Dawn Taylor Wells - Wrong Place at the Right Time

Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1 - A Night to Remember

Chapter 2 - Happiness Is An Inside Job

Chapter 3 - A Broken Little Girl

Chapter 4 - No Place to Call Home

Chapter 5 - Reckless Rebellion

Chapter 6 - Radically Altered

Chapter 7 - The Chains of Codependency

Chapter 8 - From Broken to Blessed

Chapter 9 - We Cant Out Give God

Chapter 10 - Husband Checklist: 101

Chapter 11 - He Had Me at Dachshund

Chapter 12 - Trust Is Not For Wimps

Chapter 13 - Darkest Just Before the Dawn

Chapter 14 - Where Are You God?

Chapter 15 -Forgiveness Wins the Victory

About the Author

Introduction

One of my favorite television shows is about a complete fashion transformation. Im not talking about a makeover. No, this is truly a transformation. They take requests from people all around the country whose loved one is in dire need of a major fashion overhaul. The winner flies to New York City with their old clothes in tow, and then agrees theyll throw away anything that does not enable them to move forward from a fashion stand point. For most, its their entire wardrobe. For a person who obviously doesnt have much fashion sense, (hence their nomination) getting everything in their wardrobe thrown out could be quite frightening. I mean, think about it... you have to start all over from scratch! You have to build a wardrobe in a week, with $5000 and all new fashion rules, most of which are foreign. I love watching this show, and I can empathize with the nominees distress in starting over and deciding on some new style that would be fitting for them and their future.

To me, this show is all about letting go of the past. The clothing represents all those characteristics that inhibit a person from moving forward. I dont know how many times Ive hung on to a pair of jeans that I skip over every day I get dressed, and wont get rid of. Why? I dont like to wear them, so why dont I toss them and make room for a new pair I love? That is how it is with emotional baggage, too. Why dont we get rid of that ratty suitcase full of old behaviors and thoughts? Doesnt it make sense to replace them with more productive behaviors that actually do work for our life now?

Throughout the process of the fashion transformation, most people begrudgingly give up their favorite sweat shirts, or clogs or whatever it is they feel the need to hang onto for dear life. They are usually afraid to take on a new style that they have never envisioned, and the fear of the unknown paralyzes them. I suspect one of the reasons I love that show is because I relate my life to a total transformation as well. For years, I wandered through my life wearing numerous worn-out thoughts, attitudes and carrying my own heavy emotional baggage that served no productive or healthy purpose whatsoever. I clung to the sadness, loneliness and grief that I encountered as a young child. I clothed myself in bad habits like an old polyester pant suit. Those habits didnt flatter me or help me move forward any better than that pant suit. My coping skills were similar to four-inch stilettos: great in appearance, but not practical or comfortable.

I stumbled into surrendering my life to new and better guidelines while wearing those four inch stilettos one night at a bar. God attempted on numerous occasions to get my attention, but I refused to listen. No, I imagined how fabulous I appeared with those heels, not realizing everyone else saw the truththat I was miserable. He waited for me a very long time to get to that specific place, and I finally arrived, stumbling down drunk and humiliated beyond belief. I had all my negative thoughts and attitudes, useless coping skills, shame, guilt and condemnation in tow it was quite a sight.

I also had a lot of loneliness and fear packed in that suitcase Id carried around for years like a ratty, but comfortable blanket. I was a complete mess and I needed a big God to transform me.

He was certainly up for the task.

Not only did He clean me up and give me a new emotional wardrobe and outlook, He gave me a new heart. You see, it was my heart that was so terribly bruised and beaten from the events and circumstances I had experienced. I carried all that pain with me and along the way, I learned some destructive behaviors to contend with it. None of those behaviors worked to alleviate the pain permanently and I was on an endless cycle of self destruction. I needed a Savior and He was ready and willing to take me on.

Even though He dragged me out of the mud and muck of what Id made of my life, it took me a long time to get to a place of understanding not only of myself, but of the grace Id been offered. The interesting thing is that if someone told me back then that it was even possible for me to live in freedom and with peace of mind, I would have laughed and ordered another round. I did not believe for one second that the mess Id created could ever lead to something good. I believed I was bad; I did bad things and my punishment was always close at hand. I believed the lies the enemy so cunningly handed me and didnt think twice about it.

I dont live that way today. Needless to say, I didnt do it alone. None of us do. I had help along my journey from people who chose to see the possibilities for me even when I was convinced they didnt exist. My story of redemption started with that bad night, a hefty dose of humiliation and a really hard lesson in life. It was a night I will never forget, but it was also the first step to a beautiful and life altering transformation. I never dreamed Id thank God for that night, but today, I do, over and over.

You may be thinking its just not possible for you to live a life of freedom and peace, but Im here to tell you that you are wrong, just as I was. Oh, make no mistake; I understand where you are at right now and can relate to the very same emotions; the disappointment, the reluctance to get your hopes up, and the guilt from all those times you tried to change before and failed. Believe me, I feel your pain as strongly as I felt my own back then. But there is hope and I wrote this book for you.

I want to take you on a journey of how Gods relentless pursuit and all-consuming love transformed my life and can transform yours as well. Gods love and grace is undeniable and ever-present and I thank Him every day for the new life He gave me. Never would I have imagined what God had in store once I surrendered everything to Him.

Im not going to lie to you; surrendering my life to Jesus has not always been easy. I was never the surrender kind of gal. I controlled my life, or so I thought, no matter how miserable that life may have been. The changes I chose to make to receive His wonderful blessings came at a high price, and I still endure adversity along the path, but the rewards of walking with Jesus far outweigh the trials. I was one of those lukewarm, part-time believers for many years and it wasnt until I could go no further in the state I was in that I finally gave it all to Jesus. That one decision transformed not only who I was, but who I could be.

My life may be similar to yours, or quite different, but I suspect if youre reading this book, we desire the same result: to live an abundant life of joy free from past hurts and heartaches and emotional baggage incurred over time. Not only did God heal my wounds, end my pain and fill my heart with joy, I also gained an all-in, loving relationship with Jesus Christ. The knowledge that I will spend eternity in Heaven with Him gives me a peace that I carry with me every day. I had no idea at the time, but peace was a foreign concept in my daily life. I existed in chaos, fear, stress and panic most of the time. The difference now is vast and it not only saved my soul, but probably spared me dozens of wrinkles as well.

No matter where youve been or what youve done, you can have a life of freedom, peace, joy and purpose, too. It awaits you, my friend, it does for everyone. The change for me didnt happen all at once. I had some good days and some bad days and some painful days, too. It has been an ongoing process with lots of growth along the way. None of us are ever perfect or will ever arrive fully in this life and we arent intended to; we are here to learn and grow into the likeness of Jesus. The wonderful discovery Ive made is that you cannot hide a changed heart. Its simply impossible. A heart that has healed and awoken to the glory and power within is evident to all those who see it.