Don't Give Up!

My heart is aching today. It seems like each day I learn of a new sorrow that someone near to me is facing. So many of you have great challenges you are trying to deal with. They may not be physical, but they are tremendous emotional trials.

You may be waking up each day with a spouse who no longer loves you or a marriage that just can't continue to work. You face the fear of life on your own, of telling your children, of filing for divorce. These are enormous burdens to be facing and my heart aches for you.

With our failing economy, some of you are facing unemployment. The comfortable life you have known has been jerked out from under you and you are facing debt, a mortgage, and the need to change your entire life's direction. Your family who has depended on you to provide them what they need is suddenly looking to you to save them, yet you don't know if you have the strength to save yourself. My heart aches for you.

I have too many friends who have faced or are facing the fear of cancer. It seems to have no boundaries in who it can affect. Some of you have survived the initial battle, but always wonder when it may return. Others of you are deep in the trenches, fighting through chemo and radiation, hoping all of this pain will end in remission, but having no guarantee of victory. My heart aches for you.

Still others of you are trying to cope with a child's difficult diagnosis. Their total care and well-being are in your hands and you are forced to fight each day to get them the rights to an equal education, to respect from their peers, to understanding from their teachers, to quality health care. In the day you are their rock, but at night you cry yourself to sleep wondering what kind of life lies ahead for them. My heart aches for you.

No wonder there is so much sadness, anger, and fear in this world. Bad things are happening to us and all around us every day. How can you not feel anxious about what evil might befall you or your family around the next bend in the road? How can you be optimistic about the future when you aren't sure you will survive the day?

Last week when I was so ill, a thought occurred to me. It would be so easy to just give up. It is the fight that is so painful, why not just roll over and stop caring. I'll tell you why, because that is the EASY way, that is the way the evil in this world wants us to turn. When we give up, we lose our FAITH. Without it, we are totally lost.

It is easy to become angry with God, to doubt He exists, to question His motives, but it is not God who is bringing us misfortune, it is life. God remains constant, there in good times and bad. All He asks is that you believe, no matter how bad it gets, you believe. If you believe, He will rescue you, maybe not today or tomorrow, but He has promised you a life everlasting in His love, where no pain can ever touch you again.

It is easy to become desperate when you have no hope of change. I may be able to do nothing more to comfort you than this, but I promise you, the pain and suffering will end and for your faith you will be greatly rewarded.

Until then, you have me, and I love you and I'll pray for you. You have many who are rooting for you, who are lifting you up, who are willing to offer their support and friendship. I KNOW this, because I have each of you. Some of you have only recently entered my life, others of you have always been there, but you are THERE, what greater gift could you give me?

So, when you feel utterly alone, you remember my promise, my faith in you, and my love and friendship. Nancy