Friday, May 18, 2012

WHAT I KNOW FOR SURE!

What I know for sure is how to bounce back from setbacks! Yes, I do!

I lost my husband and oldest daughter in an automobile accident ten years ago.  My infant daughter at the time was the only survivor of that accident with second and third degree burns. I kept a journal of my feelings and thoughts as I endured the pain of losing half my family at one time in addition to caring for an injured child. This was the second time in my lifetime that I lost half my family in a car accident, the first time it was my parents. Although there are books on grief and loss, I couldn't find a book for people like myself who suffered multiple losses at the same time or within a short period of time.

Grief is a hard subject to talk about and many don’t know how to help the bereaved. So I transformed my journal entries into a resourceful book entitled My #1 Is Still My #1! It teaches family and friends how to help their loved ones navigate through the tremendous pain that we all go through when we experience a death.

We all know people who have never been the same after they experienced heart break and pain because of life’s circumstances. We usually refer to them as Auntie So-n-so or Uncle So-n-so who have never been the same since such-n-such happened! Right? I didn’t want to become part of those statistics. I knew I was drunk with grief from the tragedy of losing both my husband and 10 years old daughter at the same time in that fiery crash, but I was sober enough to NOT WANT that to be the end of my story. So, I summoned up the courage to find something worth living for and I found it in the Word of God! God was #1 in my life before the accident and I wanted Him to STILL BE My #1 after the accident!

In my private time with God, I discovered that I was left behind for a reason, my time was not up. I still had an assignment to do here on earth AND I could do it alone! My divine destiny did not include those who had passed on. Recognizing that one God revelation liberated me from the fear of going on alone to see what my end would be - without them.

God revealed to me that I had everything I needed to make it through my life’s journey already deposited in me and all I had to do was pull it up out of me! I wasn’t hopeless, helpless, or a victim of my circumstances anymore – I was (AM) a Victor! I can choose to triumph over my tragedies; they didn’t have the power to define me! With this second revelation I shook myself loose from the depression and despair that hung on me like a sweater and dropped it on the floor. I decided to pick up the garment of praise and dance my way out of my tragedy while singing:

“Because of You I live, because of You I live, I live to worship You!” As I continued to sing songs of praise unto God for what I still had left, my spirit lifted and hope replaced despair!

Every negative thought was countered with a faith confession! I spoke God’s Word over myself and His Word began to define me, not my tragedy! I was freed and liberated from my circumstances by the life giving Word of God! I broke the negative cycle of grief and loss by speaking the Word of God out loud and The Holy Spirit coaching me through it!

Today, I am still victorious in spite of the emotional triggers of holidays, birthdays, anniversaries or graduations. I am still here serving as YOUR spiritual “Harriet Tubman”, leading the way to your freedom from the spirit of heaviness that has oppressed you up until this day! This is my prayer for all of you, “I decree and declare your freedom from the ‘blues’ by the shed Blood of Jesus! You CAN walk out of the cave of depression you are in today by the same Power of God that works in me! You are Delivered, Hallelujah! Our God is no respecter of persons, what He has done for me is offered to you! Accept the work of His Only Son, Jesus, who has already won this fight for you – it’s fixed, you win! Get up from the floor of despair and fight back against your depression in the Precious Name of Jesus, Amen!”


Bernice Bright Dickey is the author of, “My #1 Is Still My #1!” her inspirational story of triumph after the tragedy of losing both her husband and daughter at the same time in a car accident. To contact her and to read more about her story please click on her website at http://www.bernicebrightdickey.com/.