I have been on one wild ride all of my life, and I now have friends who get that! Along the there were times when the only thing that I had to hold onto was a verse and one little strand flowing from me up to heaven. I held on for dear life to so many verses along the way. I would love to share some with you.
“But now, this is what the Lord says— he who created you, [Jacob,] he who formed you, [Israel]: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;...” Isaiah 43:1-3 a
“Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior.” Habakkuk 3:17-18
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” James 1:2-4
I can look back at the awful things me and my children have gone through and be thankful for it. Were it not for my experience with my father and his suicide, my son would probably not still be here. I have been coaching him for 23 years through many suicide attempts and suicidal ideation. Were it not for my first husband, I would not have come to the end of myself and cried out for the Lord to save me from it all. He didn’t save me the way I expected, but he turned the shades of black and gray into a rainbow of colors. He brought light into my darkness. And were it not for my current husband, I would not be the person I am today with a hope and a future to help women in similar circumstances.
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-4