As a massive hurricane approaches, it is hard not to see destruction and devastation, especially after already experiencing a tornado, an earthquake, and a tsunami in the past few months. In addition to all of the strange and severe natural disasters, one doesn't have to go very far to see more evidence of what seems to be corruption and terror. The news in the newspaper and on television is loaded with stories of school shootings, terrorism, gang wars, baby killings, and many other terrifying events. It is easy for a person to question what this all means, and if this is the end of the world. But rather then feel powerless and a victim of life's circumstances, I see hope. I see the people that are brought together, to help those in need. In Springfield, people donated backpacks and school supplies for children in need after the tornado. It is through adversity that the true glory of people is seen. People come together volunteering their time and resources to help others. After the tsunami, people made food for the victims; they donated clothes and other things. People came together to rise above the terror and destruction. There is a reason for everything, though we may not know it at the time. Perhaps, God is using His will to bring people together. In this, they are able to share His love and His glory.
Having the trach has been extremely difficult. It has been a very long road, and I know this road is not yet over. I have many more challenges ahead, but I know with the support of others and God's help, I can persevere and not only survive, but thrive. It is through God that I am alive and it is through prayer that I have been able to survive. I have experienced extreme adversity, and it is through God that I have the strength to get through it. People I don't even know, except through FaceBook have been there all the way, praying for me, praying with me, and cheering me on. There have been many times that I wanted to give up.The time between when the initial trach was put in and the trach was downsized, was a horrible time. I felt the future was bleak and I had no hope. The trach had been put in with the purpose of enabling me to go home and have a decent quality of life. Had I had refused the trach I would never have been able to leave the hospital. Though this was the intent, reality was different. I went home unprepared for life with a trach. I was essentially tied to a tube and only able to move around my room. I felt horrible. I was weak and sick. I was unable to function, and honestly if I had to stay that way, I didn't want to live. I prayed that God would take me, that for once my pain and suffering would be over. But it was not my time. I now am better prepared to life with a trach. I have hope.
One thing I have learned is that you can't take anything for granted. In times of adversity, it is possible to rise above and survive. People come together to support one another. You can't live your life in fear, but rather must live each day as if it is a gift, a gift from God.
It is through God and prayer, that people are able to come together in times such as these, through natural disasters and the struggles of life, that we are able to rise above it all. It is through God and prayer that rather than seeing devastation and fear, we can see hope. It just depends on how you look at things. You can view it as a tragedy and something that you can't control in which case you'll feel powerless. Or you can view it as a situation of hope, something that can be an instrument of God to bring people together, to support each other.
Most people think of FaceBook as just a social networking site. They don't realize that it is much more. Through FaceBook people who otherwise would not know each other, get to know one another. To me, ti is a giant prayer group. When one person is sick and suffering or just needs some extra prayers, people from all over the world come together and pray. We pray for people we don't even know. Why? because they need it.
At first, I was afraid to say "praying for you" or "God Bless". I was afraid of mentioning God or my faith, or asking for others to pray for me. So many people get all upset over mentioning God or faith in the community but it is okay to do so on FaceBook. It amazes me how many people can come together to pray for a person in need. People from completely different places, with different beliefs, different life styles, and different struggles all come together to pray for each other and help out in any way possible. It can be quite depressing and overwhelming to see all the pain and destruction in the world today. But then I get on FaceBook and I see a person who has asked for prayers from someone they know, or says that they will be praying for me, and I know that the world is not all bad. God's work is spread on an international level. God is using others as instruments to spread the word of God and share His love. It is truly miraculous.
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