Monday, May 29, 2017

The Prize Beyond the Storm



Migraines present themselves in various forms and fashions.  Migraines wreck the day; sometimes, multiple days in a row.  I suffer with migraines.  Lately, they have hit more often than not.  Mine come in without warning.  The biggest trigger I found to be instant migraine starters is strong scents.  Anything from perfume to campfire smoke (the latest culprit).  Once the pain hits, I am knocked down (literally).  I resort to lying in a dark room, ice pack on head and praying through the pain.

Pain too intense for medication to fight.  Nausea without relief.  Missed memories in life.  Frustration.

Migraines are no joke.  They leave your body exhausted, beat down and distraught.  Thankfully, relief arrives within 24-48 hours for me.  But, I never know when IT will hit.  I never know what situation could send a spiral downward and land me in darkness.  I never know where I will be and if I will be able to dull the pain if IT hits. 

Do you feel like IT has wrecked your life?  
Are you surrounded by darkness with no relief in sight?

IT could be whatever storm in life steals peace.  IT comes in the form of physical ailment, death, financial strain, loss of employment, anxiety, depression, addiction, etc.  IT can come out of nowhere, knocking you to your knees.  Darkness steals the day.  Life loses memories.  Mere survival becomes the only focus.  Each step weighs a thousand pounds.  Vision blurs through tear stained eyes.  The storm of this life too intense to fight.

Others around cannot fathom the pain experienced within your storm.  No individual holds the solution.  This world will never provide the break in clouds and the light in the storm.

My daughter worries when I lay in the darkness.  She holds much empathy, working diligently to get medication, keep the room quiet/dark and hugs intensely as if to squeeze the pain away.  On one particular night, before she laid down next to me, she said, “Mom, this pain will go away and tomorrow will be a great day without any headaches.”  I just love her little heart and want to bottle that moment up forever as she kisses me on the cheek before rolling over to sleep.

People will work diligently to comfort, walk alongside, pray, worry and empathize in your storms.  They cannot take it away.  They cannot by your source of comfort.  They are human.  They live storms of their own, walk through life searching for solutions and work to survive.  Where can we turn?  Who can be a voice in the darkness to reassure tomorrow will be a great day?  What can we do to hold steady in the raging storm?

YEP, the Sunday school answer. . .just say Jesus!  Call His name, open the clenched hand and lay at the cross.  He never leaves.  He takes away the pain and replaces it with strength.  He uses every single step in this life to benefit His Kingdom.  He wants to walk alongside, comfort, work for you and be the Light!

Speak His Word louder than the thunder of today.  Shine His Peace brighter than the lightning just around the corner.  Spread His Love in greater capacity than the rains flooding the path below. 

Easier said than done, right?  Well, yes and no.  It is easy to speak His Word; it is difficult to feel the Truth behind the Words.  Once faith builds strength, His peace consumes every situation.  Once hope comforts, His love can be seen.  The storm settles, our eyes focus and we stand firm on the Truth that Heaven awaits. 

Hang on dear friend.  Heaven is the prize that waits beyond the storms of this life.            

Live life. . .One Day at a time! 

Sheree Craig   

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