Dear Friends,
With Memorial Day still on my mind, I was captivated by a story from her own life that was shared by Lysa TerKeurst, in one of her books, It’s Not Supposed to Be This Way. She was going through several significant struggles in her life, all at the same time. She has spoken eloquently in all of her writing of the difficulties she has faced in life, always with the intention of helping others through what they face.
At several points during these struggles, she felt completely overwhelmed. She thought she wasn’t going to make it and couldn’t go on. She was talking with her counselor one day when she just broke down. The counselor could tell that, rather than being at the stage where she was close to triumphing over or at least handling her difficulties, the darkest moments for her were yet to come.
He got up and took the frame that was hanging on his wall. He tore the backing off and pulled out what had been framed inside and knelt and placed it in Lysa’s hand. It was a Purple Heart. It had been given to his family by the United States government when his brother-in-law was killed in the line of duty trying to save others. He told her:
Hold onto this, Lysa, for as long as you need it. When the battle gets so fierce you wonder if you will survive, remember this moment of my telling you that you will make it through this. If God gave out purple hearts, you would absolutely receive this high honor. What you are going through won’t be for nothing. Your hurt will not be wasted. It will be for the saving of many lives.
It’s as if that soldier who gave his all for his country was saving one more life, years later, by his heroic efforts. Lysahung onto that purple heart for dear life when the going was at its worst and she did make it through.
What struggles are you facing? What battles? You may not have a real, tangible Purple Heart in your hand, like Lysa, but you have something, or someone, just as priceless and dependable.
Hold onto that invisible hand of God. Hold onto the imperishable promises of God. Hold onto the faithful and steadfast presence of God. And you will make it through.
Grace and Hope to you,
Pastor Duane
