Baby Steps: A Personal Journey with God through a Lifetime of Pain and Heartache

By Diane K Hiltz Chamberlain

Come and see how God took a life of despair and exchanged it for a heart that could reach out to others in need. Diane K Hiltz Chamberlain’s memoir “Baby Steps: A Personal Journey with God through a Lifetime of Pain and Heartache;” depicts the true stories of Diane’s life, along with the challenges that Diane constantly faced, while experiencing twenty one knee surgeries...counseling for sexual abuse and the loss of many things in her life, including children.

As Diane faced one continual struggle after another; her faith was greatly tested, as God was allowing these overwhelming circumstances to enter her life, as a means of bringing her down to a level where God could use her past, as a means of reaching out to others who live in despair.

As you walk through each painful and difficult moment that Diane faced, you will not only experience the difficult moments that stood before Diane, as she journeyed through life but you will come to see how a powerful God can work, even in the midst of what seems to be a defeated situation.

“Baby Steps: A Personal Journey with God through a Lifetime of Pain and Heartache,” is one of the most moving Christian books; that relates to moments of heartache and hope and will become a powerful reminder to the reader; that no matter what we face in life...God is greater and will become victorious in the end. Come and read one of the most moving inspirational books; that are filled with inspirational stories that will help you to connect more deeply with God, while facing the challenges of your own life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Diane K Hiltz Chamberlain
• Release date: Sep 29, 2014
• ISBN: 9781311339928

Diane K Hiltz Chamberlain

I was raised in a small town in Michigan and was born with a congenital problem in both knees. I went through many surgeries, trying to correct the problem but there was never really a cure. Little did I know, that God had "branded" me at birth, for such a moment as this. Many in this world grow up and go to school or college, to get their education but that's not what God had in store for me. My education for writing, came from twenty-one painful knee surgeries, heartache from sexual abuse as a child, and the loss of many things in my life, including the loss of children. As each painful moment came and as each loving desire left; God was taking all the brokenness in my life, and He was piecing it together, so I could have the heart He desired...a heart that could understand and care, for others who live in despair. Connect with Author Diane K Chamberlain at these places... Main website: http://www.dianekchamberlain.com Book website: http://www.dianekchamberlainsbooks.info Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dianek.chamberlain.9 Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/DKCMinistries Google: https://plus.google.com/u/0/101754683783454712569 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/pub/diane-k-chamberlain/25/35a/660

Book preview

Baby Steps

A Personal Journey with God

Through a Lifetime of Pain and Heartache

Copyright by Diane K Hiltz Chamberlain

Smashwords Edition

Acknowledgements

I would like to dedicate this book, to the children of the Jesus Care Children Ministry. As a child, I faced many moments of heartache, pain and despair but I know in my heart that all these trying moments, were meant for a purpose and a plan that God had designed for my life, since the day I was born.

As I have overcome many trying moments, with God’s help; I pray that this book will help many, who are hurting deeply, from a similar situation and that the proceeds of this book, will be able to spare another child’s life, from needless despair.

In addition, I would like to dedicate this book; to the many people I have met, over the past 12 years of my ministry. There are many, whom I have met that live with chronic pain, loneliness and deep heartache and I pray that this book will inspire and encourage you to continue on and to be able to find hope, in the midst of your own circumstance.

Most of all, I dedicate this book, to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! We have been on a long journey together and never has there been a time, when He has failed me. When I could not see the pathway before me, due to the darkness of each circumstance; He became the light that always kept the pathway lit before me. He has been the One, who laid out every footprint, for me to walk in, while He remained close, throughout each trying circumstance. When others abandoned me and walked away; Jesus was the One who drew closer to me, as He would allow the lonely moments, to become an opportunity to discover a new heart that could feel the depth of pain and heartache, in another hurting soul. Jesus has been a good friend and I know, with all my heart that I would not be where I am in life today, without His love, goodness, and faithfulness and I love and praise Him, for never giving up on me!

Finally, I dedicate this book, to all who have suffered, in some form of sexual abuse. This form of abuse can change the complete outlook, on a person’s life and can affect them, even as an adult but I have learned that when we are willing to fall to our knees before a powerful God and admit that we are not strong enough, to handle this form of weakness, then He will come to us and exchange the deep pain within our hearts, for a peace and love that only He can offer.

Introduction

Diane was raised in a small town in Michigan and was born with a congenital problem in both knees. She went through many surgeries, trying to correct the problem but there was never really a cure. Little did she know; that God had branded her at birth, for such a moment as this. Many in this world grow up and go to school or college, to get their education but that's not what God had in store for Diane. Her education for writing came from twenty-one painful knee surgeries, heartache from sexual abuse as a child, and the loss of many things in her life, including the loss of children. As each painful moment came and as each loving desire left, God was taking all the brokenness in Diane’s life, and He was piecing it together, so she could have the heart He desired...a heart that could understand and care, for others, who live in despair.

As of this year, Diane has been ministering, through a past of pain and heartache; to many in need, for over 12 years and God continues to open new doors for her to walk through. Now, Diane is serving God full-time, as she continues to reach out to others in need, through her writings and the Diane K Chamberlain Ministry. One thing that God has taught Diane over the years; is that no matter what we lose out on or experience in life; He will always be there to pick up the broken pieces and fill the empty voids in our lives. At the most difficult and heartbreaking moments of Diane’s life, she has come to see; that God never abandons His own but rather, He exchanges the painful moments, for the true plan He has, for each of our lives.

Preface

Are you looking for a book that will bring renewed hope back into your life, while teaching you how to exchange weakness, for God’s perfect strength? Baby Steps: A Personal Journey with God through a Lifetime of Pain and Heartache; will allow you to walk through the many painful moments that Diane endured throughout her lifetime; as a means of allowing God, to take her weaknesses and exchange them, for a perfect strength that could later be used for Him.

You will journey with Diane, as she goes through a series of twenty-one knee operations…counselling for sexual abuse, while at the same time experiencing much loss in her life. You will come to see how God filled each empty void, with a plan and purpose for Diane’s life…something that would be used, as a means of sharing God’s love, with other’s who feel hopeless, while dealing with their own moments of affliction.

As you read through the book; you will discover how God taught Diane to rise above her circumstances, through a broken heart that became humbled, through the dark and hopeless moments she faced. The book will also reveal, how God allowed each circumstance for a reason; so He could repair a heart that had been shattered, by heartache, pain and abuse.

Many times, we don’t always fully understand why God allows these weak moments to enter our lives but one thing Diane learned; is that instead of trying to figure God out; she needed to come to a place in her life, where she could let go of the reign to her life and allow God to step in and work, in a way that He could only do. Once Diane learned this; she truly found that there was a way out of her wilderness of despair, while allowing God to fashion her life, in the way He had destined, since the day she was born.

Table of Contents

Preface

Introduction

Acknowledgements

Chapter1- Unknown Pain

Chapter 2- God Works through Pain

Chapter 3- A New Pain

Chapter 4- The Walls Come Tumbling Down

Chapter 5- The Work Begins

Chapter 6- The Journey Back

Chapter 7- The Journal

Chapter 8- Learning to Trust

Chapter 9- A New Heart

Chapter 10- Learning to Let Go

Chapter 11- Writing through Pain

Chapter 12- More Surgeries

Chapter 13- Finding God through Weakness

Chapter 14- Renewed in His Spirit

Dear Reader

Chapter 1

Unknown Pain

I was raised in a small town, of Lapeer Michigan. Little did I know what God had planned and purposed for my life and how He would eventually use my life to inspire others. I was like all other children at first, except for one hidden and unknown problem that would soon be brought to my attention….something that would change my life forever.

One of my favorite places to run and play was at my great-grandfathers place. He had an amazing place, where my brothers, sister and I would play in his wild orchard. I loved my great-grandfathers place because it was full of apple trees, wild blackberry bushes, along with other wild goodies, including a pear tree up by the barn, where I would stuff myself with pears but what was even better, was that he only lived a pathway away, from where I lived, so we could visit him any time.

One day, while playing on a sloped area of my great-grandfathers front yard, I suddenly fell to the ground. I didn’t know what happened, other than I was experiencing a lot of pain in my knee. I remember my brothers and sister heading for the house, as they were going to get my mother. She ran out to see what was wrong but still we didn’t have any idea, as to what had happened, other than maybe I had twisted my knee while playing.

After a day or two, my mother noticed that I was having a very difficult time walking, while I still remained in a lot of pain, so she took me in to see our family physician. After the doctor examined the knee, he ordered some x-rays and asked us to wait, while they were being developed. After being called back into the room, the doctor told my mother and me that my knee was dislocated and that he would have to put the kneecap back into place. I was only about seven years old at the time, so you can just imagine what was going through my mind. I remember watching the doctors every move from that moment on, as he headed for a small table, where there appeared to be a small hammer type instrument. As he reached for the instrument, I could pretty much figure out, what he was about to do. I just cringed inside and every muscle in my body began to tense up, as he headed in my direction. He tried to console me but I wasn’t listening…only looking at the hammer device he held within his hand. After finally being convinced that everything would be alright, the doctor took the reflex hammer and tapped on the outside of my knee and my mother and I watched, as the kneecap went back into place.

Once the kneecap was back in place, the doctor sat down and discussed with my mother and me; that they had also noticed something different in the x-rays and that he would like to have me see an Orthopedic surgeon. He mentioned that my knee joint did not appear, as though it was formed properly and he felt that it may require the help of a specialist, so from there, my family physician set up an appointment with an Orthopedic surgeon in Flint Michigan, which was about 30 minutes from where I lived.

Within a few weeks following my doctor appointment, my mother was driving me to Flint Michigan, to meet with an orthopedic surgeon. All I mainly remember that day was a big man, with a large hand that could wrap completely around my small knee. As he approached me, while I sat on an examining table, I remember being very nervous. He pushed and prodded on my knee, which made me jump. As he looked at me, he was reassuring me that everything would be alright but after that check-up, I didn’t know whether to believe him or not.

Once the examination was completed, he went over to view the x-rays that had been sent ahead by our family physician. Once he had studied the x-rays, he came over to talk with my mother and mentioned that I had a very rare problem with my knee and that he would like to also check the other knee. After more x-rays were taken, he came to soon discover that the same problem existed in both knees. He mentioned to us that the grooves in my knee joints weren’t formed completely, as they should be and since there was nothing there to hold my kneecap in place, the knee could dislocate any time, without a warning. He mentioned to my mother that