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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: Touch (the sense of touch) (08/05/10)
Lights dim in her living room with her husband and kids asleep in their beds, Sabra sat in her recliner analyzing her life once more.

All the pain and heartache had grown numb except the ever longing ache to be comforted, to feel a mothers touch.

Almost 30 years old, yet inside she felt like a child still searching for the love from her mom that never came. Reminiscing over the years she had with her before her mom was gone, she remembers her mom holding her saying, “One of these days you will get too big and no longer want your mom to hold you anymore.” She remembers telling her, “I would never be too old for that Mama.”

A few short years later when Sabra was 13 her mom got sick and passed away.

Although she had her mom for a time, her mom had come from an abusive home and struggled with giving and receiving love. Sabra had a skewed view of what love truly meant.
Sabra was determined to learn what love was really about. She feared the ache in her heart to be filled by a moms loving, tenderness; something she had never quite experienced would never be able to come to life for her.

“Honey, are you alright?” Sabra heard her husband say coming from the bedroom. “Yes, just thinking about how I miss having a mom”, Sabra told him, but on the inside knew she was not ok. Brian knew all about Sabra’s heartache and pain and had been praying for God’s deliverance in her for many years.

As Brian held Sabra close she began to weep uncontrollable tears and leaned into him closer, squeezing him as hard as she could, yet still feeling the aching hole in her heart hurting.

Brian consoled her as best he could and said, “God has all the answers and one day we will be able to see his plan more clearly.” Sabra said, “You really are so good to me and I don’t deserve you.” Brian chuckled and said, “I know” as was his humor and normal behavior with her.

Sabra and Brian prayed together before bed that night and as they did she began to feel a miracle was starting to take place in her heart.

Sabra began to pray diligently daily for the answers. “God show me your everlasting love and allow your love to illuminate within me.”

In no time at all, a miracle began to take place in Sabra’s heart. Her Heavenly Daddy began a work within her that even she didn’t realize was happening until she met Georgia. Georgia was her neighbor who was at least 20 years older and became a very close friend to Sabra. She began to give Sabra a lot of wisdom and advice.

Georgia taught Sabra to live in our todays and not our yesterdays. She would say, “Each day we are given is a gift from God and what we do with it is our gift to him.”

Georgia would remind Sabra “We should choose to be happy and be mindful of those around us who might be going through a worse time then us.” She would say, “It takes as long as it takes”… and “This too shall pass.”

Sabra began to realize that getting over some mountains might take a while, but we will eventually get over them as long as we do not quit. She began to teach her own children to not feed our negatives, that we are not to listen to the ugly whispers in our ears and the painted visions in our dreams; but cast them aside with a prayer to our Father in Heaven and remember his everlasting love for us.

Sabra learned from Georgia that a mother’s touch is rare, everlasting, and trusted. She dearly loved Georgia and she could feel her heart beginning to spring for joy.

Brian smiled at Sabra and said, “You know what, God has changed you and He has done it through Georgia.” “She has been more of a mama to you then you have ever really known and look at the person you have become.” Sabra smiled knowing he was right.

God restored all Sabra’s hurt and aches through a humble, yet amazing woman full of wisdom beyond her years. You never know what surprises God might have waiting for you until you put all your trust in him and believe.
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This article has been read 970 times
Member Comments
Member
Date
Ruth Brown
08/13/10
I'm sure many experience this. It was a touching and hopeful piece. Well done. Blessings, Ruth
Kathy Barnes
08/13/10
I know the story. Well told.
Phyllis Inniss 
08/14/10
A well-told story. You showed how trusting in God has its rewards. He sometimes sends an angel in some form to help us out of our difficult situations.
Holly Westefeld
08/14/10
This has a wonderful message
The only suggestion that I would make is replacing some of the "Sabras" with "shes" or "hers."
Shann Hall-LochmannVanBennekom 
08/16/10
This is a beautiful and touching story.

It needs some minor editing a mother's instead of mothers touch, okay instead of ok and make sure you start a new paragraph for each new speaker.

You told the story in such a way that it drew me right in. My mother has been gone for 17 years now and I still miss her. I, too, have been lucky to find surrogate moms over the years. You showed how amazing God's love is for us.
Shann Hall-LochmannVanBennekom 
08/16/10
Wow indeed. This is a very powerful story on a difficult topic. You had a few errors that a good proofreader would have caught. You left out not in the line Hell can be worse than this (at least I think you left it out, maybe you wanted it that way) Also make sure you start a new paragraph with each new speaker. You did an incredible job of pulling me into your story. I have felt suicidal before and could relate to that feeling of little or no worth. The way you solved the inner conflict was wonderful.
Shann Hall-LochmannVanBennekom 
08/16/10
Sorry about leaving the two comments on your story. The first one is yours. I have no idea who the 2nd one is. Sometimes I have 2 pages opened at once, I must have thought I was leaving the 2nd comment for the other page that was opened.
Your story was great though!
Hanne Moon 
08/17/10
We all need the warmth of a mother's love, don't we? You've shown how that love doesn't necessarily need to come from a biological mother, but from someone who takes us under her wing and nurtures, comforts, leads, and encourages us in our daily lives.

You have a great story here but there are some mechanical errors you need to pay attention to. One in particular is the constant back and forth in tenses. You need to stick to one or the other. This is a common mistake that even those of us who have been writing for a while make as well, so you're not alone in this! Keep writing and honing your skills!