I’ve been going through some challenges…life is full of them, right!? But there are so many people struggling right now! If I feel down, overwhelmed, or discouraged, all I have to do is look around me because there’s always someone going through something much more difficult than me.
For example, my bestie Darla’s beautiful daughter-in-law, Brynna, has had some significant challenges in her life. Last year I wrote about how she has been fighting a rare form of brain cancer, and still is, with no cure. Now, this year, another serious challenge has been added for them to contend with as a family. Brylie, Brynna, and her husband Austin’s sweet 13-year-old daughter, recently had surgery on her foot. Afterward, she began having a terrible reaction to the epidural they gave her. She started shaking uncontrollably from what they believed was called #CRPS (Complex Regional Pain Syndrome). But, this week, the doctors now suspect it might be something more complex called #FND (Functional Neurologic Disorder). It started on her right foot and has now spread further to her hips, legs, right knee, right ankle, right arm, shoulder, elbow, wrist, and fingers, all shaking in different directions and can be individually or all at the same time. The tiniest occurrence can trigger shaking like a simple brush of fabric or a splash of water can bring on an episode. Her amazing parents hold and comfort her to try to stop her body from convulsing. Sometimes, these last up to 11 hours or until she finally falls into a deep sleep from exhaustion. What is almost as bad as the severe pain she experiences is that her doctors haven’t been able to figure out exactly how to help her. 😢 Because she is awake through these episodes, they know they aren’t seizures and she is completely aware of the pain. And this, of course, just adds to the trauma the family is experiencing.
I cannot imagine the feelings her entire family goes through while watching their precious little girl suffer so greatly. What do you do when there is nothing that can be done? When your faith is taken to the last inch of the journey? When it seems it would be so much easier to just give up and it makes you question everything?
Well, first, you just hang on. I know there’s a better tomorrow, and I always have, and the Sperrys do too! We have to always believe that the answer or the miracle is just around the corner! That’s not naïveté, that’s faith. And faith to me is keeping a positive attitude under every circumstance. So giving up is not even an option, but having faith is! Hebrews 11:1 say, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” That describes the Sperry family perfectly. They believe help will come. No, they KNOW help will come, and so do I!!! We will never give up our faith even in the darkest of storms.❤️
I have a hard time thinking everything happens for a reason, but I do believe something good can always come from any situation, good or bad. It’s a choice. When times are the hardest, if we try, we can see our best blessings. Without hard times there is no need for miracles. But because this “earth life experience” can be challenging, we need miracles, God, and each other.
I have repeated this over and over about the Savior wants us to have a community…meaning, He wants us to be close enough to each other so that we can truly serve each other. Covid separated us so much we don’t, and are afraid to, know each other anymore! There isn’t a feeling nearly as wonderful as having someone show they care about you. Although sometimes when we are in the darkest of places, the adversary tries to make us feel we’re undeserving…That’s a lie! So let someone bring dinner, wash dishes, or just take the kids for an afternoon. Our first great commandment is to love the Lord; the second is like the first, but to love each other and ourselves. When I had severe postpartum depression, the best way to “love myself out of it” was to serve others.
They say social media is not healthy; well, I think it can be healthy if we can use it to share information. You never know who might feel alone with it, and connecting these families could bring them both comfort. (Another example of community or extension of a family by the way.)😉 We can love and serve Darla’s family by praying for them and directing any information to them about #CRPS and #FND and to her doctors at @primarychildrenshospital because they know discouragement gets in the way of miracles. So, if you do know anyone or anything about either of these disorders, please…let me know, and I will pass it along!!!! 💖
One thing I know as an absolute truth is…no matter what we are going through or how dark the world feels, no matter how intense the pain or anxiety, and no matter how sad the loneliness is, our Savior, Jesus Christ, is pure light. We are definitively promised that the light removes the darkness!!! We also know that when the scripture speaks of light, remember, that’s God!
Knowing I can give every burden to the Savior is what gets me through each day. I hope you will seek Him daily as you go through your trials of life. So here’s to reflecting and absorbing the light the Savior brought us…His light, the Light of the world…He is Hope and that’s the miracle of Jesus Christ.
#Sundaymessage
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This is a must-listen. I hope it touches your heart as it has mine. It’s been a go-to for me. Christ is and always has been my miracle. He is real and His atonement works!!!! Believe!!!!! Everything else is an illusion. I love you❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️