Life Transformations

Learning to Dance

| Laura Lee Bonde

Last night, the beauty of JC’s Girls at the Rock was revealed again. Our ministry isn’t only there for those currently in the strip clubs. Our ministry reaches out to all women and men who need to know God loves them right where they’re at. But when you have a past similar to mine, fitting into a church family may be difficult.

I remember the simple act of stopping by 7-Eleven. The music would sound through the speaker, and my body would instantly move, while thoughts of sex would enter my mind. This was very normal to me. Continue reading →

“So Not Normal”

| Laura Lee Bonde

Normal was cussing
calling names
screaming
slamming doors

Normal was drinking
passing out
missing life
passing by

Normal was forgetting
not wanting to move
crying
over selfish desires

Normal was laughing
at work but
yelling
at home

Normal was darkness
without light
without hope
without love

and then I met Him
fell in love with my kids
encountered His Love
changed my mind

to create a NEW normal

FREEDOM

Free POOP

| Laura Lee Bonde

It’s not what you’re thinking.

Yesterday morning, Nathan wanted to take Mentos to school because they’re allowed to eat them during testing, so we stopped at Food4Less to pick some up. Do you ever have trouble deciding what to buy? Nathan was quick about it, but I was in the snack aisle, debating. Later on, I wondered if my debate was all part of God’s plan to put me in the right place at the right time.

As we headed out of the store Continue reading →

“Hope”

| Laura Lee Bonde

I never thought
anyone would want to read
what I had to say

I never thought
anyone would look at me
and see purity

I never thought
I’d look in the mirror
and like what I see

I never thought
I’d dance with flags
in front of a church

I never thought
I’d be able to sleep
without a drink

I never thought
I’d want my kids
to grow up like me

I never thought
I’d wait till my wedding day
to be kissed

I never thought
I’d ever start
my own business

I never thought
anyone would want to read
what I had to say

but Jesus knew it all

 

A Disadvantage of the Shade

| Laura Lee Bonde

As you’ve noticed, I no longer post about Lee. I thought about it: if I went to have coffee with a friend, would I post about it the next day, what we talked about? No, so why was I posting about Lee? He’s become a very good friend of mine, so the posts of him have come to an end…except for this one. Without him in the story, I won’t be able to fully express what happened to me yesterday, and it’s worth the smile it might bring. Continue reading →

In the Presence of Honor

| Laura Lee Bonde

Last night, I was invited to a very special meeting and ended up in a room full of people honoring one another. I sat there thinking, “How did I get invited to this? Thank you, God, for thinking of me.” It was truly amazing: a night of ordination, a night of declaring what’s to come, a night of honoring those stepping up into their calling. There’s just something about “honor,” and I’ve been talking to God a lot about it lately because I haven’t fully understood it, and I felt like God answered a lot of my questions by placing me in that room. Continue reading →

“A Place to Grow”

| Laura Lee Bonde

Honor
easier given
or received

Honor
not a bad thing
calls goodness to the front

Honor
releases
empowers
commissions

Honor
touches deep wounds
healing in love

Honor
fills hearts with joy
sings into every cell

Honor
creates a bond
deeper
than known before

Honor
continues to move
continues to raise up

Honor
easier given
or received

Wanting to Be a Mother

| Laura Lee Bonde

This morning, I was remembering things from childhood, and as I remembered how I wanted to be a mother, I wept. This was around 5:30 am. I had a time in my mind to work on flags at 5:30 am, but when I wept about wanting to be a mother, a desire rose in me to write about it. I tried to ignore it, but I can’t, so flags will have to wait. Continue reading →