Note: {RSS subscribers click here to view and leave comments}
Hi Friend,
Thank you for reading my devotion last Friday {The Day I Almost Gave Up} on the Proverbs 31 Ministries website and sharing your personal stories with me.
I’m sending this little note to let you know I received your comments, read every single word and I’ve been praying for you ever since.
I had no idea how God would use my story to speak to others, but after receiving 700+ comments, emails, and Facebook messages I am blown away by His grace.
My heart aches as I read the many struggles you’ve been facing or the pain caused by others in your life. I understand how you might be feeling afraid and even hopeless right now.
I remember feeling that way too. Like there was not an ounce of peace or hope left in me. And honestly, it is the worst feeling in the world. Fear has a way of sucking the life right out of us. I believe that’s just one of many reason why God repeats over and over again in His Word, “Do not be afraid.”
I don’t want you to get stuck there.
That place of fear and despair is toxic. It’s not what God had in mind when He created you. Your journey ahead can be filled with hope, peace of mind and joy – even though you may not feel that way right now. I want to encourage you to keep moving forward – one step at a time – trusting God above all else.
Reverse is not an option and I know you don’t want to stay where you are right now. If you feel weak and lonely, know that you are not alone.
When you are weak God’s power is perfected in you.
{RSS subscribers click here to view and leave comments}
I believe with all my heart that you are a survivor with a tenacious spirit that is much more courageous than you think.
Despite the tremendous obstacles, you’ve continue to persevere, which is a true sign of a champion. Your life matters and God has special plans & assignments that only you can carry out in this world. You haven’t fulfilled them all and many are being reserved {for you} by your Heavenly Father.
It’s hard to see the great possibilities right now because you’re in the trenches and may have been for a while.
But from someone who’s made it to the other side, I can honestly say that what I experienced as a deep, dark pit, actually became a springboard {by God’s grace, mercy, and power} launching a whole new life for me.
I am living proof that God can take the broken pieces of a hopeless woman, breathe new life into her and radically change her circumstances so that despair is replaced with a soothing shower of peace and joy.
God did it for me and He can certainly do it for you too!
I hope you’ll join me over the next three weeks as I share what I’ve learned on the road to healing.
I’ll provide tips that you can start implementing right away. Things that took me years to learn as I dredged through the muddy sinkholes of anxiety and depression. I’m hoping it will save you a lot of time and pain while propelling you forward along your journey to wellness and true freedom in Christ.
If you haven’t sign up for my updates, but would like to, just fill in the “Subscribe For Updates” box above. If you’re not up to it right now, I completely understand. Just know that I’ll continue to pray for you and your loved ones in the days and weeks ahead.
Elaine says
A heartbroken 65 yr old a Christian women who loves the Lord married now separated from husband of 45 yrs who has been addicted to drugs most of the marriage. I have had a nervous breakdown a heart attack stress on top of stress two wonderful grown children and 5 grandsons worked for 37 yrs of my life now caring for a 20month old the youngest love them all sometime I want to live sometime I don’t broken feel if I lay down to long I will die. The Lord heard my cry and made away of escape for me to leave my husband open up all doors and I was able to get a house. My husband has never loved with me down south and it has been almost 8 years I miss him he was a good husband but there is so much hurt he lost our place that we had for 35 yrs and much stuff I am just sick I want a divorce but I ‘m scared feeling so alone and my ministry is to help other other hurting women and I do at least that’s what they tell me but I can’t help myself. I hate this sick feeling please I need some help
leah says
Elaine, as I read your comments I can see you’ve been through so much pain and hurt over the years. I’m so sorry that you’ve had to encounter all of these struggles over the years and I’m praying for you today. I’m sure your grandchildren bring you so much joy. I want to encourage you to find someone locally that you can talk to on a regular basis. Someone who can help you sort through all the things you’re facing right now and help you make some wise choices about your future. God is our greatest Counselor and He is always here to listen. I’m praying that as you seek out help through your church and community, God will guide you along a path to find just the right person who can help you. Sweet Blessings, Leah
Linda Kay says
I am 63 years old and I have allowed my parents to control my life (always) even though I have been married for 43 years. My dad took to literal the meaning in the Bible that the man is the head of the family. He controlled me and my mother all in the name of what the Bible taught. I tried so hard all my life to please him and since 1998 I have been in depression because at times he would yell at me and talk to me in such a hateful way. I never had a real relationship with my mother because her life was centered on my dad. It is hard to say but my dad passed away last October and it has been a relief to not have that fear that he would yell at me or be disappointed in me. Now my mother (who is almost blind) is taking up where he left off. She doesn’t yell, she just cries. One of the problems is that she is in the early stages of dementia. I confronted her with this in front of her Doctor but she denied it and said she was fine. I tell her things over and over and it is driving me crazy. She forgets things that I have said then cries because she doesn’t remember and then I feel guilty. The guilt is eating at me. She expects me to call her every day at least once, but everyday she repeats the same things and I get so tired of hearing it. She complains because my daughters don’t call her (I can’t make them). I don’t want to call and talk to her, there is no closeness between us. I feel guilty about this because she is my mother. I am trying so hard to love her but all I feel is guilt that I should love her because she is my mother, but the feeling is not there. I try to help my daughter when she needs help with her 2 little boys, ages 5 and 3. I worry about my husband who is about to turn 65 and isn’t in good health. I have to not only take care of my day to day paperwork but I also have to take care of hers and what my dad left for me to handle because he didn’t want to fool with it. Mom can’t read so she can’t help but she wants to know everything that I am doing. If I say I had errands to run, she wants to know exactly what I did and where I went. I resent this. I resent that my dad left everything in his name and not his and mom’s and that I am having to deal with all the problems. I resent that he had cemetery plots in Florida for him and mom and he knew for 40 years that he wouldn’t be buried in Florida but in Texas where he also had plots, but he wouldn’t do anything about selling them because he knew if he left it alone that I would have to take care of it when he was gone. I resent that he knew their house was falling apart but wouldn’t let me get someone in to help fix things and now my mother is doing the same thing to me. She can’t see well enough to clean the house good, but won’t let me do it or won’t let anyone else come in and do it. When dad was dying for the last year, she got mad when I had nurses and rehab people come in to help dad (at the Doctors orders). When the doctors said that dad needed Hospice, I went ahead and set it up and she threw a fit (she didn’t want anyone else in her house, she could take care of everything herself). She was 86 and felt she could take care of dad alone and didn’t need anyone else’s help, but she would call me constantly about little things so I would have to run up there to her house. I didn’t begrudge helping take care of my dad but she would throw fits if it wasn’t done just her way. She hated that I would do what the Doctor’s suggested was best for dad and cry. To make matters even worse, since 1998 when my depression started, I spend money when I am really low. I don’t buy for myself but for my husband, daughters, grandkids, just to have that release for a little while from the pain. We are now $70,000 in debt because of me and my husband wants to retire but we owe so much because of me. Last year my husband was in the hospital (while my dad was in rehab). I had to rush my husband to the Dr. and by the time we got there he was having stroke like symptoms, they rushed him by ambulance to the hospital. After 4 days they diagnosed him with Severe Depression. His depression is caused mainly by his supervisor at his job. He has been at the job for 49 years and they are trying to force him out because he makes so much more money than the other managers. If they could ride him enough and get him to quit then they could save a lot of money. This has put so much stress on him. My main problems are worry for my family and the stress that I am under and the guilt that I feel about my mother. Please pray for me, please, please! Only during the last year in counseling with my Pastor did I realize that I had been putting my dad up as God in my life. I didn’t like the way my dad treated me, therefore, it’s hard to understand a loving God. I do love the Lord and I want to do what He wants me to do but I want peace, I want to have the patience with my mother that I should have, I don’t want to hate the idea of just talking to her. I want to be obedient to our Lord. Please, please pray for me.
leah says
Linda, you have been through so much and are still facing such difficult situations. I’m praying for you today, Sweet Friend. The mental and emotional weight that you’re carrying is more than any one person can possibly deal with. I’m so glad you’re seeing your Pastor for counseling. That is very important. I’m praying that you will experience God’s presence and unconditional today. That as you spend time with Him alone, you would sense His presence being poured over you. That you would cast your burdens and worries on Him {and not try to solve all the problems on your own} because He cares for you. You are in my thoughts and prayers today. Sweet Blessings, Leah
Latosha says
Thank you so much, Leah, for your prayers and for the words that you shared here today. I also pray today that as you pour into each one, that your cup will continue to overflow abundantly with the blessings of God, Amen!
Cathy says
Leah,
Thanks for sharing your story, although at this point in my life I am to the point of wanting to give up because I don’t feel I have the support of my family and I really feel all along. But after reading your story, I was reminded that there is a GOD waiting on me and wanting me to give all my cares and troubles to him and he will surely rescue me from the troubles of the world. I too realize that our biological family is one that we can not choose but God places people in our lives to help us re-focus our attention on him and for that I am forever grateful. Please lift me up in your prayers that God will continue to strengthen me.
leah says
Cathy, as I read your comments I can see that you’re really hurting right now. I’m praying for you today and asking God to comfort you in a way that no person possibly can. I’ve come to learn that God is the only constant in my life. People will disappoint us and even hurt us at times (even if they don’t mean to) but God will always love us and always has our best in mind. Continue seeking Him each day and trusting Him in every area of your life. As you do this, joy will abound. Cyber hugs, Leah
Denise says
Thank you for your devotions. Last year, fear and anxiety ruled my world but God has helped me overcome. Still I want more,! Joy and the abundant life, He promised.
leah says
Denise, I’m so happy to hear that God replaced your fear and anxiety with joy. He is so faithful! Continue to seek Him above all else, Sweet Friend. God has great things in store for you! Blessings, Leah
Lisa Lizer says
Leah, thank you so much for sharing your story. After many years of financial struggle, etc., I found myself at the bottom just this past September and was ready sitting in a nearby park ready to end the struggle. Had God not intervened and cleared the calendar of my friend who is a counselor, I’m afraid the result would have been devastating. I am so, SO glad I didn’t anything drastic and reached out to God and my friend. I can’t begin to describe the many blessings I have received since that day. Though there are many concerns and struggles at the moment, my husband is laid off due to the weather and we have had difficulty with getting unemployment, I have such a different outlook on everything and feel such a peace knowing God is in control. At times I feel guilty, because my family doesn’t always understand my peace. My husband is not a Christian and often suggests that I just don’t seem to care. I try to make him understand that I do care, that we just have to trust God. I continue to remind myself that I am not going backwards to that point in my life where I was in September and that I have to remain faithful and continue to trust God no matter what others may think. Please pray for my husband. He is suffering from severe depression. Being out of work right now is not helping. He goes to church with us and I know he is reading his Bible, so I know God is working in his life to bring him into his fold. Thank you again for sharing your story.
leah says
Lisa, I’m so happy to hear how God rescued you on that September day, as you sat in your car crying out to Him. He loves you so much! I’m praying for your husband’s salvation and for your marriage today. Continue being the light in your home so that your husband will see how God has changed you from the inside out. Check out this promise below:
“For the unbelieving husband is made holy because of his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy because of her husband.” 1 Corinthians 7:14
Sherry says
Dear Leah:
Thank you so much for your blog. I found it to be very encouraging to me. I, too, have been wanting to give up. 8 years ago, I lost my mentor, my favorite uncle one month with a massive heart attack and 2 weeks later, I lost my nephew (more like a son) in a canoe accident. Our family was in Disney World taking some much needed vacation when we received this news. We immediately tried to get home as soon as possible to be with our family. Needless to say, things in my life have changed–I’m not happy because some of those changes I did to myself, but life changes. My parents are getting older now and I am feeling the responsibility of being their caregivers. My child is a teenager–that in itself is exhausting! My friend that I’ve had for 45 years, just suddenly decided she didn’t need me and my problems and just gave up on us. And on top of that, our financial difficulties have made me really want to give up. I know God is always near and depend on that, but at times that doesn’t seem to help my mental state. Need prayers, please! Thanks!
leah says
Sherry, as I read your comments I can see that you’ve been through a LOT of loss in many areas of your life. I am praying for you today and would encourage you (if you haven’t already) to find someone that you can talk with. Sometimes it’s therapeutic just talking through our hurts with someone we can trust. It’s not good for us to keep it all bottled up inside. Jesus is our ultimate Comforter and He is always there for you and ready to listen. Cyber Hugs, Leah
Samantha says
Leah:
I found your devotional to be very helpful and to have come at the right time. I have been there to and by His wonderful grace I have made it through! I am revisiting some of my areas in my life where I needed to be reminded that He is our RESCUER!! Praise the Lord for your message! I want to continue to show my ageing mother Christ like love as my husband, two small children and I try to meet all of her needs. She does not have a relationship with the Lord and every time I “slip” and get overloaded with the responsibility with caring for her I feel like I’m pushing her away from the Lord because it’s hard for me to be at my best all the time. We have found a church family that has been wonderful to us and I wish my mother would open her heart to His word and receive Him as her Lord and savior! I need prayers for endurance to keep on keeping on with her so she will want the love I have in her. I’m failing at that! Thanks again for your post it was awesome and encouraging. Bless you and yours.
leah says
Samantha, taking care of our aging parents can be very challenging. My mother suffered with Parkinson’s Disease for many years before she went to be with Jesus. Caring for her was difficult and I too struggled with trying to meet all of her needs. I finally came to the place of rest when I realized I could only do so much and I had to trust God to meet the needs of my mom that I couldn’t. God will do the same for your mom. Rest in knowing that God sees all that you’re doing and is there to help. Cast your burdens on Him because He cares for you and doesn’t want you to carry such a heavy load. Cyber hugs, Leah