 Photo by Pixabay I have walked some really dark roads these past few years. I lost my mother-in-law, mom, father-in-law and my dad's fiancée in a very short period. It seemed just as we were trying to process one loss, another hit. It was heartbreaking, very painful, confusing and extremely difficult for our family. Our family was left wondering when will this end? It was a LOT to take in. We were clearly not prepared for grief and loss of this magnitude. Many of my friends are experiencing some very dark times right now as well. Words fail. Nothing I could say or do can dry their tears or heal their hearts. I feel so inadequate, but I do know how it feels to lose someone you love so much. Losing my mom has been by far the hardest for me. It is a loss that lingers and has truly left me different than I was before. I saw someone that resembled her this weekend and immediately burst into tears. Grief is like that. It brings us to our knees time and time again. Although we may feel alone, as a believer, we are never truly alone. There is hope for the broken hearted. In Psalms 34:18 it says: The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed. Let's unpack that together.  Photo by Christopher Sardegna on Unsplash He is close byJesus stays when others leave. He walks in when others walk out. This verse says he is close to the brokenhearted. He feels our pain and he holds our hand through it all. I have always been touched by the poem Footprints where it talks of when there was only one set of footprints, that is when he was carrying us. He isn't going anywhere. Sometimes we are surprised who is there for us during our darkest days. Those we thought we could count on sometimes let us down. That is so disappointing. Jesus will never let us down. His word says he will NEVER leave us or forsake us and that is so reassuring because during our toughest trials we need him more than ever.  He is our rescuerJesus never promised to take our hard times away. I have prayed for that time and time again in my own life, but it doesn't work that way. He rescues us but not always in the way we would like or at the time we would hope. We can run to him when our hearts are heavy or when we just can't take another loss or disappointment. In his arms we find comfort and respite from a broken world. When we spend time in his presence, we are not the same. He empowers us with his strength to carry on another day. If you do not have a relationship with Jesus, I encourage you to invite him into your life. He will be by your side like no friend you have ever known and bring you peace even in the lowest of valleys. He is as close to you as the mention of his name. If you need prayer, please do not hesitate to reach out. It would be my honour to pray for you and walk beside you during your tough times. [email protected] Dear Heavenly Father, I thank you as your word says that you are near to the broken hearted. I pray for all my dear friends who are going through times of unspeakable loss and heartbreak. Bring them comfort Lord, the comfort that only you can bring. Although they may feel alone, I pray that they will feel your presence like never before. Lift them up Lord. Hold them close. Let them know that they WILL come through this, In Jesus' name, Amen Sending you a virtual hug, Dana AuthorDana Romualdi is a Canadian elementary teacher, author, social worker, blogger and speaker. She has a passion for helping others and spreading much-needed encouragement. She lives in Canada with her husband and two grown children. When she is not working in the classroom or writing, she enjoys drinking coffee, watching Netflix and reading great books. Tags: God's peace, grief and loss, comfort in trials
Copyright: © 2024 littlelessonslearnedbydana/ walkingintheword
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 Photo by Amy Treasure on Unsplash Recently my husband and I went on a weekend getaway to a beautiful and picturesque location in a town near the Elora Gorge called Puslinch, Ontario. Prior to our trip, I had never even heard of this little town, but I stumbled upon it during an Airbnb search. I have always wanted to stay in a tiny home. I find tiny homes very fascinating with the creativity people use to find the best use of minimal space. This tiny home, a converted shipping container, was on a pond, in a gorgeous private wooded area. With so many amenities and breath-taking scenery, this spot did NOT disappoint. Above all this location had to offer what really spoke to us was the peace and serenity it offered us. My grampa used to call his "happy place," his little "Shangri-la." We quickly deemed this our little "Shangri-la," and knew this was JUST what we needed to escape the stress and pressures of life, if even for a weekend. Finding peace is something we all long for. In Philippians 4:7 it talks about the peace of God, that transcends all our understanding, that will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. This sounds like something we all could use. Let's take a closer look. God's peace is supernatural Photo by Ben Mack Our search for peace on our own often brings only a temporary fix. God's peace is so different. He can give us peace that makes no sense. I can personally vouch for this statement. During some of the most challenging times in my life, I have been blessed with the "peace that passes all understanding," that only God can give. We cannot manufacture that on our own. It is truly a gift from God. It carries us through the good days, the bad days, the broken-hearted times and the times we feel we cannot go on another day. His peace gives us the strength to put one foot in front of the other, taking one day at a time, knowing that God will be with us every step of the way. There is such peace and reassurance in knowing we are not alone. Protect your peace We need to guard our hearts, minds and peace in this crazy world of ours. All too often we place our wonderful peace in the hands of others who do not care about our well-being. Screening phone calls, or avoiding certain scenarios or people for a while can be a form of self-care. It may seem unkind, but on the contrary, it is necessary so we can present our best selves to the world. We need to build ourselves up so we can help others. I understand we cannot avoid certain situations or people. When possible, though, I encourage you to ask yourself - Will this cost me my peace to involve myself in this matter? If the answer is yes and it is not something you NEED to step into, RUN! Anything that costs you your peace is clearly too expensive. Peace is a wonderful thing. It is rare today. If you need peace, carve out more quiet time in your schedule where you can unplug and enjoy solitude. While you are there, invite the Prince of Peace to join you. He is wonderful company and will leave you with a peace like you have never known. Tuck that in your heart today. Dear Heavenly Father, We thank you that in this crazy world of ours, you have promised to bring peace to our troubled souls. We are so grateful that even when terrible things come our way, you are always the calm in our storms and will always hold our hand as we ride this rollercoaster called life. We can't thank you enough for the gift of peace. In Jesus' name, Amen Sending you a virtual hug, Dana P.S. Go find YOUR Shangri-la!
Tags: peace, guard your peace, Prince of Peace, peace that passes understanding
Copyright: © 2024 littlelessonslearnedbydana/ walkingintheword
 Photo by Ben White on Unsplash Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could be carefree like when we were little kids? My students make it their personal mission every day to get one of the three blue chairs we have in the classroom. It seems because these chairs are different than the other burgundy chairs, they are deemed somehow "magical" or more special. One little guy this week even called himself "the chosen one" when he happened to luck out and get a blue chair for the day. Funny what we prioritized or worried about back then, seems so trivial now. Stress is relative they say, yet somehow as adults we long for the "good old days" when life just seemed well, a whole lot simpler. It is easy to feel overwhelmed on a daily basis. This is why the Bible clearer instructs us to seek help to carry our burdens. In 1 Peter 5:7 ESV it says to "Cast all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you." This is good news because the heaviness that you feel ... that weight in your chest that makes it hard to breathe... does not have to be handled alone. You can share it! Cast your anxieties on him Photo by Luis Quintero on Unsplash Why do we try to go it alone when it is clearly not necessary or part of God's plan for us? Think of your worries or stress like a very heavy backpack. You will never feel relief by ignoring it, denying it, covering it up or believing the lie that dealing with that heaviness is just the way it is going to be for you, forever and ever AMEN! You only truly get relief from that heavy burden when you lay. it. down. Where you lay it down though, is key. Putting it at the foot of your bed, or at the front door only to be picked up again and again, makes no sense. Instead, I encourage you to lay it at the foot of the cross. Jesus took all our anxiety, stress, needs and brokenness upon himself when he died for us on the cross. He has it all handled and he will help us manage and solve our problems when we partner with him. He cares for you God's love is beyond anything we can imagine. No love on earth can even remotely compare. He loves us with an agape love, which is unconditional. There is NOTHING you could do that would cause God to love you any less. He is ALWAYS ready and willing to welcome you with open arms. You are loved. You are chosen. You are valued. If you are full of anxiety or have a heavy burden, come to Jesus. He will help you and love you with a love beyond your comprehension. Tuck that in your heart today. Dear Heavenly Father, We thank you that your word instructs us to cast all our cares on you. You have big shoulders, and you can handle it. Help us to trust you and fully comprehend how wide, how long, how high and how deep, your love truly is for us. In Jesus' name, Amen Sending you a virtual hug, Dana
Copyright: © 2024 littlelessonslearnedbydana/ walkingintheword
 One of my favourite songs when I was a child was Jesus Loves Me. The words, though simple, share a very important message, especially the line that states how we are weak, but he is strong. It is truly impossible to do life in our own strength and I for one am so grateful to be able to rely on my heavenly father daily to see me through. In 2 Timothy 4:17 it states that: The Lord will stand with you and give you strength. Let's look closer at this verse together. He stands with us When we are going through hard times, it is so easy to feel very alone. We may FEEL alone, but as believers, the Bible tells us that Jesus stands with us in life no matter what comes our way. Some people who we thought were friends let us down when the hard times come. They are only human and can disappoint us. Jesus, however, stands with us, holding our hand, reassuring us that he is not going anywhere. With Christ we are truly NEVER alone. He gives us strength When we are at our weakest, God steps in. The Bible says his mercies are new every morning. He gives us what we need when we need it. We just need to ask. There are so many days I feel like I am running on empty. I am tired, overwhelmed and unmotivated, yet when I pray, the Lord empowers me to meet the demands of the day. He imparts supernatural strength. He can do that for you too. He delights in helping all of us and assisting us as his dearly loved children. When the hard times come, be reassured of these two promises: he is standing right beside you and he will give you the strength you lack to persevere. These are truly precious and reassuring words to cherish. Tuck that in your heart today! Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for your faithfulness and your promise to stand together with us when the storms of life roll in. Thank you that you have also promised in your word to provide the strength we need when we are weary. May we draw on that support and fully appreciate the faithful friend we have in you. In Jesus' name, Amen Sending you a virtual hug, Dana
Copyright: © 2024 littlelessonslearnedbydana/ walkingintheword
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