I’ve come to believe we can endure just about anything as long as we know we’re not alone.
Problem is, too often we feel alone. Utterly and completely.
In spite of the emails and messages and well-wishes, our crises isolate us, creating a divide too wide to bridge. It makes us feel “other,” separating us from those who seem to carry on unhindered in their ordinary, pain-free lives.
But here’s the thing: I think pain-free is a fantasy. I don’t know anyone who’s living the life they always imagined. I know more than a few people who are pretending to. But behind their well-crafted charade sits a schism of struggle they’re too afraid to expose. Thus we trudge on—both the pretenders and the strugglers—each of us swallowed up in our aloneness and fear.
But what if …
What if someone went first?
What if someone dared to create a safe place for the complicated questions and conversations?
And then, what if you and I could find a way to laugh and cry and be undone together?
I think there is.
That’s why Monday, February 22, I’m launching Undone Life Together: A 5-week Conversation About the Unexpected Life. Picture it like a giant family room with a bunch of fluffy pillows and chairs. There’s a seat for you there; me, too. And we’ll circle up and unpack the tough questions we bump against every single day. Only, this time we won’t do it alone. We’ll do it together.
When you join Undone Life Together, you’ll receive:
- A 5-week Daily Reading Plan through the chapters of Undone: A Story of Making Peace With An Unexpected Life. If you’ve already read it, no problem. You can revisit the chapter themes and engage in the conversation. Don’t want to read it? That’s okay, too.
- Daily emails designed to create conversation around your biggest questions.
- Dedicated Facebook group conversation around the days themes.
- Weekly videos where I dive a bit deeper into the most complicated topics.
We won’t come up with all the answers nor will we resolve all of life’s unknowns. But we’ll open the doors for an honest conversation. I believe, in the process, we will discover a God who is faithful, a peace that is unshakeable and a community of fellow strugglers who will walk with us in this Undone Life Together.
Like cold water in the driest of deserts, my friend.
It begins February 22 and ends March 25. Even better, it’s absolutely FREE. That means you can participate as much or as little as you like. You can even lurk in the background for the entire five weeks if that’s the most you can do. Believe me, I get it.
But you have to sign-up to join.
I can’t wait to get started. And, honestly, my heart is aching for you to join us. I may not know all the details of your story, but I know what it feels like to be alone, drowning in questions without answers. And I know the One who holds the key to staying afloat.
I’m so glad we’re in this together.
Before you go, do me a favor? What topics or questions would you love to see us cover in Undone Life Together?
Sure am praying that God gives a special blessing on this ministry, Michele!
Thank you for the prayers, Wayne! God, help us to see you most of all.
•Letting go of past hurts and betrayal
•Feeling inadequate and alone as a single parent.
•Rebuilding life after divorce
Thank you for your transparency, Kris. All of your suggestions are worthy and valid. I’m with you.
Michele, you are such a blessing to me. I suffer from MS and Crohn’s disease. It is difficult for me to walk, even with a cane. It is difficult for me to do a lot of things. Although I do have supportive friends and family, what do you do if your spouse doesn’t get it? He tries to help, he tries to understand, he says he does, but then he can say and do the most insensitive things. It’s hard enough to just get through each day and try to stay positive, mainly for my kids, but it is that much harder when your partner in life, who is supposed to help you carry the burden, becomes a big part of the daily emotional struggle. Maybe you could address this issue for others who might also be in my shoes. God bless you. Thank you, friend.
You are definitely not alone in that struggle. Great suggestion! We’ll add this to the list. Thanks, Iris.
– how to find hope in Christ when hope of healing or returning to the “normal” you once knew is not realistic and resisting the despair that can bring.
– how to combat the loneliness that comes with experiencing something your friends and loved ones haven’t experienced and thus don’t fully understand. How to offer them grace while also advocating for yourself and what you need.
Changing expectations to fit a new reality is so hard! Not to mention the nagging loneliness. Still working on that one. Thanks for your heart-felt suggestions, Natalie.
Thank you for your book and telling your story. I am about 3/4 of the way through it and it has been a blessing to me after finishing up the hardest year of my life. I would love to know how to better hear and “see” God during the difficult times in life, especially when you pray and have faith and things just seem to get worse. Thanks!
Oh, goodness. Been there, felt that. Not fun! We will certainly be talking about this in our 5 weeks together. Have you signed up yet?
Thank you for this Michele – It is coming at a perfect time in my own Undone journey. Some questions/topics that come to mind: Re-engaging in relationship, sharing your story, dealing with grief that surprises you well after the initial undone, finding purpose in the journey.
Looking forward to diving in deep with you and this community during this time.
Me too, Victoria! Thanks for your insight.
I am so excited for this! Thank you for letting me know about this in our call last night. It’s on my calendar and the countdown is on!! 😉 P.S. SO very blessed by our conversation last night and finally meeting you. Hoping to launch the podcast tomorrow, technology willing. <3
<3
Alone as a pastors wife…
Oh, Kim. I know. With you.
Learning to see the beauty and purpose in a life that looks very different then planned. Finding a ministry and purpose while I am so very ill and bed/ homebound. This life is a gift…….
How to still have relationships even though I can not always follow through on plans…… my body will not cooperate even though my heart wants to. How to fellowship with others and help them understand what is going on when they are not experiencing the situation.
Suffering is so isolating. I think that’s the hardest part. And being homebound? Even more painful. I’m sorry, Anne. These are great questions for discussion in our group. I truly hope you plan to join us.
How to rebuild yourself & dream again. I, unlike those before, am not dealing with a physical setback but the loss of identity. I unknowingly became my career and not myself. Now after 10 years, I am not growing & am preparing to move on. However, I don’t remember how to dream. I don’t know who I am without being my J-O-B. So the grief of a life not lived & a dream not fulfilled has taken over me. Now I am not the wife or mom that I need to be for my boys.
I hear you, Lexi. And I LOVE your vulnerability and honesty. Such a tough journey! These are great questions for our Undone Life Together group. Thrilled you’re joining us.
Michelle, thanks again for this book! My question has been why my husband who is strong believer , won’t let go of the past and the circumstances that led us into the unexpected life. I don’t know what to say to him to ease the anger.
Such a tough place to be in, Kathleen. Thank you for sharing a piece of your story. I look forward to joining you in the conversation!
I would love to see a discussion on strategies to remain connected with your spouse while struggling with chronic pain and constant attack from every direction.
Another topic could be acceptance of a new normal – living with being truly disabled and coping with the reality that life is totally different now.
How about balancing a work life with a disability, going back into the work force after a major illness, or leveraging our disability – how do we get what we need from our employers to accommodate our disability.
Such good questions, Philip. These are things I’m struggling with, too. I’m so sorry … I have a little bit of an idea how much pain is behind your comments. Thank you for your input!
Does this mean I’m signed up?? If not, how do I do it. Don’t want to miss this!
Hey there, Rhonda! All you need to do is to click on one of the blue links/buttons. It will take you to the sign up page. It’s the only way we can send you the inspirational emails and links to the FB page. Let me know if you have any trouble! So glad you’re joining us.
Here’s the link: http://www.michelecushatt.com/undone-life-together
What are the next steps to take once you realize your life and all the hurt, all the places you’ve gone wrong, all of the times others have hurt you, all of the times you doubted – all of the bad basically – is now a source for goodness? Now I feel called to take all of that and use it to not only help others who may be struggling through the same thing(s) I went through, but to bring them to the Lord, who WILL help them through anything that comes their way! I just don’t know where to begin. Writing a book, as you did, seems like the perfect solution. But what if you have a job and two kids and are taking care of your mother as well and simply cannot find the time to sit down and write out the sordid tale that is your life? What are other ways to reach people?
Thank you for doing this! I look forward to hearing from other people and their life experiences as well.
Topics you may be able to address
* Letting go of expectations for your adult children
* Forgiving your parental mistakes or shortcomings
* Letting go of the “dream” – the “I wish”
Loving your book!
What are reasonable expectations for adult children? Letting go of the rest.
Building a life/holding on to life as a senior, with a distracted husband and distracted adult children. At this time in life friends are ill/dying, health is waning, money limited….a real struggle to remain hopeful many days.
I lost my oldest son, Hunter, on May 12, 2015. He died in a tragic accident. He was 21. I have so many questions, would love if you could cover dealing with sudden death in your topics.
Thank you
Dear Michele Cushatt i thank you befor to interesting well to someone infortunate in his goal i pray the powerfull god blessing on you and your family.Thank you so much.
Dear Michele Cushatt Now i’m ready to undone life together,if you do favor before it’s better but if i undone all i wouldn’t worry.Please pray the God to give me the faith for my unfortunate,Thank you so much.
Decades of chronic pain (lower back fused and neck AS, Fibromyalgia), depression, chronic anxiety, mood swings and binge eating but I don’t purge I just feel guilty. Seeking correct diagnosis of Bipolar Disorder. Now takes 6 months to a year to see a Psychiatrist. Trying to hold on when those around me hubby, church, one friend left try to give me advice or tell me that I need a deliverance as my adult daughters have chronic mental issues, too. God has brought much healing from my past and the last two years of being unable to attend church he has blessed me through the internet with Spirit filled Women and bible studies. But I need to know how to take care of and love myself to stop putting others ahead of what I need to do to get myself healthy and not feel guilty.
Looking forward to this. “Undone” has been a favorite find this past year and we have loved sharing it. Hoping we will talk about supporting others through difficult times, dealing with discouragement, and those empty times when we just can’t feel God’s presence. Thanks so much for doing this. Planning to share with my family.