“In this family you don’t have to go through anything alone,” I explained to my oldest daughter. “We’re in this together!”
She nodded, sniffled, and wiped a stray tear from her cheek before acknowledging my statement with an accepting “ok, Momma.”
She was eight years old, and for whatever reason had started developing fear at night. She was having trouble sleeping, and she said when she woke up in the middle of the night with everyone else still sleeping, she felt alone. Her father and I had noticed something amiss with her mood, but she tried to say everything was ok. Finally, after much gentle questioning, she admitted her fears. She had worried her dad and I wouldn’t understand how she could know Jesus was always with her, but still be afraid. I think she was ashamed of her fear.
“It’s ok to be afraid, baby,” I explained. “It’s okay to cry, and it’s especially ok to ask for help. That’s why we’re here.”
My husband went on to explain she could always wake him up anytime. We offered wisdom from scripture, but above all we let her know that she wasn’t alone in this. That’s what family is for.
That was last night, but I was reminded of it again today.
“We all just finished praying for you,” my husband texted to me at work.
We’re in this together.
I was reminded how true that was. I had texted my husband earlier this morning to let him know I wasn’t feeling well. I felt downtrodden, and while I knew you couldn’t spread sunshine on the daily, I also knew God didn’t have it for me to feel defeated or depressed in my day. So I had shared my mood with my spouse so he might lift me up in prayer.
Turns out he enlisted the whole family to pray.
We’re in this together.
I thought about how I had responded not long ago when my husband wasn’t feeling well. When he doesn’t feel good he gets really quiet. He’s almost sullen. He doesn’t want to do anything, and in this particular instance had tried to make excuses to not go somewhere I had planned.
“It looks like it might rain,” my personal meteorologist/aka husband had stated.
I had retorted, “if you don’t wanna go just say so!”
And as I stewed with indignation afterwards I thought to myself how his bad mood shouldn’t be something I had to deal with! Yet, I had. I had allowed my anger to cool, tried to place myself in his shoes, and remembered that it was my job to support him in life. Through good times and bad.
We’re in this together.
I didn’t know if our family had a bullseye lately from the enemy for following God’s will, but I did know that everyone eventually had bad days. Sometimes all at once, sometimes at inconvenient times, sometimes when you couldn’t understand them, and sometimes even when they didn’t want to share those bad days with you. You still shared them! Even if you couldn’t understand, didn’t want to deal, or felt like you couldn’t help. Because that’s what you do when you love someone. You help carry the weight when they can’t, and then later they pick up the load for a while. Repeat.
I told my daughter this last night. “God didn’t promise us that life on this earth would always be easy, but He did promise you wouldn’t be alone.”
I reckon sometimes God’s presence is made concrete through the people who love you. Wives support husbands, and husbands lift up their wives. Or they should.
Families pray together, and they intercede for one another. That’s what we’re here for. To love God, love one another, and help make the journey through this life easier for one another until we reach the other side.
We’re in this together.
So, never feel like you’re alone. Never go at it alone. God gives us all our people to help us through this thing called life. Look for your people today.
Ruthie says
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Lisa Pierce says
My person is my sister. Her husband died suddenly almost 3 yrs ago. Mine walked out on me a month later. We have grown so close and lift each other up. I don’t know, and don’t want to know, what I would do without her! She’s my sister and best friend!
You have a great looking tribe!!
brieann.rn@gmail.com says
Thank you!
So glad you have your sister!
Dave says
Beautiful family and looks like they have or are going for ice cream! Dave & Buster must have a sweet friendship! I have to be careful around them though! They can cause me to OD! It would be good to see how their ice cream came to be! I wonder if it was from a deep friendship that loved creating different flavors of that frozen goodness! A special friend is so special! I had a close friend at our church in Florida but we don’t see each other much since our move to Georgia! A close friend is a treasure and so far I haven’t found that true true friend here in Georgia! My wife is my friend but sometimes a man needs a man buddy! But so glad I have my wife and the Lord! They are both so good to me! I enjoy seeing and reading about your little family! It is a blessing to read about your little ones learning how to trust their Creator and having a mommy and daddy that loves them and teaches them about God’s love!
brieann.rn@gmail.com says
Thank you so much!
Dave says
Sorry, I thought Dave and Busters was an ice cream shop! I must of had Ben and Jerrys on my mind! I don’t get out much anymore especially in the country! Have a great day and week!
Nancy Obrigewitsch says
Somehow I always read your message at the exactly perfect God given time. I’ve really been struggling the last few days. The enemy was really trying to mess with my Christmas spirit along with just normal human stuff. My family and praying put it back in perspective.
brieann.rn@gmail.com says
Thank you. Praying for you.