidant and encourager.
Can Danielle find the healing and support she desperately needs in her new roles?
Caleb Donovan put his soaring music career on hold after making a terrible mistake.
Following the loss of his best friends, he now guides Danielle as she learns about running a farm and caring for a family. Can Caleb find his own place amid the chaos? Will Danielle and Caleb be able to discover the career and relational paths meant for them? Can they learn how to let go of their painful pasts, and find it in their hearts to forgive, and move forward into an uncertain future?
Purchase Forever Changed
Diana Leagh Matthews has a heart for the hurting and shares God’s love through the written word and song. Her debut novel, Carol of the Rooms, was published in 2023 and was a Realm Award finalist and her second novel, Forever Changed, published on April 15th. Leagh (pronounced L-e-e), lives in South Carolina with her spunky Maltese. For more information, visit her at DianaLeaghMatthews.com.
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