Through it all

10 /24/14

Today I am welcoming a new writer to our Writing Staff. Terri Baker is a friend and an insightful person. She has five adult children and a granddaughter. Her son Daniel is a pastor at our church. Terri works in the youth program every week.
In this writing she is being real. That is how she is. Her insights will be edifying to others as they read her post which will occur once a month. Welcome my friend. She is a loyal and loving friend who always says good by in her special way....."Mwaaaaaah!!" 

Thank you and back at you, Terri!

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Do you ever feel yourself falling deep into a dark pit, lost and alone?  One minute life is grand. You feel so special,  so happy,  surrounded by love.  Then there you are, out of the blue, just like that, on your own to sink or swim.  You find yourself looking up grasping for all the hands you believe will be there, reaching in to save you.  All of those people you know, your family, your friends, those who claim to love you?  You ask yourself, where are they?  It is getting darker and darker.   Deeper and deeper you go. You wish for someone to come rescue you. Yet you ask no one.  You are alone.  You begin to believe that you are not worthy.  You begin attacking yourself with questions. Where have I failed?  What is wrong with me?  You hide in your hiding place, hang your head and can no longer stop the tears. Depression can suck the life out of us.  It hurts so bad.  

For years I found myself there. That was until the year 2005.      

This is what I learned since then.  It is not just me but in fact we all come to a place like this in our lives.  Some of us more often then others.  Some go deeper than others. Sadly, some go so deep they can no longer see the light of day.  There are so many things that can bring us to this spot.  An overload of responsibility, unpaid bills, losing your home, needs for your family that you cannot afford, jobs we hate, worldly people that bring us down, kids that are rebellious or that we fear for because of their life choices, illness in ourselves or those we love.  And then there is that ugly, painful past that keeps sneaking back up on you, piece by piece.   So very many things.   

Depression can suck the life out of us.  

    

We often believe its the things in our lives that lead us to this place of darkness, and yes, they can.   But more often then we realize,  God Himself often brings us here.  Not for punishment or to cause us pain but to begin our healing. When we least expect it He will plop it down, right there in front of us. A heap we see as a mountain too high, too painful to climb.   

People fail us but God never fails.  He knows everything about us.

I do have friends that always care, but He knows when I need them. He tells me when it is time for my one on one's with Him. He also blesses us with His warriers, our precious friends who pray for us. We are not alone. We need to look up, way up

He always meets us there!  His out stretched hand not just reaching to grab us, but pulling us up on our feet.  He blesses us with his people, those I like to call, Angels on earth that pray for us and who help to make His plans for us so clear to see when we cannot hear Him talking.  He is always there making us stronger, making us wiser, giving us freedom and healing us from the inside out!  

God does not want us to suffer, but allows us time to face the things that cause us pain. He gives us the heart to forgive who or what it was that caused that pain.

He built us to face and conquer our demons. 

So, the next time you are feeling alone in a dark place,  know... He is right beside you all the way.  You are, in fact, in a very blessed place, able to spend one on one time with the very best friend you will ever have.   He who has suffered for us.   He enables us to stand taller and stronger than ever before, ready to fight the next battle., whether it be our own or someone else's.  It is all in His perfect plan.  Trust Him  

He is a healing God. He loves us more than life!  

Today, my life is far from perfect.  I still suffer illness, depressing times and even subtle reminders of things from my past that begin burning what feels like holes in my heart.  It is just so much easier now, knowing it is His plan and knowing…that Jesus is beside me holding my hand, through it all!  

Written by
Terri Baker