Hope Is Real
Recently my daughter wrote a post about an organization called To Write Love On Her Arms. We purchased some of their merchandise and have been proudly wearing their shirts. The ones we like the best are the ones that say “You’re Not Alone” and “Hope Is Real.” We have gotten a few double takes as people have seen us walking around with these messages. We feel they are messages that people every where need to see, hear, and feel!
How many times have you felt alone in this cold, cruel world? How many would admit feeling hopeless in various different situations? I think, if we are honest with ourselves, we have all had these feelings at some point in our lives. That is why I’m here to tell you today and every day, as long as you need a little encouragement and support along your journey, that you matter! You are enough! You mean the world to someone and may not even realize it. You are not alone as God is right there beside you walking every step of the way, and when you feel at your lowest point or your absolute weakest, that is when God will carry you the rest of the way.
When I lost my sister almost 13 years ago, I did not see how I would ever be able to go on without her. I felt like the entire world crashed down around my feet. I could barely breathe and found myself asking how do I go on? It was one of the hardest things to ever face for our family. There were times that I felt so incredibly alone and so hopeless, but I had family and friends that came alongside of me to remind me that they were there, they loved me, and we would get through this together. We all had questions that went unanswered around her death, and it pains us to this very day what happened and the circumstances leading up to her taking her own life. I’m sure at that moment, she felt incredibly hopeless and was filled with such feelings of loneliness and despair. Oh how I wish I could have helped her. I wish I could have saved her. I wish she would have turned to me in her darkest hours to let me help her through this.
We all have problems in this life. They seem all consuming at times, and it is hard to think rationally when our heads are spinning as things continue to be hurled at us. What I wish I could have expressed to my sister is how much I love her, how valuable she was to her family, and how much she truly did matter.
Just recently our family encountered problems, and we struggled. I felt almost the same identical feelings crash into me this time just as I had experienced almost 13 years ago. The situation was somewhat different, yet the grief familiar. To be honest, our family is still struggling through some very difficult issues. It’s hard to face what has become your reality. You always hear of things happening, but it’s always to other people. Surely this can’t be happening to US! But, it is. In the face of great difficulty, it’s so easy to just throw your hands in the air and give up. That would be the easy way out. Yet, we refuse to do that! Anything worth having is worth fighting for. You just don’t quit when the going gets tough. That is when you hold on tighter and with all of your might. The best thing to hold on to in this life is each other!
I was told this past week by a friend that I just refuse to give up until I have exhausted every measure, every avenue … and you know what? That is a very true statement. I refuse to give up. I will do whatever it takes because the person involved is worth it. We are worth it. Our family is worth it. Our children are worth it. Our lives are intertwined, and I believe that HOPE IS REAL for us … for you … for any one out there struggling, no matter the situation or circumstances! Hope is real! I believe it with my whole heart. So, no, I won’t give up until I know that I have tried absolutely EVERYTHING, and then and only then will I throw in the towel. It’s not over … it’s only just beginning. Life is worth living, people are worth loving, and hope is worth hanging on to!
When all else fails and you don’t know what to do … pray! Believe that God is working this situation out for His good, for His honor, and His glory … believe that God has plans for us … plans to give us a hope and a future.
HOPE IS REAL! I believe it with my whole heart.
Why Does Everyone Seem So Angry?
I don’t post much anywhere on the Internet because I am a shy quiet guy that doesn’t say much. But I do read a lot; especially comments posted on various news sites and FB. I had to laugh at a recent comment made to a story, “Listen pal. It’s the Internet. You’re supposed to be angry.” This has been in the back of my mind lately and it seems the more I read the more this seems to be true.
So why is everyone so angry? I grew up in a home where it seemed that anger ruled. My mother was a very negative and angry person at times. She took it out on my sister and me when we were very young. I was so scared of her that I used to hide under a pile of clothes in the corner of a closet for hours just to get away from her and “the paddle”. That explains a lot as to why I am the way I am as an adult.
I hear stories of “road rage” at times. Yet this is nothing new to me. Riding with mom in the car was like riding with a truck driver; it was !#$@ this and !#$* or that !#@$!@. The hard thing is that being in a situation like that rubbed off on me and I have had to work very hard to not be like that. I think that mom was angry because her life didn’t turn out like she thought it should. I think she embraced her disappointment which fueled her anger instead of looking at all the wonderful things she had right in front of her and being thankful for those things.
It seems that the anonymity of the Internet gives people a sense of protection so that they say whatever they want without any concern for others. That is truly a sad thing. We should always think of others before we open our mouths; especially when we may not really know the true facts of a situation. One of the lessons I learned in Sunday school that has stuck with me the most all these years is that we should treat people the way we want to be treated. We should be spreading love and kindness, not anger and hurt. There will always be times when we get angry. That is human nature. But to let anger rule most of our daily lives is not healthy for us and those around us. Fill your heart with God’s love and try to drive out any feelings of anger that may reside in your heart.
~The Quiet Computer Guy
Release
I always enjoy Five Minute Friday and the writing prompts provided by Lisa Jo. Today’s word is: Release.
Ready?
Set?
Go!
There comes a time in your life where you have to stop holding things in. To heal, it is necessary to reveal, to come clean, to admit your shortcomings and faults. In doing so, you release the hold that it has over you. For so long you’ve been a prisoner. You have been locked inside your prison cell of your own making, suffering in silence, surrounded by lies. You’ve been unable to progress, unable to heal, and unable to forgive. In all of this, you’ve been unable to feel as well. The pain was so great that you became numb, and yet, you held on to it so tightly, almost with all of your might. Once you decided that enough was enough and you came clean with those around you … with the most important person being yourself … you slowly saw the binds that held you releasing you. The chains of this addiction could hold you no longer. You, yourself, held the key to release yourself from this self made prison, and you did it. You faced your fears. You took a good, hard look in the mirror and confessed. You, then, took it further and confessed to those closest to you as well, and in doing so you are crushing the enemy. The one that wants to keep you locked away forever in this hell, you’re saying, “No more!” You, yourself, have taken away the power that it held on you. You are fighting with everything in you to be a better person, to do the right thing, to come clean once and for all. It takes a lot of strength to do what you’re doing. Your determination does not go unnoticed. You are fighting this with everything in you – fighting for your life, your marriage, your family, your dignity, your self worth, for your own self respect … and you are winning! You have taken back the power that this addiction held over you. It cannot harm you any more. You are strong. You are determined. You are a fighter. You are a survivor. You have found such a sweet release from the prison that you’ve known for so long. It’s time to turn it all over to God and trust that He will see you through this.
Un-forgiveness has plagued you, tormented you, harassed you, haunted you, entrapped you.
I forgive you.
Now it is time for you to forgive yourself.
Release the chains that bind you to that lifestyle.
Rise above it all.
You are a prisoner no more.
STOP!
