Hard things do happen

I've been thinking again... I know- one of my spiritual/philosophical posts. 

Life can be riddled with hard things, and let's face it... it often is. 

As we were sitting at the Big O tires in Columbia, Missouri I met a woman who had 2 Doxins and worked as a nurse. She started asking questions about Adalyn and we somehow started talking about her daughter who has Bipolar Disorder. As we chatted and she talked about a support group she is a part of, she said, "there are support groups for everything... I guess that's because everyone has to deal with something". 

To my knowledge this woman was not a member of my church, but she hit on some key principles. This life is the time for us to prepare... to change, to be sanctified through Christ and His Atonement. And that means challenges, hard times, and sometimes deep, dark despair and heartache. I have been amazed at the hard things those around me struggle with. It is heartbreaking to think about the pain and hurt they carry, not because they don't turn to Christ, because these people in my life are GREAT examples of faith, but because their challenges are REAL. And they are HARD.

I have many friends who suffer from infertility problems, friends who suffer from bad health, friends who suffer from loneliness as a spouse is often away, friends who have lost their sweet babies before they were even given a chance to have the time they needed, friends who have lost children and teenagers to devastating diseases, friends who have lost their children and teenagers to spiritual diseases, friends who suffer from depression and anxiety, friends who love their children- but somedays want to give them away, friends who have yet had the opportunity to marry...and on and on and on.

And you know what- These people inspire me. They get up each and every day and they face the world. And the amazing thing is- it's not just the people with really "hard" things. There are many with hidden hurts and trials. With hard things that some wouldn't think were "hard"... but they are. Each person is fighting SOME battle. Some hard thing. 

And they are amazing. Sometimes they fall and need help-- because we are not perfect beings-- and because we need to learn to help one another. And most of all, because we need to learn to let Him help us. I firmly believe that Christ is the ONLY way to deal with this mortality and the ONLY way to heal out wounds and the ONLY one who can make our "hard" things bearable. I know He can and does because I have seen it in my life and I have seen it in many others' lives. I'm not saying it will be easy, but I am saying that because of Him your pain and suffering and sorrow can be lessened and eased and you can become equal to the task.

So, when someone asks me how I deal with some things in my life that might be titled "hard" I answer- because of Him and because of people like YOU- who do hard things each and every day.