Julia Grace Austin

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Why I won’t quit Facebook:

Facebook was made available to the general public in February 2006. 10 years later there are over 1.65 Billion users. That is more users than the entire population of China, who interestingly, bans access to Facebook along with Iran and North Korea. But other than those three countries the entire world is represented on this network. Studies are just beginning to show the impact that this type of connectivity has on our psyche, our relationships, etc. You can find studies that show negative effects, and studies that show positive effects. You can find people who swear it is the downfall…

July 9, 2016 conflict resolution, faith, family, mediation, Restorative Justice, Uncategorized
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Surprised by Winter….

I ran off.  I’m sorry.  One of the basic tenets of a good blog is an implicit contract between the writer and the reader that they will both show up.  It’s been almost a month since I posted last, and that post was, ironically, a bold ask for readers to provide support.  And then I left.  I’m sorry.  I got a little confused. I am six months into a new life and it started feeling a little dark.  Most of you know, but to recap – I was laid off in January from a career I had spent 20 years…

June 22, 2016 conflict resolution, faith, family, mediation, photography, secrets, Uncategorized
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We are more alike than we are different…

I asked for suggestions on where we go from here on my Facebook page and have had a few messages and conversations, so today I’m going to pull from those and answer a few spoken and unspoken questions. We’ll start with a simple one: How are you doing (after sharing so publicly)? Thanks for asking, I’m doing really well. It hasn’t been easy, but overall – it is good. I’ve received wonderful and encouraging comments and notes. Several of you have reached out to say how reading my story has helped you with your own. I know, for me, even…

May 20, 2016 faith, family, secrets, shame, Uncategorized
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Part Three: I live with Grace.

A teacher I respect recently talked about Light. Dark. Light. – There is light on the other side of darkness.  I can attest to this, but you have to go through the dark to get there… (This is the third post of my journey – You can ready the first and second by clicking here.) After I changed my entire life – job, home, friends – I began to see a path to a better life. I am a firm believer that God guides us to people that can help us grow and become who he had in mind when…

May 10, 2016 faith, family, grace, secrets, shame
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Part two: And darker still….

Please read Part 1:  The Inner Darkness for the first part of my story. I can share this today because – I am a beautiful and loved child of God, created in the very image of an incomprehensible Love that knows no bounds. I have been this child since the day I was born, and so have you. All my mistakes were not made prior to my becoming this child, they were made because I was unable to recognize who I already was. But now that I know, I wake every day to a banquet of Abundant Life that is…

April 20, 2016 faith, family, grace, secrets, shame
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Part One: The inner darkness

This is the first in a series of posts that will tell the secrets I carried for so long and the process I’ve gone through to heal. Before I even begin I want to thank my family for their unwavering support. In telling my secrets, I tell some of theirs as well. I’ve offered to edit on their behalf, but they have done nothing except love and support me. My mom, brother, step-dad, and my dad in spirit, have walked with me. My friends have shown up time and again.  My faith in a loving God is not based on…

April 14, 2016 faith, family, grace, secrets, shame
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This New Beginning

A few years ago I began coming to terms with my life. I began coming to terms with who I am, the choices I had made, and I began seeing a different way to live the rest of my life.  The end result has been a completely new beginning for me and my family. I had some shameful secrets in my past. Secrets that I planned to take to my grave.  Then through a series of significant life events, including the loss of my dad, I became aware that keeping my secrets would require me to die having never lived a full…

April 1, 2016 faith, family
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Can I ask you…Are you a Christian? (Ch 1)

Chapter 1: “We have room for a mother and an infant. Addy, You need to go find them.” I had done this before. Gone out to find someone. The first time I was so excited to get to bring someone in, but I was soon freed from my delusion. I had to step over so many men, women, and children as I looked for the family that met our availability. We had learned that the refugees would not be seperated. After traveling so far, and surviving so much, these families would not leave one another behind. So, when we had…

April 1, 2016 faith, family, Fiction, grace, Refugees
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Can I ask you…Are you a Christian? (Ch 2)

This is the second installment of a new fictional series. You can begin at the first installment by clicking here.Chapter 2 The next morning began very early, as they always did in the shelter. There was breakfast to be cooked and paperwork by the droves to be completed. I saw Sarah and the little one, Ada, at breakfast. I explained that I had to complete several things for work, but that I would come find her when I was done. A few hours later, having been relieved by a local volunteer, I went to spend time with Sarah. I found…

April 1, 2016 faith, family, Fiction, grace, Refugees
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YOU ARE ENOUGH

There is enough, You are enough. Really - there is, and really - you are! I'm so glad you're here. The decision to share my story has been a complicated process and even though I'm certain this is what I should do, it is not without trepidation. My heartfelt prayer is that this helps anyone who, when they find their own bedrock, will remember that I was once there too. I pray that they will remember this story, and it will be a guide back to the truth. You are enough. Real life is: messy and incredible, brutal and tender. But there is one thing it is most certainly not....life is not limited, and neither are you. Dig in, comment, and join us as we remind one another of this life altering truth: There is enough. I am enough.

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