Overwhelming Grace
by Shannon Geurin
Her story gripped me from the moment I set eyes on it. I pray it’ll touch you in a similar way. Sit back, pour a little tea, and enjoy today’s guest post from Shannon Geurin. Oh, and when you’re finished? Consider heading over to her place to read her complete testimony. You won’t be sorry.
There are times when grace violently overwhelms me just like waves crashing on the seashore. The tears begin to fall and refuse to stop. This leads to the heaving of my chest and the ugly cry comes in full force.
You get the picture.
It happens in the most random places. Once in a church sanctuary of over 200 ladies. I was sitting on the front row listening to a story of how a Momma was reunited with her children and husband that she almost lost due to drug addiction. I identified with her fear of loss and her joy of restoration.
It happened one time as I was driving down the road and a certain song about redemption and grace started playing. (This one happens a lot, actually).
One time I was vacationing with my family on a tropical beach watching my husband and two daughters play in the ocean.
It happens sometimes.
I can’t stop it, and I don’t want to. It is a beautiful reminder of the grace and mercy God has had on my life. Nothing like beautiful reminders of grace/mercy that come from a place of brokenness. Click To Tweet
I’m a church girl. I was practically raised in the pew. I remember listening to my dad singing “Beulah Land” and seeing tears fall from most in the audience. I remember adoringly watching his hands wave to and fro as he directed the choir and lead worship on Sunday. They’re all fond childhood memories of growing up in church. In high school, I was known as the good, church girl.
So how on earth did I fall for Satan’s disastrous tactics years later?
It’s the question that I’ve gone over and over in my mind, producing a Crayola box full of colored answers.
After over 33 years of being a “church girl” and over 15 years of marriage I opened the door of my heart to a man who was not my husband. It started out as an emotional affair that quickly led to a physical affair and it almost caused me to lose everything that I have ever loved and valued. My sweet babies. My adoring husband. Almost gone.
When my husband found out, I just knew it would be over. I knew he would kick me out and it would be the end of everything I ever loved.
Oh friends. I was wrong. I was so very wrong..
He didn’t kick me out.
He welcomed me back home.
He is so rich in grace! He bought our freedom w/the blood of his Son & forgave sins! Eph1:7 Click To TweetThough we sin, Jesus welcomes us back home.
Was he angry? Broken-hearted? You better believe he was!
How could I do such a thing?
How could I be the cause of breaking my husband’s heart into a million tiny, little pieces?
What was I thinking?
Those are the questions that swirled over and over in my mind like a bad song stuck on repeat.
Messed up. The only words I can find to describe the condition of my mind and my heart. I was just messed up and my brain was warped. That what sin does. It twists you and turns you into something that you are not.
If you will allow it, sin will utterly destroy you. #YourStory @Kristi_Woods Click To Tweet
There were many layers of deceit and it took several years for our marriage to be fully restored. We sought counseling and we depended on God and the support of family and friends.
I can’t tell you my husband’s story because it is his, but as for me, I was so very broken. There was no hope for me. As far as ministry was concerned, I was done. Not only that, being the good wife and mother that my family needed was pretty much destroyed after what I had done. My identity was literally devastated and annihilated. I didn’t know how to read my bible. I would pick it up and not even understand the words because I felt they didn’t apply to me.
Sin is a thief and a liar.
You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:13
I had repented of my sin but there was more that I needed to do in order to achieve full healing and restoration. I had no choice but to offer every single part of myself up to my Savior. I had to show him my heart. This was extremely painful because it meant being vulnerable. It meant that I would have to face the truth of what I had done.
Facing the truth is painful and just hard. But when I did this, true restoration began to take place and I genuinely found my savior.
When you face the truth and pain, restoration begins. #YourStory @Kristi_Woods Click To Tweet
With a lot of prayers and a lot of support from family and friends I came to believe the grace of Jesus. I came to believe that I was not the only one that the cross didn’t apply to. That maybe my sin did not actually force God to add a “Can Not Forgive” column in His iPad.
I learned the true forgiveness of a Savior. I had my one-way ticket to hell, but Jesus took my ticket and gave me life instead. Sin that should have been waved in front of my face was instead written on the palm of Jesus’ hand. A nail was driven straight through that hand and my sin was erased by His blood.
Whoa.
That was good. Our sins were written on His palm, and a nail was driven straight through that palm and His blood erased our sins forever. THEY ARE GONE. Do you get that?
My husband forgave me the way Christ forgave me. The way Christ forgives you. Through John’s love for me, I learned the true love my Savior had for me. Isn’t that beautiful? Isn’t that the most beautiful thing you’ve ever heard?
True, Christ-like love in marriage is beautiful. #YourStory @Kristi_Woods Click To Tweet
Today our family is healthy and authentically happy. We have tasted death and know that we are a living, breathing miracle. We cling to each other. We love big and live as if we do not have tomorrow…because we almost lost it.
Me? I’m good, girls. I can’t even begin to explain what Jesus has done for me throughout this journey. I am rising up. He has called me and I am rising. I’m grateful for the journey and telling His story is an absolute honor.
Every day.
God restores, He heals, and He never runs out of grace! To read more of my story in-depth please visit my website.
About Shannon ~
Shannon is fun-loving and authentic. She loves big and she loves fierce. At the top of that love list is Jesus, her husband John and her two daughters, Alex and Averee. She’s a woman who has been rescued and restored. She believes every woman has a calling and Shannon has a passion to see women everywhere rise up into who God has designed them to be. Although a book is in her future, you can currently read her blog at www.shannongeurin.com.
I’m grateful to be a guest on Kristi’s blog today. I love community and love to connect with other people. I’d love for you to check out my blog! I’d also love to connect with you over at:
Sin is a thief! You got that right, it is amazing how many of my loved ones lives are being ravaged by sin. God loves us so much, and He has a beautiful plan for our lives…but when we invite sin into the picture, the consequences are inevitable.
The thing I love most about God is that the moment we choose Him over our Sin, He begins to restore the mess that we’ve made of things. He is so loving and kind, tenderhearted and forgiving. Thank you for sharing your story of redemption with us. It is so encouraging.
The beauty of God is that even when we sin, (and even knowingly so) when we genuinely repent it is erased! I am saying a prayer for your loved ones, Sarah! Much love to you! xoxo
This is a beautiful story of redemption. I loved this~”Sin that should have been waved in front of my face was instead written on the palm of Jesus’ hand. A nail was driven straight through that hand and my sin was erased by His blood.” Wow!
I know right Michelle! Jesus did all that for us!
Kristi,
Your raw transparency is a gift. Thank you for opening up your heart and exposing your weakness so others may be inspired by your strength.
God bless you…
My apologies…Shannon
I’m giggling because I’ve done that before, too, Shelby! Thank you for pulling up a chair and reading today! xoxo
I never get tired of hearing about the power of God’s redeeming grace! It’s not about how amazing we are but how endless His love is for us in the middle of our messy lives. He is good! Thank you for sharing today. Visiting from #RaRalinkup 🙂
Yes! It’s about how amazing HE is!! It’s not in the least tiny bit ever about us. Thank you Angela for stopping by Kristi’s today!
Shannon, oh for all of us to really know the depth of God’s mercy. It’s not that sin did that to you, but that it does it to US. The closer I get to God, the more my depravity shocks me. Thank you for sharing transparently and for showing so beautifully the grace that covers us.
Thank you Lisa! I don’t know we’ll ever truly know the depths. But- I’m extremely grateful! xoxo
What an amazing story, Shannon, of the power of God’s love working and flowing through your husband that transformed not only your marriage but restored you to Him.
Thank you, Kristi, for sharing. : )
Thank you for being so honest, Shannon, and sharing the hurt but also the healing. So often it seems an affair is the end of a marriage but you and your husband have shown there is hope.
Dear Shannon ~ Thank you for your vulnerable honesty and the integrity you’ve shown in sharing your story. I can’t help but believe that untold women will be inspired by what God has done in your life.
You are brave, you are splendid.
Bless you …
Powerful story of Restoration! Thank you for sharing! I love hearing what God can do! Blessings, liz
Thank you for sharing your story Shannon. What a statement of courage and hope. I’m glad to read how God has restored your family and your faith ..such a message of hope you share. It’s amazing how God can use us from our brokenness. Thanks again for sharing and may God continue to bless you and yours!
Shannon,
I loved every last word of this, but I think my favorite was, “sin twists you and turns you into something that you are not.” Such truth.
I just love you to pieces, my friend! I’m blessed by your words and thankful for the overwhelming grace we have been given!
Hugs,
Lori
This is such an amazing story, Shannon. Your husband. What an amazing picture of Christ’s death and love for us. I’m so glad you’re all in. Rising up, continuing on. I’m grateful to read about your family, how Jesus returned it to you when you almost lost it!
Awesome.. Really blessed to hear what the lord has done in your life Shannon.. It’s all happened because of God’s grace, unconditional love towards you both. I’m blessed to read the note. I really loved one part of the note. It’s transparency.. Holy Spirit made you to be transparent to Jesus Christ, so you’re able to keep to help others. I’m blessed because I was going through rough time being transparency to ppl in speaking truth about life. I thought I’m doing wrong because of transparency but you made it clear. Speaking truth is good it brings great love to bring ppl to Jesus.
Hi Sandy- honestly I don’t know where I’d be without transparency. At the time it was the only choice I had in order to survive. Being wholly transparent to Him is what brought me to complete and whole healing. As far as it relates to”doing wrong in being transparent”- here are my thoughts: I believe that Satan would love nothing more than for us to keep quiet. Satan thrives in the darkness…but when we bring things to light, Jesus stamps out the dark! ANd yes- it brings people to Jesus- so keep it up Sandy! Keep sharing that truth with others! And don’t let Satan fill your head with thoughts of it being wrong to be transparent! Our world NEEDS and is BEGGING for transparency!!!! Especially from christians!! Love you:-)