Gò0dNews for Parents
Setbacks To Setups
“N
by Linda Ray Center
o, dear brothers and sisters, I have not
I felt sad and full of REGRET. I was not meeting my
achieved it, but I focus on this one thing;
son’s needs. During that time, well-meaning people added
Forgetting the past and looking forward to
to my pain, telling me I spent too many hours in the studio.
what lies ahead” (Philippians 3:13). Setbacks happen. How we approach them can hold us
back or move us forward. Setbacks offer us an opportunity to learn more about ourselves and to understand better
My mother and sister helped me by attending to my children’s activities while I worked. Every event I missed reminded me that I was lacking as a parent. Today, those prickly memories are dim. They no longer
God’s power working in us. He wants to help us, whether
hurt, but the regret surfaces occasionally. Relying on God’s
we are stuck in a setback today or chained to a past setback
promises helped me turn my parenting perspective around and understand myself better. One morning, as I surrendered my thoughts to God, I remembered there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ. Through Philippians 3:13, I realized that it was time to move on. God used what I thought was a setback to create a setup with positive outcomes. Dance students often told me I helped them build their selfesteem. They learned how to express themselves through movement and appreciate the art of dance. God’s plan for my earlier years positioned me to help many children to believe in themselves. And with a smile, I now include my children in
and filled with regret. God helped me resolve a setback
that group. They are independent, happy adults pursuing
and find closure to a struggle I carried as a single parent
their own dreams.
for years. During my 40s, my dance and gymnastics business took
Regrets hold us captive to our limitations and imperfections. I have learned that we can never change what
every minute of the day, including weekends, to keep it
was; however, changing our perception of a setback can help
running. I had two young children and too often felt like a
us take a step forward to fulfill God’s plan for our lives.
failure as a mother. I thought I was doing my best to balance career and parenting until I found my 8-year-old son’s fill-
Take some quiet time to consider your setbacks and how they can be converted to setups for something positive.
read his first line: I wished I had more time with my Mother. She is always at work.
24 // June 2021
About The Author
in-the-blank wish list school assignment. I gasped when I Linda Ray Center writes about everyday life with God, others, and self, as an author, freelance writer, and blogger at www.lindaraycenter.com. She resides in charming Chattanooga and will showcase her grandchildren’s pictures at any given moment.
