• Home
  • Blog
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

Katie M. Reid

Finding Grace in the Unraveling of Life

  • Home
    • About
  • Books
    • Made Like Martha
    • A Very Bavarian Christmas
    • Judges Bible Study
  • Blog
    • Disclosure
  • Podcast
  • Speaking
  • Store
    • Resources
  • Singing
  • Contact
    • Privacy Policy

in Uncategorized

Unraveling Grace: Hurts, Hope & Healing (Guest Post)

I will be hosting The Unraveling Grace Series on the last Thursday of the month (January-May). I have invited five blogging friends to guest post here as we find grace in the unraveling of life. Grab a warm beverage and lean in as we listen, learn, and grow closer to His side and one another.
Picture

Let’s give a warm welcome to Jennifer Watson today as she shares her hurts, her healing and her hope with us.

Picture

Jennifer Watson is a minister’s wife; mother of two, writer and speaker who believes normal is vastly overrated. Jennifer co-founded Broken Girl Ministries in 2011 based on the knowledge that she was a recovering broken girl who still needed to deal with her junk.

Connect with Jennifer:
jenniferreneewatson.com
brokengirl.org
facebook.com/jenniferreneewatsonwriter
Twitter: @JreneeWatson


My daughter came to me wearing a frown as she carried her favorite stuffed animal, Chickie. When you love something hard it’s bound to tear, sometimes in the same place where the first wound originated. Chickie has required multiple surgeries; I have had a few of them too. What I have been through physically is nothing compared to what others have faced.

I started writing seriously eight years ago, before then I was just playing. Prayer journals and angry poetry placed at my bedside as I dealt with miscarriages, surgeries, and tests that hurt so badly that I would fold in the elevator only to stand when the door opened.

I never wanted anyone to see me folded, weak, and messy.

Seven years ago I was recovering from an emergency surgery. I had two weeks to prepare beforehand and I was trying my best to figure out another option other than what my doctor strongly suggested.

“It’s now or later…how long do you want to suffer? I would never recommend this surgery to a thirty-one-year-old unless it was needed.” I nodded; still scared to death as he set the date and I emotionally ran away.

With several staged interventions of loved ones and friends, I folded again and surrendered to the cutting of surgery and process of healing afterwards. But, I wasn’t ready for the fear that was surfacing and the nightmares that happened as I drifted off to sleep. This peaceful sleeper began to fight and scream with terrors. My husband would rush to my side and one time had to physically pick me up and put me back in the bed. We were both terrified and knew this was not normal for me. I was running scared even in my sleep.

I was a rag doll who needed to be fixed with torn places no one could see, both on my heart and in body.

Picture


I’ve always been the girl who never liked to slow down, especially if it was forced. Yet being forced to slow down was the best thing for my health and my heart. Now I make rest and taking care of myself a priority. I stopped running.

I asked those really hard questions like, Where was God in that broken moment when _____________ happened?

It seems like there has to be a good reason for running and hiding and pauses for healing, both physically and spiritually. And so I did all of that really well and gave myself room to go retrace broken places in my past. I kept a few people at arms length until I healed. I gave myself permission to not be okay until one day I really was okay and better than ever.

I can tell you with confidence that God can heal your broken past and gives you a stronger, clearer voice with beautiful things to say if you let Him. Our messy moments can give way to the miraculous.

God can mend broken homes and hearts. And sometimes He gives you an open door and a trusted friend to wrap their arms around you and help you cry a little, or a lot, before you lace up your running shoes. One day the running stops and the messy and the beautiful merge together like they actually fit because you are free. Not perfect. Not free from battle wounds, but in a place where mending begins.

Picture


Is there something that you are running from?
Is there a memory that you are asking God, where were You?

“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds” (Psalm 147:3, NIV).

God is big enough to handle your pain.

Ask those hard questions and let God mend your torn places. I’m convinced that we travel back and forth from broken places and seasons, we are never really exempt from hard, tattered places…and so we run like rag dolls and let God do His surgery. We let Him unfold our fetal position posture and we stand stronger and there we find Him waiting with healing in His wings.

“The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18, NIV).

Holding on to Him,
Jennifer

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) Pinterest
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window) Tumblr
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email
  • Click to print (Opens in new window) Print

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Previous Post: « On Fears And Forward Motion
Next Post: What I Learned In January 2015 »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Kim Duvall says

    February 20, 2015 at 9:52 am

    Thank you for being honest and open with your struggles , many times in my life thru all the different things I have been thru I tend to shrink back and think I am not worthy when I know God says differently!!!

Primary Sidebar

katie reid headshot

MEET KATIE

Hi, I'm Katie (a Modern Martha, wife, and mom to five). I'm so glad you're here! Let's enjoy some cut-to-the-chase conversation over hot or iced tea, as we find grace in the unraveling of life (together). Let's exchange try-hard striving for hope-filled freedom as we settle into our position as a doer and a daughter—created by a Loving Father.

Read More

Subscribe for regular updates & receive a free video series.

Made Like Martha

Made Like Martha
Buy Now

Echoes of My Heart

Echoes of My Heart CD
Buy Now

Favorites for You

25 affiliate resources for communicator creatives and busy women

This site uses affiliate links.
Click here to read the full disclosure.

Footer

Search This Site

Recent Posts

  • God, What Do I Do? Bible Study Introduction with Katie & Lee
  • Looking Back, Looking Ahead with Katie and Lee
  • Benefits of Chiropractic Care with Dr. Lianne Coombe, B.A., D.C
  • Seven Ways to Get Healthy with Kelly Cullen, ND

Stay Connected

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Copyright © 2025 Katie M. Reid · Design by The Design Diva · Development by MRM

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Accept Read More
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT