This week I am continuing to share the ministry of Kathy Troccoli because it is so needed in today’s culture – inside the church and outside.  Life and it’s circumstances can be harsh at times, and we all need to know that there is hope… that God loves us through all the pain.  On one show recently, we talked about how you are defined by the people who love you. For some out there, this is definitely a blessing, but for others, it can seem like a curse… until you are born again and realize that the God of the Universe loves you unconditionally!

Let’s hear from Kathy.

“There was a time in my life where I didn’t get up from the couch for days and I’m so thankful for some of those dear friends – I call them the Remnant of Christ – the true Christians who would put on worship music for me, would read to me, and remind me of the goodness of God!

And my story (Reader’s Digest version) is that I suffered with an eating disorder for 10 years.  It was devastating and debilitating.  I was drowning in my addiction.  And through the help of some friends, and allowing some people to speak truth to me and go into some severe counseling (which I did, three times a week at one point) I was able to get to some of that pain in my gut that was actually causing me to pick that addiction.

We don’t realize that the addiction is just the tip of the iceberg.  There’s things that happen in life that cause us to operate in ways that will take away the pain.   I dealt with depression… my Mother used to say, “Kathleen, you are sad” and I dealt with that deep despair in my gut that I couldn’t get rid of, and now I know that some days I wake up with an ache just because I’m not home, I’m here where it’s hard.

But He’s put a joy in my soul.  I had some things that were going on chemically that I didn’t know about until I was 40.  Also, my parents died of cancer at young ages, and you’re never too old to feel orphaned and He (God) has been amazing as a Father and a Mother.  I’m a single woman.  I often say I’ve broken hearts and had my heart broken but I love to say He is the corporate Bridegroom but He is my Bridegroom, the ultimate Bridegroom!

I declared bankruptcy at 30 years old.  I was so mortified and felt like I was at the bottom. At 24 years old I had a #1 song in the nation, and you have nothing now?  You have nothing to show for your life?  I never thought I’d get beyond that point – but He’s been the greatest Provider.

And the story goes on and on and on.

And I know that some of the people reading are dealing with some of those things and they don’t think tomorrow will look different, but tomorrow will look different.  Why?  Because the stone rolled away!  We want our timing, but His timing is so different!

I often joke, that I’m one of those people who get annoyed when I have the ‘fast pass’ at Disney.  I mean, who wants to wait… waiting is not fun.  I’ve known people healed of cancer in an instant, I’ve known people cured of nicotine addiction instantly, but that has not been my story.  I think that what we forget is that we are going to wait (at times) but how will we wait?  Will we wait with anticipation that God will come?  Will we wait with the childlike expectation that He’s going to come?  Will we wait worshipfully?  And I don’t mean just singing songs, I mean looking up and saying I believe You!”