{"id":659,"date":"2013-03-15T12:05:27","date_gmt":"2013-03-15T17:05:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/advocacy\/?p=659"},"modified":"2013-03-26T09:41:01","modified_gmt":"2013-03-26T14:41:01","slug":"i-can-do-all-things-through-christ-that-strengthens-me","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/advocacy\/i-can-do-all-things-through-christ-that-strengthens-me\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cI can do all things through Christ that strengthens me\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"

by Candace L. Strand, an ELCA delegate to the 57th Commission on the Status of Women\u00a0at the United Nations<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

\"Candace<\/a>

Candace L. Strand<\/p><\/div>\n

Philippians 4:13 says, \u201cI can do all things through Christ that strengthens me.\u201d As I reflect upon my life as an African American woman who may have been a statistic of domestic violence myself during 1977 to 1983, I give God the glory, honor and praise for my deliverance. When I think back to that part of my life I know that it could have been worse. But God and the mercy and grace factor stepped in.<\/p>\n

I had two wonderful daughters to raise while I went through mental and drug abuse situations. I was married twice. In the first marriage I was young and ignorant. There was fighting and an adulterous situation was present. Sex was often forced. In the second marriage, I came to know the Lord and our relationship went south. At first the drug issue was a part of my life, but when I became saved my ways changed and my companion\u2019s life did not. There were women in the home when I was not there in that drug atmosphere during that time. I prayed a lot during that time period of my life. Life was hard financially and things were cutoff in the home. My two daughters and I were without heat and electricity during those difficult times in my life. Yet, I was very spiritual. This seemed to compensate for the ending of that marriage and that season in my life.<\/p>\n

Presently, I am a minister of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I have survived from that sadness and oppression. I have remarried. I have been married for 17 years. My husband is a Christian. My daughters are grown and I have five grandchildren. I feel so blessed. I had to be humble during those years. I am still humble and I believe that the Lord took me through my adventure for a reason.<\/p>\n

So many times life throws stumbling blocks into our path. I would have never thought that I would have gone the way that those situations locked me into. I was always a hard worker. I had several jobs and I was also on welfare at different times too. But God \u2014<\/p>\n

Oh, by the way, I did not mention that I am a college graduate with two bachelor degrees. I am presently a senior under the Master of Divinity program at Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia. Thank you, Lord! As you can see, life goes on.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s next for me? Well, the leading of the Lord is my guide. I have learned that weeping may endure for a night but joy comes in the morning. Through disappointments, regrets, pain and love, I have endured hardness as a good soldier. I have learned that I have to take one day at a time. Sometimes when I desire to be in a better financial state or be living in a better home or even be rich, I think about Jesus and the life that Jesus lived. How can I complain? God is good. Thank you, Lord! As a 58-year-old woman I feel stronger and wiser each day. Women are powerful too! Peace.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

by Candace L. Strand, an ELCA delegate to the 57th Commission on the Status of Women\u00a0at the United Nations Philippians 4:13 says, \u201cI can do all things through Christ that strengthens me.\u201d As I reflect upon my life as an African American woman who may have been a statistic of domestic violence myself during 1977 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":153,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7387,1400,7391],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-659","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-human-dignity","category-post","category-united-nations-57th-commission-on-the-status-of-women"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n\u201cI can do all things through Christ that strengthens me\u201d - ELCA Advocacy<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.elca.org\/advocacy\/i-can-do-all-things-through-christ-that-strengthens-me\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"\u201cI can do all things through Christ that strengthens me\u201d - ELCA Advocacy\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"by Candace L. 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