Has something happened to you that is so bad, you can’t even see how you are going to make it through the day, let alone the rest of your life? Was it a violent act? Was it divorce, the loss of a loved one? Was it the loss of a job, or friendship, sickness or injury? What do you do? Traumatized!
Please keep in mind that most of what we share in our posts is from personal experience. The rest are from experiences others have shared with us or even journeys we have walked with them. When we read a story or a post, it is sometimes difficult to catch the author’s feelings and emotions as they write. I want you to know that we care about you. It is the only reason we write. This web site wasn’t built to be a money maker, even though we have ways to bring in money to help support it and eventually we want to be able to help others beyond these words of encouragement. We created this site to help people like you and us. Our biggest difficulty in writing is wanting to communicate correctly to help ease the pain and suffering of others and somehow offer some means of encouragement without adding to the pain.
Personally, I have gone through several different periods in my life of trauma, injury, divorce, job loss, and depression and Janiece has gone through some of these in a deeper way. We know what we have experienced and we have helped others go through some of the same things and have seen the mighty miracles of the Lord’s love heal time and again. There is hope. There is a way. Just because one path is closed doesn’t mean that there isn’t a better one up ahead. Some of what we call our worst trials have actually saved our souls and lives. Had we continued down the path we were on, our lives might have been lost for good. The Lord used the bad things in our lives to help us understand His love for us. He didn’t want anything bad to happen to us, but because of our choices or someone else’s choices, they did. Sometimes things just happen.
When we are in these situations, it is hard to hear words of encouragement. It seems like we are all alone, even though we can be in a crowd of friends. It is at these times we need to look deeper inside and take a look at where we are. Now that we are in a stopping place, it might be a good time to take a better look at where we were headed. We are at a crossroad. All of a sudden our focus changes. Things that used to mean the world to us, now look like emptiness. What really matters any more? What is really real? And most of all, who is it that really cares about us? It was during these times we really found out who our friends were. We noticed that there were a lot fewer of them than we thought.
I’ve known about the Lord since I was real small, around the age of 4. It was during these times that I started reaching out to Him. “Lord, if You are really there, show me. I need to know You are real and that you care or there is no reason for me to go on.†Does this sound familiar? The first thing I felt was His presence. There was a warm feeling around me as if I wasn’t all alone anymore. Over a period of time this relationship grew. Sometimes I strayed away, but He always brought me back to Himself. Looking back over the years now, I can see how He walked with me all the way. He wanted me to Himself so that He could show me Who He was. I had so many fears and He took them one at a time and brought me to a place of love that shattered every one of them. Once He became real in each area, there wasn’t anything that could overpower me in that place again. With each step, I was getting more whole and healed. I look back at all of those areas of weakness and now I see that I am strong. It didn’t happen over night. It is a journey. We can’t know someone instantly. We really don’t know them well at all when everything is going good. It is mainly when things go bad that we find out who we really are as well as those around us. Find out who Jesus Christ is. Ask Him to show you. Start reading the Bible in the book of John and the Psalms. Go on a new journey. Listen for His voice. Hear the wind blowing in the trees and the birds singing their songs to him. All of creation praises Him every day. The sunrises and the sunsets are pictures from Him to us. Even the storms clean the air so that we can breathe fresh air.
If you don’t like this journey, you can always walk away, but if you never try it, you won’t ever know. Take a chance. What do you have to lose? Look at your life right now. What do you need? Where does it hurt? Let the God of creation heal your wounds and make you whole. Simply ask Him.
I’ve noticed that the times I made the fastest changes and received the most healing was when I gave the most. I decided to find others who needed help. This helped me to get my mind off of my situation and the giving started bringing the healing. I was able to forgive others and myself as I made the choice to do so with the Lord’s help. Nothing is impossible! Today is day one. Tomorrow will get here soon enough. Look beyond yourself. Is there someone who needs a smile or an encouraging word. I know you do and I hope this has helped. Pass it on. Here’s to you. You do matter to me and especially to the Lord. Don’t give up. Keep on. Healing, wholeness, love, mercy and peace is yours for the taking.
I have written Janiece’s amazing and miraculous story into a book, “Sentenced To Death, Destined For Life”. This book will change your life and challenge you to reach higher. It will also help you to discover some things about the Lord and His goodness that you might not know. I wrote it in a way so that the reader can take the journey along with her and experience this same God who loves us all. Click on the photo below to read more about it. We also share her story publicly as we are invited and minister to those who need it as we are able.
Joseph James