Anyone who's lived has lived long enough to have one of those days. You know the one I'm talking about. It starts out badly and progressively gets worse!
Lately, I have had that same "bad day" concept only spread out over the course of a couple of months. There has not been one thing in particular that was too much to handle, just a culmination of things that when all piled on top of each other were setting the stage for the perfect storm.
Issues at work, decisions at home, kids who are struggling, family members who are struggling, more issues at work! On Wednesday, the proverbial straw fell and this camel finally broke! And, I mean in a bad way.
I cried uncontrollably most of Thursday until I finally got tired of seeing the frightened looks on peoples' faces when they would see me! (They knew better than to ask!) At lunch, I decided I could cry just as well at home; so, I packed it up and went home and crawled into my bed where I would remain until time to pick the kids up from school.
Later that evening, I was reading a few blogs when I stumbled upon
this post written by a stranger that I only know of because several months ago, other bloggers were linking to her blog asking for prayer for her newborn baby. I don't read her regularly; but, I occassionally "stop by" to check on Baby Harper! By no coincidence, I did so on this particular evening. Here is what I found:
Today I just feel led to list some verses of encouragement and hope. I would love for you to leave in the comments some words of hope or encouragement for each other. I think we all could use it.
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. - Deuteronomy 31:6
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. – Matthew 11:28-30
Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. - Philippians 3:13-14
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. – Philippians 4:6
"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going." – John 14:1-4
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. – Galatians 6:9
Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. – Psalm 42:5-6a
This blogger does not know me and did not write her words of encouragement particularly for me; however, by the sweet divine providence of God, I "stumbled" upon them on a day when I needed them most. That's the hand of the God who is in the details of our lives working through the blog of a stranger. What an amazing God!
Sarah took all the kids to Jake and Heather's and Wes and I had almost 24 hours completely to ourselves. It was the strangest thing!! We went to dinner on Friday AND lunch on Saturday ALONE. 
(See, Mom, those piano lessons really paid off!) 
