by Leah Martorana
This year at Beautiful Weekend we were challenged to expect BIG things from God, to expect Him to show up, and to expect a miracle. Wow! The challenge wasn’t to gain some insight, to take great notes, to learn about being a better wife or parent. The challenge was to expect to hear from God in a miraculous way.
As the weekend progressed I listened to ladies share their stories. Amazing things had happened in their lives! There were ladies who were rescued from drug abuse, who survived a tragic death of a loved one, who overcame past abortion, who were and who were miraculously healed. Each story was so inspiring! But as I listened, a lie began to build in me. I suppose it started a long time ago but it grew louder over the weekend. It said, “you have nothing important to say.” And, “you don’t have anything as impactful to offer as these women do.”
One night at dinner we opened a Tiffany blue box that contained a word. My word was “empowered”. I didn’t know what it meant. I waited all weekend wondering if God would clue me in. As time passed I began to wonder if He would “make the deadline” of Saturday at 11 AM. (Sounds funny now, but I really thought that) Weren’t we supposed to hear from God in a miraculous way before the weekend ended??
At the end of the retreat I was a little disappointed that I still felt confused about my word. I didn’t feel so empowered. The women who got on stage and shared exciting testimonies were the empowered ones.
When I got home I shared about the weekend with my husband. I told him about the testimonies. I told him about my word. Empowered. He looked at me in the way he does and said, “Leah, you have no idea the impact you have.” I started to tear up as the lie was revealed. This lie I believed as truth. At that very moment I received a text that said, “You have no idea what you’ve sparked in my spirit from what you said to me this weekend!”
Really? Me? I didn’t realize it but I had empowered another woman to share her story. A story that was bound to impact countless women. Beyond that, over the next few weeks God continued to show me how I was empowered. He helped me to realize that my story was a powerful one. My story is one of God’s goodness and favor because of the generations before me that prayed on my behalf. Life hasn’t been perfect and it never will be, but I’ve been spared many tragedies and that is a beautiful thing. God can use me. I am empowered.
We are ALL empowered! How are you empowered? Share your comments below!
Leah Martorana has been married to her husband, Mark, for 5 years. They have a son named, Maxwell, who they welcomed to the world in January of 2012. Leah is the co-leader of Beautiful Moms at Grace Family Church. Leah also enjoys anything creative, from cooking to crafting.