At the end of what she wrote to Jon, she thanked him for his blog. She thanked him for reminding her that as a Christian, it's okay to laugh. That it's okay to be out there and be yourself. Her story is tough to read, because it shows just how messy the world can be. It shows how broken we are. But it also shows just how amazing and big God is and what he can bring us from and through. That he walks with us with, even though you may not know it or feel his presence.
Beth's story reminds me of mine. There are many times when it is hard to be joyful or happy, because of what happened to my dad. I think "what was the point of all the pain and suffering that he went through, and that we went through as a family?" In those times, I remind myself that would want me to be happy and joyful. That I still have my family here on Earth and how important it is to cherish them. That in my pain and hurt, God can help me to reach other people who may be hurting.
Beth's story reminds me of how important human interaction is, and how need other people to talk to about what is going on in our lives. For me that's hard, because it painful and not very fun to talk about. I feel like I am the only one and have to go through it alone.
That's especially true in being part of a church. I don't want to tell people that my dad passed away. I don't want to tell them my dad was sick for a long time. I don't want to tell them what my family went through. I don't want people to look at me in a different way or feel sorry for me. In these times, God reminds me of the people that he has put in my life. That even with it being hard to talk about, I need to keep talking to them. I don't need to be afraid of feeling that hurt or pain.
I also think about how important it is for people to listen, that are in the lives of those hurting. And now that my dad is gone, this is most important for me to remember. I read a blog post from Teryn O'brien, another blog that I follow about this very topic. She says "Fear never helped a person in grief. Don’t shut out someone who is hurting." Sometimes I get in the thought that someone I know is okay after time has passed after going through a really tough situation. That may not be the case. I know that I need to talk to people, and in return be there for other friends/people.
Many times what it comes down to for me, is that I don't want to be inconvenienced. And that is a very selfish thought. One that I have to constantly get rid of. In that thought, God reminds me of the people that have been there to listen to me and give advice, which is great, but I also need to learn to listen better. That is a very big lesson that God is teaching me, how important it is to listen to other people.
I am thankful to have read Beth's story. Thankful that she was willing to have her story shared with many other people. Thankful that she was open and honest, because it reminds me that it's okay to do that. Thankful to be reminded that even with how dirty, painful and just how downright hard life can, that Jon Acuff reminds me that there needs to be humor in my life.
Jon Acuff's article: bit.ly/1tiEtCr .
Teryn O'Brien's article: http://www.churchleaders.com/outreach-missions/outreach-missions-articles/171113-teryn-obrien-ways-to-minister-to-someone-who-is-grieving.html/2
Thanks for Reading and God Bless,
Patrick Mastrianni
