On the Other Side of Pain

I’ve come a long way from my first surgery, and I can’t say I relish the next one. Giving up my current flexibility and comfort isn’t easy, but I am looking beyond that to a full recovery and a healthy, cancer free life.

In my devotion, Living Faith, Kristin Armstrong wrote: “‘What you focus on expands.’ When we focus on our suffering, misery grows. When we focus on abundance, on faith, on God’s ability to heal and redeem, hope grows. We can change our vision to include the parameters of what is unseen and remember that suffering always produces something valuable on the other side of pain.”

Suffering is never for nothing. It changes us, deepens our faith and trust, teaches us a depth of compassion for others we would not have otherwise. There is always something beautiful on the other side of pain.

Bumps, Bends, and Miracles

My life has had many bumps and bends, but through a series of amazing circumstances (a story for another time), God has promised that the last half of my life would be better than the first.

It sure didn't look like that at first. The road appeared to be filled with as many bumps and potholes as the first half: lost jobs, health issues, and financial crises - until unimaginable miracles began.

There were many, many miracles, but today I want to thank God for a few of the more extraordinary ones, like His paying off my small business debt, an insurance company insisting on paying a death benefit twice, and the purchase of a home without any money for a down payment and little income.