It's been the women who's husbands have left after many years of marriage for someone else and yet their strength to attempt to forgive, to honor God, to move forward. The beauty of their struggle and yet each story I've heard in the last few months with these circumstances seems to amaze me in their strength. I have to be honest I didn't know how common infidelity was, and know that I never think infidelity is beautiful: it's heart breaking. What is beautiful is the strength of some of those I have met to deal with the situation and circumstances with grace.
It's been those I've meet with challenges with children whether infertility, miscarriage, the loss of a child through abortion or the challenge of choosing adoption. I've been privileged to meet many with unique stories but the commonality that being a parent is hard and facing that struggle with beauty and grace. It's listening to the mom who's child has a new diagnosis or disease, the friend who shares her children are wearing her out with attempts to parent, and the challenge of parenting well despite our own sinfulness and challenges. It's shows a beautiful picture of how great our God is to be our loving heavenly Father and listen and care so patiently for each of us. The struggles of motherhood that I don't know personally as I don't have babies of my own yet, but struggles I understand within my own experiences as a child. It gives me so much to pray about, that God would prepare Paul and I for parenthood and His timing. If there is anything I've learned from these beautiful stories is that I must certainly grow in my understanding and dependence of our Lord if I am ever to parent well. It is only from Christ that I will learn selfless love. While I can learn many other things from many other people it will be at the feet of Jesus that I learn how to care children, and subsequently how to love all of God's children around me.
It's the stories of loss of a spouse, a sibling, a parent, a child from many circumstances. It's the family member who cries over their loved one's challenges. It's the commonality that when our loves ones hurt we hurt too that teaches me so much about how when we hurt our Savior's heart hurts too. I think back to times in my life of heartbreak and challenge and now see that as I felt the temptation to lend to despair, which is a lie as we are never alone, that God too felt my hurt and counted my tears precious one by one as His word tells me.
It's pain, disease and death that meets me in so many places whether at work or in my daily interactions. It's the reminder that we aren't meant for this world and yet the struggle of honoring Him no matter how low the valley or high the mountain top of each day. I used to think it was in the hardest times that God felt farthest away but now in retrospect I can see that is when He has been closest. It's been in the challenges I've run toward Him and in the joys at times I've thought I could handle things on my own. If I've learned anything in my life it's that no matter how wonderful or tough the day I can't do it alone and it's all by the grace of God I'm where I am.
Friends in all the stories that have been shared with me in my life by friends, neighbors, patients, strangers, each has become a precious gift to me. Whether you know it or not when you share with me you teach me that the very beauty in each of us is our humanity. I admire the struggle it takes to be human that is displayed in such a varied yet similar way. No matter the story or the person involved our desire for peace and happiness is evident in all of us and it's the beauty of the fight for that that overwhelms my soul.
Don't be afraid to share your story. I'll tell you the truth of your story is more beautiful than the mask you could wear to cover it. It's only when we share that we can let others know they aren't alone. It's only when we are vulnerable that we can have true community. Somewhere along the way I was taught the lie that we should pretend that everything is fine no matter if it's not. That we shouldn't share the reality of our lives or the truth of our story but rather should blend in. This lie is unhealthy and untrue. It's only when we know what someone is going through that we can offer a hand to help, offer a prayer, or know to say "you too? I thought I was the only one."
thank you friends for your stories. Thank you for letter me pray for you. thank you for showing me more about God even when you didn't know you were doing it. <3
I pray my story can do the same for you.
Much later, when I understood what perfection was, I realised that to become a saint one must suffer a great deal, always seek what is best, and forget oneself. I understood that there were many kinds of of sanctity and that each soul was free to respond to the approaches of Our Lord and to do little or much for Him — in other words,to make a choice among the sacrifices He demands. Then, just as when I was a child, I cried: “My God, I choose all. I do not want to be a saint by halves. I am not afraid to suffer for You. I fear only one thing — that I should keep my own will. So take it, for I choose all that You will.” – St. Thérèse of Lisieux, The Story of a Soul.
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