Post-it note

I don’t remember the exact day in the summer of 1990, but I do remember the moment I received my first sign from God. It’s a moment that I believe everyone remembers because it is an awakening inside of you. A feeling of pure love and peace comes over you, total astonishment, a life altering moment.

My boys were four years of age at the time and I was going through a very difficult time in my life. My marriage was not good. My husband at the time was very controlling and sometimes verbally and mentally abusive to me and our boys. To this day they are troubled by events from their early childhood. I wish I could change that for them. At that point in my life I could not afford to be on my own with my children. I’d just recently returned to the workforce after doing in-home daycare for several years. I attempted to leave several times, and once I actually packed everything up and planned to move in with my mother. He insisted, however, that we either come back home or he would move to Kansas and never see the boys again. I still wanted them to have a relationship with their father so I went back.

One day, sitting in my office, feeling depressed, distraught, and simply not able to concentrate on anything, I mindlessly dropped a drop or two of whiteout onto a sticky pad and folded the paper in half. My mind seemed to be everywhere. So many questions I kept asking myself. I remember thinking, “What should I do? What can I do to make a difference? Would we be better off without him in our lives? Or do I take a leap of faith for the sake of all of us?”

I opened the piece of paper and saw a cross in the seam where I had dropped the whiteout. I sat there in awe,practically breathless, in total amazement. Was this a sign from God? I knew it had to be, because when I held the piece of paper up to the light I could see the figure of Jesus on that cross when He paid for our sins so that we can live on.

I was immediately overcome with peace knowing that God was in control, and from that point forward I believed that everything happens for a reason. I took one day at a time doing what I needed to do for my children and myself. While this planning took time and many more struggles, I was eventually able to break away and free myself and my boys.

About Sharon Shabinaw
Anne has become a very close friend of mine this past year after meeting at a church event, and I was honored when she asked me to be a guest blogger for her. We have a lot in common in wanting to spread the word of God and be a light to others by sharing our stories and being vulnerable enough to open up our hearts in the hope that our stories may help someone else who may be struggling with the same struggles we are. God works in mysterious ways and brings people into our lives for a reason and a season. I hope my story of the “Post-it Note” may help you recognize that God speaks to all of us differently. We just have to be open to receiving His signs and recognizing His presence, because He is always with us!

If you enjoyed this story, you can find many more just like this one in my book,