Open up

Sharing Archer’s story has been incredibly helpful for me. Talking through those facts and recollections helps me realize the strength we were required to continue through each day. This strength was never common to me prior. Some may say they’ve seen this strength in me; however, I never saw it in me. I never grasped the power of it. We’ve had many trials throughout our family’s lives, trials that opened our eyes and brought prayer to my heart that was warranted. I have never recognized those trials as a form of strength. Recalling scenarios that have occurred in our family, I acknowledge those to be common scenarios. Specifically, we aren’t the first parents to lose a child, we aren’t the only family with special needs, we aren’t the only family to have co-parenting relationships, and so on. Those are all correct, we aren’t the only ones, but it is what we choose to do with those scenarios that have made us into who we are now.

A song on my heart this morning or stuck in my head as I would previously say is Waymaker by Leeland. If you haven’t listened to it, find a quiet place, close your eyes, free your environment from distractions and soak it up. Every word. Every phrase. Every musical ensemble. If you have heard it, listen again. It is enlightening. The beauty behind it, no matter the circumstances, there is a way. Our Lord is our waymaker. When there seems to be no other way, he has the way. Have you ever told yourself, there is always a way? There is always a door. No matter what happens you seem to overcome. Life moves on even if it feels out of reach. I did not correlate those phrases to my Christianity before. Commonly said, God always prevails, always brings you through. Easily said, common phrase, but do you truly comprehend it and find comfort in it? I do now. I didn’t before. Coming to terms with previous trials, replaying that statement in my head, and truly comprehending is a waymaker for me. Wow, it’s as if my heart just leaped and my eyes just expanded with a peripheral view of the possibilities. No matter where you find yourself when all accounts seem impossible and the end is a daunting pit of sorrow, remember the waymaker and miracle worker are always on your side. You are never alone.

I started a book by Jen Hatmaker, Of Mess and Moxie, that was mailed to me after my son passed. It makes me smile to think that a person hand-picked this book for me. I believe another book was in mind, but due to shipping, they settled on this book. I’ve always wanted to read Jen Hatmaker but have never come to it. She has some controversial topics, but my mind is and will always be pretty open at this point in my life. This morning the chapter spoke of diversity. I realized that our eyes are shaded by the constant rituals every day brings. For some, bring the kids to school, race to work, pick up kids, race home for work, and then it’s a mad dash to have supper on the table, complete homework, tackle the laundry, dishes, and then maybe you’ll have some time for yourself. This is not my routine currently, but it was for the greater part of my adulthood. That time for myself consisted of watching TV or reading. It was rarely spent embracing the day’s positive vibes or tribulations. Opening myself to the diversity in the world and embracing all the invisible gifts has been and will continue to be a goal of mine. In due time.

Diversity shares with us that multiple people are struggling alone. Alone in their thoughts, alone in their suffering, alone in their grief, alone in their sins, and alone in their heart. How can a person feel so alone when society is everywhere? You cannot set foot out of your door without the beauty of your surroundings. It is scary to think people can feel so alone in a life full of beautiful beings. Feeling alone is fear. That fear effortlessly destroys a person. It destroys the hope and acknowledgment of better days to come. Worse yet, while fear is destroying you, your aspirations become nonexistent. I am not ready to start embracing the diversity of strangers just yet, but maybe you are. A person’s vulnerability is often apparent on their face.

I encourage you to reach out to someone who has wronged you in the past, someone who tugs on your heart for forgiveness, or someone who is a stranger and outside your normal realm of people. Those are the people that may need you. There is no greater feeling than impacting someone else’s day. Picking them up from their lowest. Helping that person remember that we are not alone. Regardless of whether you’re spreading the love of Jesus to them or merely being an open ear, you will change their outlook for the better. That one opportunity to reach out could impact that person so greatly, it could even save their life. You don’t have to spread the word of God to get your message across, your kind actions and your loving heart does it for you. Opening up myself to speak of Christianity is very new for me. I’d like to think I’ve impacted the lives of others before I was comfortable speaking about my faith. I have also been on the other side of that. I have been the person that was forgotten about but later forgiven. You can change lives people! Believe in yourself. Like we were told when we were younger, put your best foot forward and walk on. Keep moving, don’t stop because you’ve hit a wall. Keep embracing your surroundings, and if you are up for it, embrace others. You may never know how powerful you are until you try.

Excellent photo credits to Tony Loomer, @bekindimagery