by Joyce Piskorski
Congratulations on your Graduation
Dawnovan, Deidre and Tiffany!
October 14, 2017
A
legacy (as defined by the Merriam-Webster Dictionary) — is “something
transmitted by or received from an ancestor or predecessor or from the past.”
Each
of us, as we live out our lives one day at a time, are establishing the legacy
we will leave behind for others. The graduation of three beautiful young women
from Deborah’s Legacy House, has caused me to pause and reflect upon the
legacies they are leaving behind as they enter a new phase in their lives.
Their
names, Deidre, Tiffany, and Dawnovan bring a smile to my face as I remember the
stories, the tears, and the laughter, we’ve shared.
Arriving
at the house was the first step these ladies took in living the verse in Isaiah
43:18 which says, “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I
am doing a new thing.” As they became part of DLH they were choosing to
leave behind unhealthy coping mechanisms, toxic relationships, and generational
patterns that were destructive.
Over
time, as they “unpacked their suitcases,” so to speak, I saw that they had
brought some valuable items with them:
Hope -
Wanting life to be different, and believing that it can be.
Commitment -
Being willing to stay the course even when it was hard.
Courage
- Willing to venture into the unknown, moving in with people
they didn’t know.
Strength
- Facing a new day when it would have been easier to stay in bed.
Trust
- Choosing to trust those who proved themselves trustworthy, even
when it wasn’t easy.
It has
been exciting to walk beside them and see them increase their sense of self and
to understand their strengths and talents. I’ve seen them share a sense of
humor, laughing together as a group, and at times, laughing at themselves. I’ve
witnessed them speaking the truth in love to each other, and being both
encouragers and confronters. They have displayed perseverance and
patience, especially as it pertained to being reunited with their children.
There
was a period of time when these three ladies were the only residents at the
house. I remember telling Jill at that time, “Those three gals are a
winning combination. There are three success stories right before our eyes!” It
was beautiful to watch it unfold.
Interacting
with these ladies and getting to know them has been a tremendous blessing in my
life. Over and over, we have witnessed the hand of God at work, and marveled at
His attention to detail. The most exciting thing, however, has been
watching them grow in Christ as they trusted Him to be there in both good times
and bad.
