The morning started with angelic singing by the women and then over flowed with amazing stories of loss and hope (lots of tissue passing!) and how Jesus loves us unconditionally through it all. Overall, Jeanie shared many scriptures on how Jesus understands our pains, completes us, chooses us, takes on our shame and guilt, knows us and is trustworthy to hand over control of our lives (Matthew 11:28-30).
Jeanie began by sharing the story behind the title of workshop (and accompanying book with the same title) based on a real-life goose named Gator Goose. Gator Goose lost his mate in life and grew attached to her parents, who would both eventually pass away as well, leaving him all alone once again. Jeanie connected these feelings of sadness and loss to core issues of adoption that she and her family had experienced first-hand through their adopted 12-year-old-son, now age 28, as he struggled with feelings of rejection and worthlessness based on the first 12 years of his life.
Jeanie shared how we can deal with loss and rejection in unhealthy ways such as closing ourselves off to friends and family or avoiding conversations. We may also obsess over neatness and order or turn to drugs and alcohol. She explained that we can choose to respond differently by being willing to forgive the past and believe we are valuable.
Shame and guilt can hinder us as well, when things done to us are not our fault. All of these feelings can make us feel unworthy, although thankfully Jesus not only doesn't reject us, he unconditionally loves us (Isaiah 41:9-10).
As we prepared to take communion, Leanne Martin shared a powerful personal story of overcoming challenges in her young life and how the message of the cross signifies our value to God through his sacrifice of his only son for us. Although there were many tears shed through out the morning, Jeanie closed out her incredible lesson by reminding us that thankfully we all have a choice in our response—and can find completion and rest for our souls through Jesus, who takes us to the God of all comfort (2 Corinthians 1:3-5) and who has placed us in an amazing family (Romans 12:4-5).
