About

Life has thrown me a lot of curveballs, and not only the ones that graze your head and leave you saying, “That was close.” No, these curveballs smacked me right in the face, knocking me to the ground, and I wasn’t sure I could get up again.

For a long while, I felt I had to live life acting like I was ok. The pain of the clashes radiated in my heart, but I kept moving, kept playing the game. While the turbulence brewed deep in my soul, I pushed it down further, hoping it would just go away, that I’d recover unscarred.

But it didn’t go away.

I felt ashamed and alone. Trying to pray my way out of the pain, I became more and more discouraged as the storm continued to swirl around me. Then someone noticed me, noticed I needed help, and I began a long difficult road of healing and recovery.

I spent a long time waiting to be miraculously healed by God. He could have instantly healed me, but he decided not to. He did, however, come alongside me on the journey and placed people in my life to help me along the way.

I learned I had some very real obstacles that needed some very real attention. Giving them attention would mean making space for rest and comfort. As a full-time teacher and aspiring author, I don’t have a whole lot of extra time on my hands, but I’m trying, trying to provide myself with the care and comfort I need.

I figure I can’t be the only one, that there are others out there desiring to be seen and comforted. God is our ultimate comforter, but he has also placed people in our lives to come alongside us. Even Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego went into the furnace together. I don’t have it perfectly figured out, but will you join me on the journey?

There was a man all alone;
    he had neither son nor brother.
There was no end to his toil,
    yet his eyes were not content with his wealth.
“For whom am I toiling,” he asked,
    “and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?”
This too is meaningless—
    a miserable business!

⁹ Two are better than one,
    because they have a good return for their labor:
¹⁰ If either of them falls down,
    one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls
    and has no one to help them up.
¹¹ Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
    But how can one keep warm alone?
¹² Though one may be overpowered,
    two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

Ecclesiastes 4:8-12