The Power of Three

I don't take this platform lightly.

Being able to bring life inspiration through the power of God's Word into your everyday life is the driving force behind why my heart beats so fervently to do what I do every single week in this ministry.

One of the many reasons why I started Unveiled Living was for the sole purpose to let other women, like me and you, know that we are not alone in our life struggles. Whether you are a grieving widow, retired, single mama, working mom, homeschooling mom, single and loving it, or whatever stage of life you're in, the message of 'you are not alone' is massive in a world that has created a depletion of connection more and more everyday.

It's crazy to think with all our social media/internet connections, you'd 'think' we wouldn't feel so alone, but I believe there's more of a epidemic of loneliness than there's ever been before.

I vividly recall when I was walking through one of the darkest seasons of my life during my divorce in 2012, loneliness hit me like a tsunami flood. I stood on an island all by myself. But get this: I put myself there. You see, I allowed the enemy to speak the lie that no one would understand what I was walking through. The more I sailed that boat into the tangled lies of that belief, the farther removed I became from others.

I literally walked right into the trap, "No one will understand what I'm going through."

Then came a dear friend of mine, Delores, who slapped that lie right out of me with her direct words, "Tracee, you aren't the only pastor's wife who's gone through a divorce."

Sometimes we need those, slap-back-to-reality statements. And she was right.

Yes, her statement made me want to throw a hissy fit saying, "But, wait....you don't understand what I've gone through. I'm not these other pastors wives." Yet, in my heart, I knew she was right.

It was the strength of that friendship that I needed in that moment. It was that connection and that conversation that helped me realize, I'm actually really not alone. There are so many others just like me who are walking this same valley. While their stories may be different, we're still all figuring out how to wade through our pain, our hurts, with the hopes that one day the light at the end of the tunnel will reappear once again.

In that season, God not only blessed me with the grace of that friendship, but he also brought me a new friend, Jenny, into my life. She was the one that got me to walk through the doors of a church building again. It was through this friendship that is what brought me to be able to fully release my trust in the Lord again. It wasn't instant, but God knew exactly what he was doing through the power of these two connections.

The Power of 3.

God created us to thrive in relationship and connection. While there are multiple reasons why, a few are because he knew that walking alone would create isolation and loneliness in our life which leads down the path of negativity that greatly impacts our mental and emotional well-being as well as our physical. And one thing I've learned of the dangers of being on an isolated island is this: the greater influence the voice of the enemy has in our life.

You see, when we are in this difficult state, our voice doesn't always have the ability to speak words of encouragement as it's an all out battle of the mind that takes over in times like this. In Proverbs 16:24 it literally states how vital it is that we speak gracious words into our hearts and minds and reveals the healing capabilities that does for us - "Kind words are like honey, sweet to the soul and healthy to the body." But yet, when we're trapped in this 'alone' mindset, it sadly exposes the opposite, 'The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences.' Proverbs 18:21 NLT.

The danger of being alone is you only hear one voice.

The enemies.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 breaks this down with wide-eyed revelation of the strength that we've been given when we walk together and the destruction that occurs when we walk alone:

Alone. It's not a place God ever intended us to be. By ourselves. If it were, he wouldn't have said, "Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.”

I've been reflecting today how thankful I am to be able to jump back into this ministry after an unexpected pause the past 4-5 months while we made the transition from Nashville to North Carolina.

"Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone? A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken." Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 NLT

What we gain when we have a true circle of Christian friends is this:

1. Support: When we have Godly friends in our lives, we have a built-in support system that can help us through tough times. They can offer encouragement, spiritual wisdom, and emotional support when we need it most.

2. Perspective: Interacting with others allows us to gain different perspectives on our situation. When we only rely on our own perspective, we may miss out on valuable Godly insights and ideas that can help us grow and develop.

3. Shared experiences: Experiencing life with others allows us to create shared memories and build bonds that can last a lifetime. It reveals the truth that we all have shared similarities in our stories. Having people to share our joys and sorrows with can make life more meaningful and fulfilling.

4. Accountability: Having Godly people in our lives who care about us and our well-being can help keep us accountable for our actions and behaviors, leading us to stay on the right track and stay involved in Church. This can help us make better choices and avoid destructive behaviors.

As I'm writing this you may be saying, "But, Tracee, I don't have that type of community around me?" I get that, but don't let that be the trap that stops you from finding that God-inspired community because it's out there.

Ways to get connected:

1. Find a good full-gospel believing church.

2. Get involved in a women's bible study.

3. Go online and get connected to a 'live' bible study or mentor group - Proverbs31.com is a good place to start.

4. Find christian websites that offer encouragement and hope for what you're walking through (see the resource page on this website for more help).

5. Start a bible study in your home.

6. Get involved in your local community - soup kitchen, homeless ministry, etc.

7. Have that '911' friend to call when you struggle with feeling alone.

If you need prayer or assistance if this is something you struggle with, please feel free to get connected with us here at Unveiled Living - unveiledlivingministries@gmail.com and we will do our best to get you connected where you live to a good local church.

We're in this together.

Remember that 'three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easy broken.'

We are stronger together,

Tracee Padilla