DO YOU KNOW JUST HOW VALUABLE YOU ARE?
Do you believe you have influence in your world?
Do you believe you have love and wisdom to share and impart?
Do you believe God knows exactly what you are going through, and though He may not remove your troubling circumstances, He has promised His unfailing love and peace?
Isaiah 54:10 says, “Though the mountains be shaken and the hills removed, (in other words, your world turned upside down) yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace removed,” Says the Lord, who has compassion on you.
In my past, there were many days of sorrow in which I begged God to remove the pain. He was more concerned in what the pain was doing within me and for me, than in removing the pain.
How is this compassionate you ask? How is this loving?
I now understand…there is a world of need bigger than my immediate relief of pain. There is a purpose that transcends my puny understanding. My story, your story, is meant to touch others through the gift of understanding…and understanding is often wrought through the crucible of pain.
Your story is unique and valuable because of the joy and the sorrow. Your power of influence touches a realm of souls unlike any other human being on earth.
Think about that! I don’t know the people you know, and you don’t know the people I know, and there is no other person on earth who has met exactly the same people you interact with.
In other words…your story is powerful. Use it for God’s glory…and never underestimate the power of the difficult in your life to profoundly encourage another soul far more than the happy seasons of life.
One thing I have learned when looking into the face of pain. No two stories are the same, but they melt into each other through the gift of listening. Let all explanations remain silent. Look deeply into the eyes of the one who suffers. Visit their pain. Let them share their story. Show compassion and love, and don't stop until they believe they are not alone.
Could it be your unique experience is the only story that can speak to that special someone God wants you to reach?
Could it be in God’s upside down economy…pain is the greater blessing???
"But…but," you cry…(as I did many times), "I need this pain to stop."
Could it be that in eternity the great equalizer will take place, and the first shall be last, the last first; those with an easy life have had their blessing and those who have suffered much receive a richer reward?
For your answer read the Word of God for an authority much greater than mine.
Matthew 19:30,
Matthew 16:27,
2 Corinthians 4:16&17,
Hebrews 13:15,
I Corinthians 3:7&8,
Colossians 3:23&24,
Revelation 22:12,
1 Peter 4:12&13
Hebrews 2:10
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About the author
Blossom Turner is an award-winning novelist, and a free-lance writer published in Chicken Soup and Kernels of Hope anthologies, and former newspaper columnist on health and fitness. A Word Guild semi-finalist for Anna's Secret, Katherine's Arrangement, Amelia’s Heartsong, and a Word Guild winner for Best Romance for Lucinda’s Defender. She has found her home in the writing of historical fiction but is open to wherever God leads. The many 5-star reviews attest to the power of love and romance authentically woven into the Shenandoah Bride Series about five sisters and their five love stories.
Blossom lives in British Columbia, Canada, with her husband, David, of forty years and their dog Lacey named after Lacey Spring, Virginia, where this series takes place. A former businesswoman, personal trainer, and mother of two grown children she is now pursuing her lifelong dream of writing full-time. A hopeless romantic at heart, she believes all story should give the reader significant entertainment value. However, her writing embodies the struggles of real life. She infuses the reality of suffering with the hope of Christ to give a healthy dose of relatable encouragement to her reader. Her desire is to leave the reader with a yearning to live for Christ on a deeper level, or at the very least, create a hunger to seek for more.
Co-author Suzie Zanewhich
Suzie is a certified life coach, leader of emotional health, and resource specialist. She has found her niche as a soul coach.
Suzie finds purpose in empowering individuals to move towards growth, healing, and alignment with their authentic self. Suzie is driven by a calling to live authentically, as the person God created her to be, to reach her fullest potential and lead others to do the same. Her passion is to help others find meaning through discovering their strengths, gifts, personality, temperament and core values.
Suzie is a life-long learner, continuously immersing herself in new courses to learn more about human behaviour, relationships, psychology, child development, emotions, trauma and healing. Because of her craving to always learn more she has earned the title of resource specialist in the area of self-discovery.
Suzie Zanewich lives with her husband in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. She has a patchwork family of four grown children, two daughters, two sons and three granddaughters.
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