I'm going to call you . . .

Everyone gets down. Life Happens. It can rip the joy right out of us and take our breath away like a punch to the stomach.

The Lord answered, “If you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘May you be uprooted and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you!

What I tell my friends

We often believe we are not allowed to cry. We should be tough... especially men. "Man up." I hate that saying. Man or woman, life can hand us a hard hand, a painful hand, and times where we struggle seeing a way out. As a believer in Jesus Christ, I never feel alone in life. Not through the good, the bad, and sometimes even the ugly. Never.... ever are any of us alone.

In the darkness, though, letting go and feeling is the healthiest form of healing. The rule is, there are no rules. What works for some may not work for others. There is NO shame in hurting and becoming vulnerable.

When I talk to friends that are having a hard time, and I can tell they're on the edge of breaking, this is something I say with love to them...

You are allowed to feel. You are allowed to grieve, to be frustrated, to get angry, and to absolutely cry without fear. Fall to your knees. Yes, fall because the weight of your pain is heavy. When you're there, make sure to pray. Pray hard and let go. Stay in faith. As always, I am here.

But here's how it always ends after the time they need has passed....

I'll tell them: Fall, cry, and feel what you are allowed to justly feel. But get ready. Get ready, because I'm going to call you in the morning, and this is what I'll say....

"It's time to get up. You've grieved, you've experienced your pain, but sister/brother in Christ, it's now time to rise. It's time to get off your knees, pick up your sword, put your armor back on, because today we continue our battle. You are a child of the most high God, and you are a soldier in the Army for Christ. Life can get us down, but we must rise and push on to help others with their pain and to help lead them to healing. The world, yes it can be cruel, but there are enough of us that love one another to start a trend, to bring others in, and to create this army or coalition for the good, for help, for spreading God's word, and for loving one another unconditionally."

Why else are we here?

What is the point if we aren't there for one another through faith, through love, and through GOD.

We can focus on the negative or focus on the positive. It's our choice.

For me?

I choose love.

#IchooseLove