I was struggling with extremely bad anxiety for a few months leading up to me reaching out to chat with TheHopeLine. It was getting to the point where my mind was all over the place. I felt so alone and that’s when I discovered the help and hope I needed.

How I Reduced Anxiety

After contacting TheHopeLine, I was reminded by my HopeCoach that the Lord loves us no matter what...the good the bad and the ugly. I realized that I wasn't really trying too hard to build a relationship with our Lord. My anxiety was being caused by many things, and to help overcome my struggles, I am now learning to seek Him. I am digging deeper in my Bible study time, and I'm praying intently and more often than I used to as well.

Releasing My Fears and Anxiety

Seeking God through prayer and the Bible has helped me slowly, but surely overcome my struggle with anxiety. TheHopeLine was definitely able to give me direction and hope for the future. They expressed to me the importance of seeking Him.   They reminded me that the Lord just wants to love us. We never need to be afraid to come to Him with our worries, our doubts and the things that are causing our anxiety.

I also truly enjoyed TheHopeLine's eBook, Understanding Anxiety. I am so thankful for all the resources you have been emailing me as well. It makes me feel I am not alone in this journey and that you guys are truly dedicated to helping others! I am forever thankful I reached out to TheHopeLine that evening.
~ Pauline

Pauline took a very brave step and reached out for help when she couldn't do it alone anymore. We care about you too. Chat with a HopeCoach, download any of our eBooks, or learn more about how God can help you in this journey as he is helping Pauline.

As a kid I had nightmares all the time and, even though the monsters have changed, I still have them. In fact, my depression often looks like a cloak made of my worst nightmares, creeping into my waking life until I am completely wrapped up in it.

 

When Depression is Off Hiding

The joy I experience when depression is off hiding can seem so unquenchable. I’m able to forget that depression ever visited me in the first place. But when depression is there, it’s entirely the opposite. I forget I ever knew anything else.

Nothing can drown out its chorus in my head: “You’re hateful, selfish, unloveable, unlovely.”

Sometimes it’s less like a voice and more like a movie. Scenes of rejection, failure, humiliation, and exclusion (real or imagined) play on a loop in my mind until there’s nothing, I can do but hate myself.

Trapped in This Dark Place 

Sometimes there’s nothing going on at all. Sometimes, I just feel trapped in this dark place where there’s nothing to do but sleep or cry until my head pounds. I eat, drink, write, dig my fingernails into my skin, anything to overwhelm or distract the pain that rages inside. On those days, just getting out of bed is a triumph that I need to acknowledge.

Although it includes it, depression is more than insecurity or anxiety. It is a kind of sorrow, but it is deeper than any grief I’ve lived through. It is a kind of anger, but it is more troubling than any rage I have known, either rational or childish. It is a kind of loneliness beyond being single or alone. It is a kind of indifference, a hopelessness for any improvement, and I have never experienced that apathy apart from my depression. It encompasses all my past pain and amplifies it a hundredfold.

Something Comforting About It Too

But there’s something comforting about it too. I know it, backward and forwards. I’ve felt that darkness so often, that it can feel like a blanket, silencing every other feeling or thought. There are no surprises because I’ve heard it and felt it all before. There’s no restlessness, because when it comes I have no strength for anything but staying alive.

And even that will to live wanes thin. The harder depression hits, the more deeply I long for release from what begins to feel like a heavy, itching, shroud of life too difficult to bear.

Maybe you’re like me. Maybe you feel like you face the darkness of depression alone. It’s hard for someone who hasn’t dealt with it firsthand to understand what we feel, and it can make it hard for us to reach out. I always need a reminder, and I want to offer it to you too: you are not alone.
You don't have to face this alone. Talk to a HopeCoach or sign up for an email mentor, it's confidential. But there’s something comforting about it too. I know it, backward and forwards. I’ve felt that darkness so often, that it can feel like a blanket, silencing every other feeling or thought.  -Tia

Are you depressed?  Learn these core signs and symptoms of common depression here. 

Used with permission of Power to Change. Originally published at Issues I Face.

My Story of Pregnancy

The day I saw those two lines indicating a positive result on my pregnancy test, my whole world completely turned upside down. I was living every young girl’s worst nightmare. I’d become that girl.

It happened on my 21st birthday. Most people get to enjoy a few too many drinks and possibly a bad headache the day after. My experience was a little different. I ended up with more than a hangover.

The Weight of My Shame

When I found out I was pregnant, I was single, alone, and afraid. I literally felt I had no one to turn to. The weight of my own embarrassment, shame, self-hatred, and loss of self-worth was too much to bear.

It should be understood that one drunken night ending in a hook-up did not change my life. There were a lot of small events that got me to this point. Like the day I had my first illegal drink of alcohol. Or the day I lost my virginity to a guy I hardly knew. Or when I lost all self-respect and repeatedly got drunk and acted promiscuously. Or the days when I searched for guy after guy for security. The more miserable hook-ups I had, the more it fed into my thoughts of unworthiness and self-hate.

All of these things caused me to spiral out of control. So it’s no surprise that on my 21st birthday, I got drunk “justifiably” because it was my birthday, and had sex with some guy I didn’t really know. All those small things had finally built up to this point in my life.

Inside I was desperately screaming, “Who could possibly love me now?

I didn’t tell a single soul I was pregnant and immediately scheduled an abortion, even though I knew to my very core it was wrong. I had never felt so alone. Inside I was desperately screaming, “Who could possibly love me now?”

I Found Hope and Forgiveness

The days leading up to my abortion appointment were horrible. I was flooded with guilt, depression, and loneliness. I couldn't eat or sleep, and I was avoiding everyone. Then, the weekend right before my scheduled abortion, something changed. I can't describe it very well, but I felt an ounce of hope and forgiveness. For the first time in over a month of depression, turmoil, and shame, I felt loved — in the midst of my brokenness. I realized that I didn't have to do this alone. I could reach out. Someone surely could be there for me.

That day changed me forever. I finally built up the courage to tell my parents I was pregnant. They didn’t condemn me, but instead embraced me, loved me, and supported me. I told my friends and they did not judge me even once. They loved me and affirmed me of my worth. For the first time, I actually felt like I was worth something, that even as a broken girl, I could be forgiven.

My Story and Passion

I am now proud to say I am 39 weeks pregnant with a beautiful little girl. Any day now I will get to hold this precious gift of life in my arms. During the process, I found a passion for helping others going through the same thing, so I became a volunteer advisor at our local Pregnancy Resource Center. I get to share my story with anyone and everyone, with just the small hope that another broken person can feel loved and know that they are valued. I’m so blessed that I somehow experienced the grace to understand that life is a gift, even in the midst of brokenness.

Are you dealing with an unplanned pregnancy? Right now you may be feeling hopeless and trapped, but you are not alone. We are here to listen and help you through this.

Used with permission of Power to Change. Originally published at Issues I Face.

Bored? Give Back During Summer Break

Are you bored during summer breaks? By volunteering as little as 15 minutes of your time you can make a difference in the world around you!

“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” - Winston Churchill

1. Animal shelters are almost always looking for extra help.  Spend some quality time with some really loving, adorable animals! Find a shelter near you by entering your zip code: ASPCA FIND A SHELTER

2. Senior Centers will almost always take volunteers, and sometimes you don't have to do anything other than say hello and listen to some pretty cool stories. But you can also read, play cards, dance, and give residents manicures...the fun is endless! 

3. Got a green thumb? Considering taking up a plot at the community garden or volunteering to help maintain the unclaimed or common areas. No community garden in your town? How about gathering your friends and getting one started? 

4. Volunteer to help with activities for kids at summer school programs, daycare centers, camps, church groups, the YMCA and more. Even if you don't think you're particularly talented, you may be able to help a child in ways you never thought, like painting a picture, reading a book, making a free throw, riding a bike, jumping rope, growing a plant and more. Check out the  YMCA's GET INVOLVED PAGE!

5. Food Bank donations decline during the summer months. Help by collecting food to give to your local Food Pantry. NATIONAL FOODBACK LOCATER

6. Have a pet that makes you smile? Consider bringing your pet to a local senior center, veteran's club or hospital to bring some joy to the residents. (Be sure to consider the demeanor of your pet, the needs of the patients, and the policy of the location before you try giving back in this way.)

7. Write a letter to our Troops: Show the men and women in our armed forces that you care by writing them a letter thanking them: A MILLION THANKS-SEND TROOPS A LETTER  

8. Serve dinner at a homeless shelter: Volunteer at a local homeless shelter to prepare and dish up a meal for those without a home any time of the year. Find a local shelter at: NATIONAL HOMELESS SHELTER DIRECTORY 

9. Deliver a hot meal to those who aren’t able through a local Meals on Wheels program.  Find a local Meals On Wheels Program at: MEALS ON WHEELS PROGRAM LOCATOR

10. Looking for some other ways to give back to your community? Head to VolunteerMatch.org to find opportunities closest to you. You might be surprised how many ways there are to give back right in your neighborhood!

Too much downtime? Try these 10 Ways to Beat Boredom!

What to Know About Comparison

I’ve always loved photography. The way a picture can say so much without using a single word is such a beautiful thing. Don’t get me wrong here; I’m not a professional photographer (unless you count my ability to utilize a well-placed filter). Nope, I’m actually not very gifted in this particular area of the arts—just a fangirl who loves the colors, contrast, and stories that pictures tell.

Countless Minutes Scrolling

Now, rewind a few years back to when Instagram was catching traction. Imagine my enthusiasm as I discovered a social media outlet that highlighted pictures without the long explanation (well, for most people anyway!). Yes, I was lost in countless minutes of blissful scrolling. Or so it would seem. I’m sure you can take a stab at where this is going. “Countless minutes” started to add up and my “blissful scrolling” only served to tether an unwelcome companion to my every thought. Comparison.

Now, this isn’t really a jab at social media. Even though I’ve heard it said that those of us alive today are bombarded with more prospects to compare than ever. No, this is much deeper than any social platform. This is a thing of a fallen, broken world. This is actually a root issue with visible branches. The Bible says, there’s nothing new under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1:9, NASB) so surely there have been opportunities for comparison even before the technology existed.

Merriam-Webster defines comparison like this, an examination of two or more items to establish similarities and dissimilarities. That feels a bit heavy, so let’s try again, shall we? How about, looking at two or more things (or people) and finding all the ways they fall short or don’t measure up to the other thing/person (and sometimes similarities are found but most of the time someone ends up short-handed? Yep. That feels about right. What can seem like no big deal actually has profound consequences. What felt so innocent had become a heavy accessory in my life.

Comparison Whispers You Aren't Enough

You see, comparison tells you that you don’t have enough. Comparison whispers that you are lacking—a poor beggar with no resources and no hope for the future. It’s the voice that whispers, She’s so much prettier than you. Why can’t you just lose some weight? It’s the feeling in your gut when someone is further along in their craft than you and instead of learning and listening and allowing that person to speak into your life, you wither away

If they’re good at what they do, then there must not be room for you at the table, comparison murmurs. It partners with perfectionism and tells you that if you can just work a little harder, longer, and faster, then you’ll get things right and people will finally accept you. It’s unsettled and dissatisfied with what you have and makes it all too easy to miss the good that’s right in front of you. Yes, comparison is a cruel, weighty thing.

Comparison is Slowing You Down

A few months back, after a series of such related thoughts (that only led to feeling discouraged and thankless), I read a verse that hit me like a ton of bricks. I had never thought about it in relation to this topic before because, one, who likes to admit they have a comparison problem? And, two, surely the writer was talking about a “real” sin (yep, I actually thought that). Nevertheless, it took me by surprise and has been my lifeline on this topic. It’s found in Hebrews 12:1-2 and says this:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Hebrews 12:1-2 (NLT)

Wow. It was as if I felt the Spirit say, COMPARISON has been your weight. COMPARISON has been slowing you down.

COMPARISON has been preventing you from running the race God has for you! Ugh. I’m not gonna lie, it was an incredibly humbling moment with Jesus! But He didn’t leave me in the trenches to wallow. Instead, He reminded me of the end of that verse: let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus. Yes. Strip it off, throw it down, run with endurance, eyes on Jesus. Yes Lord, but please help me!

Keep Your Eyes on Him

Friend, I’m nowhere near perfect in this area but I’m sick of hobbling in my own race because comparison has weighed me down. I don’t know about you, but it’s really hard to run when you’re constantly looking to the left or to the right. (Believe me, I’ve tried.) While I’ve probably wasted much precious time running this way, I’m so grateful the Father meets me with grace. When I cry out for help, I’m not berated, shamed, or even lectured. Instead, I’m met with new mercy for each day. Praise God! Praise God that each time comparison knocks on my door, He’s there reminding me, strip it off, throw it down, eyes on Me!

Do you often feel worthless? Having deep-rooted self-worth is possible! Find out how here.

This article was originally posted at, Mercy Multiplied

Just once wouldn't you love for someone to simply show you the evidence for God's existence? No arm-twisting. No statements of, "You just have to believe." Well, here is an attempt to candidly offer some of the reasons which suggest that God exists.

But first consider this. When it comes to the possibility of God's existence, the Bible says that there are people who have seen sufficient evidence, but they have suppressed the truth about God.¹On the other hand, for those who want to know God if he is there, he says, "You will seek me and find me; when you seek me with all your heart, I will be found by you."² Before you look at the facts surrounding his existence, ask yourself, If God does exist, would I want to know him? Here then, are some reasons to consider...

1. The complexity of our planet points to a deliberate Designer who not only created our universe, but sustains it today.

Many examples showing God's design could be given, possibly with no end. But here are a few:

The Earth...its size is perfect. The Earth's size and corresponding gravity holds a thin layer of mostly nitrogen and oxygen gases, only extending about 50 miles above the Earth's surface. If Earth were smaller, an atmosphere would be impossible, like the planet Mercury. If Earth were larger, its atmosphere would contain free hydrogen, like Jupiter.³ Earth is the only known planet equipped with an atmosphere of the right mixture of gases to sustain plant, animal and human life.

The Earth is located the right distance from the sun. Consider the temperature swings we encounter, roughly -30 degrees to +120 degrees. If the Earth were any further away from the sun, we would all freeze. Any closer and we would burn up. Even a fractional variance in the Earth's position to the sun would make life on Earth impossible. The Earth remains this perfect distance from the sun while it rotates around the sun at a speed of nearly 67,000 mph. It is also rotating on its axis, allowing the entire surface of the Earth to be properly warmed and cooled every day.

And our moon is the perfect size and distance from the Earth for its gravitational pull. The moon creates important ocean tides and movement so ocean waters do not stagnate, and yet our massive oceans are restrained from spilling over across the continents.⁴

Water...colorless, odorless and without taste, and yet no living thing can survive without it. Plants, animals and human beings consist mostly of water (about two-thirds of the human body is water). You'll see why the characteristics of water are uniquely suited to life:

It has wide margin between its boiling point and freezing point. Water allows us to live in an environment of fluctuating temperature changes, while keeping our bodies a steady 98.6 degrees.

Water is a universal solvent. This property of water means that various chemicals, minerals and nutrients can be carried throughout our bodies and into the smallest blood vessels.⁵

Water is also chemically neutral. Without affecting the makeup of the substances it carries, water enables food, medicines and minerals to be absorbed and used by the body.

Water has a unique surface tension. Water in plants can therefore flow upward against gravity, bringing life-giving water and nutrients to the top of even the tallest trees.

Water freezes from the top down and floats, so fish can live in the winter.

Ninety-seven percent of the Earth's water is in the oceans. But on our Earth, there is a system designed which removes salt from the water and then distributes that water throughout the globe. Evaporation takes the ocean waters, leaving the salt, and forms clouds which are easily moved by the wind to disperse water over the land, for vegetation, animals and people. It is a system of purification and supply that sustains life on this planet, a system of recycled and reused water.⁶

The human brain...simultaneously processes an amazing amount of information. Your brain takes in all the colors and objects you see, the temperature around you, the pressure of your feet against the floor, the sounds around you, the dryness of your mouth, even the texture of your keyboard. Your brain holds and processes all your emotions, thoughts and memories. At the same time your brain keeps track of the ongoing functions of your body like your breathing pattern, eyelid movement, hunger and movement of the muscles in your hands.

The human brain processes more than a million messages a second.⁷ Your brain weighs the importance of all this data, filtering out the relatively unimportant. This screening function is what allows you to focus and operate effectively in your world. The brain functions differently than other organs. There is an intelligence to it, the ability to reason, to produce feelings, to dream and plan, to take action, and relate to other people.

The eye...can distinguish among seven million colors. It has automatic focusing and handles an astounding 1.5 million messages -- simultaneously.⁸ Evolution focuses on mutations and changes from and within existing organisms. Yet evolution alone does not fully explain the initial source of the eye or the brain -- the start of living organisms from nonliving matter.

2. The universe had a start - what caused it?

Scientists are convinced that our universe began with one enormous explosion of energy and light, which we now call the Big Bang. This was the singular start to everything that exists: the beginning of the universe, the start of space, and even the initial start of time itself.

Astrophysicist Robert Jastrow, a self-described agnostic, stated, "The seed of everything that has happened in the Universe was planted in that first instant; every star, every planet and every living creature in the Universe came into being as a result of events that were set in motion in the moment of the cosmic explosion...The Universe flashed into being, and we cannot find out what caused that to happen."⁹

Steven Weinberg, a Nobel laureate in Physics, said at the moment of this explosion, "the universe was about a hundred thousands million degrees Centigrade...and the universe was filled with light."¹⁰

The universe has not always existed. It had a start...what caused that? Scientists have no explanation for the sudden explosion of light and matter.

3. The universe operates by uniform laws of nature. Why does it?

Much of life may seem uncertain, but look at what we can count on day after day: gravity remains consistent, a hot cup of coffee left on a counter will get cold, the earth rotates in the same 24 hours, and the speed of light doesn't change -- on earth or in galaxies far from us.

How is it that we can identify laws of nature that never change? Why is the universe so orderly, so reliable?

"The greatest scientists have been struck by how strange this is. There is no logical necessity for a universe that obeys rules, let alone one that abides by the rules of mathematics. This astonishment springs from the recognition that the universe doesn't have to behave this way. It is easy to imagine a universe in which conditions change unpredictably from instant to instant, or even a universe in which things pop in and out of existence."¹¹

Richard Feynman, a Nobel Prize winner for quantum electrodynamics, said, "Why nature is mathematical is a mystery...The fact that there are rules at all is a kind of miracle."¹²

4. The DNA code informs, programs a cell's behavior.

All instruction, all teaching, all training comes with intent. Someone who writes an instruction manual does so with purpose. Did you know that in every cell of our bodies there exists a very detailed instruction code, much like a miniature computer program? As you may know, a computer program is made up of ones and zeros, like this: 110010101011000. The way they are arranged tell the computer program what to do. The DNA code in each of our cells is very similar. It's made up of four chemicals that scientists abbreviate as A, T, G, and C. These are arranged in the human cell like this: CGTGTGACTCGCTCCTGAT and so on. There are three billion of these letters in every human cell!!

Well, just like you can program your phone to beep for specific reasons, DNA instructs the cell. DNA is a three-billion-lettered program telling the cell to act in a certain way. It is a full instruction manual.¹³

Why is this so amazing? One has to ask....how did this information program wind up in each human cell? These are not just chemicals. These are chemicals that instruct, that code in a very detailed way exactly how the person's body should develop.

Natural, biological causes are completely lacking as an explanation when programmed information is involved. You cannot find instruction, precise information like this, without someone intentionally constructing it.

5. We know God exists because he pursues us. He is constantly initiating and seeking for us to come to him.

I was an atheist at one time. And like many atheists, the issue of people believing in God bothered me greatly. What is it about atheists that we would spend so much time, attention, and energy refuting something that we don't believe even exists?! What causes us to do that? When I was an atheist, I attributed my intentions as caring for those poor, delusional people...to help them realize their hope was completely ill-founded. To be honest, I also had another motive. As I challenged those who believed in God, I was deeply curious to see if they could convince me otherwise. Part of my quest was to become free from the question of God. If I could conclusively prove to believers that they were wrong, then the issue is off the table, and I would be free to go about my life.

I didn't realize that the reason the topic of God weighed so heavily on my mind, was because God was pressing the issue. I have come to find out that God wants to be known. He created us with the intention that we would know him. He has surrounded us with evidence of himself and he keeps the question of his existence squarely before us. It was as if I couldn't escape thinking about the possibility of God. In fact, the day I chose to acknowledge God's existence, my prayer began with, "Ok, you win..." It might be that the underlying reason atheists are bothered by people believing in God is because God is actively pursuing them.

I am not the only one who has experienced this. Malcolm Muggeridge, socialist and philosophical author, wrote, "I had a notion that somehow, besides questing, I was being pursued." C.S. Lewis said he remembered, "...night after night, feeling whenever my mind lifted even for a second from my work, the steady, unrelenting approach of Him whom I so earnestly desired not to meet. I gave in, and admitted that God was God, and knelt and prayed: perhaps, that night, the most dejected and reluctant convert in all of England."

Lewis went on to write a book titled, "Surprised by Joy" as a result of knowing God. I too had no expectations other than rightfully admitting God's existence. Yet over the following several months, I became amazed by his love for me.

6. Unlike any other revelation of God, Jesus Christ is the clearest, most specific picture of God revealing himself to us.

Why Jesus? Look throughout the major world religions and you'll find that Buddha, Muhammad, Confucius and Moses all identified themselves as teachers or prophets. None of them ever claimed to be equal to God. Surprisingly, Jesus did. That is what sets Jesus apart from all the others. He said God exists and you're looking at him. Though he talked about his Father in heaven, it was not from the position of separation, but of very close union, unique to all humankind. Jesus said that anyone who had seen Him had seen the Father, anyone who believed in him, believed in the Father.

He said, "I am the light of the world, he who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."¹⁴ He claimed attributes belonging only to God: to be able to forgive people of their sin, free them from habits of sin, give people a more abundant life and give them eternal life in heaven. Unlike other teachers who focused people on their words, Jesus pointed people to himself. He did not say, "follow my words and you will find truth." He said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father but through me."¹⁵

What proof did Jesus give for claiming to be divine? He did what people can't do. Jesus performed miracles. He healed people...blind, crippled, deaf, even raised a couple of people from the dead. He had power over objects...created food out of thin air, enough to feed crowds of several thousand people. He performed miracles over nature...walked on top of a lake, commanding a raging storm to stop for some friends. People everywhere followed Jesus, because he constantly met their needs, doing the miraculous. He said if you do not want to believe what I'm telling you, you should at least believe in me based on the miracles you're seeing.¹⁶

Jesus Christ showed God to be gentle, loving, aware of our self-centeredness and shortcomings, yet deeply wanting a relationship with us. Jesus revealed that although he views us as sinners, worthy of his punishment, his love for us ruled and he came up with a different plan. God himself took on the form of man and accepted the punishment for our sin on our behalf. Sounds ludicrous?

Perhaps, but many loving fathers would gladly trade places with their child in a cancer ward if they could. The Bible says that the reason we would love God is because he first loved us.

Jesus died in our place so we could be forgiven. Of all the religions known to humanity, only through Jesus will you see God reaching toward humanity, providing a way for us to have a relationship with him. Jesus proves a divine heart of love, meeting our needs, drawing us to himself. Because of Jesus' death and resurrection, he offers us a new life today. We can be forgiven, fully accepted by God and genuinely loved by God. He says, "I have loved you with an everlasting love, therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you."¹⁷ This is God, in action.

Does God exist? If you want to know, investigate Jesus Christ. We're told that "God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life."¹⁸

God does not force us to believe in him, though he could. Instead, he has provided sufficient proof of his existence for us to willingly respond to him. The earth's perfect distance from the sun, the unique chemical properties of water, the human brain, DNA, the number of people who attest to knowing God, the gnawing in our hearts and minds to determine if God is there, the willingness for God to be known through Jesus Christ. If you need to know more about Jesus and reasons to believe in him, please see: Beyond Blind Faith.

If you want to begin a relationship with God now, you can.

This is your decision, no coercion here. But if you want to be forgiven by God and come into a relationship with him, you can do so right now by asking him to forgive you and come into your life. Jesus said, "Behold, I stand at the door [of your heart] and knock. He who hears my voice and opens the door, I will come into him [or her]."¹⁹ If you want to do this, but aren't sure how to put it into words, this may help: "Jesus, thank you for dying for my sins. You know my life and that I need to be forgiven. I ask you to forgive me right now and come into my life. I want to know you in a real way. Come into my life now. Thank you that you wanted a relationship with me. Amen."

God views your relationship with him as permanent. Referring to all those who believe in him, Jesus Christ said of us, "I know them, and they follow me; and I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, and no one shall snatch them out of my hand."²⁰

Looking at all these facts, one can conclude that a loving God does exist and can be known in an intimate, personal way.

Further questions about God? Please see, EveryStudent.com

If you have asked God into your heart please visit: Starting With God

I am the mother of a 34-year-old son who is an addict and a felon. He has been in more rehabs and diversion programs than I can count. He has lived on the streets, been an absconder, and is presently incarcerated for the 9th time.

Life as a Mother of an Addict

My son has put my life and the life of his disabled brother in danger so many times when he was dealing drugs that I had to move. I've paid off drug dealers. Once I met a gang member’s mom in a parking lot to pay my son's prison debts so he wouldn’t be killed or badly injured. I picked him up at the hospital on Mother’s Day after one of his many overdoses. I bought him cars that he sold for drug money. And brand-new furniture for when he got out of prison only to have him go back in a couple of months later.

God is Calling Me

My life for the last 20 years has been one of pain, shame, brokenness, disappointment, fear, and heartache. But my journey isn’t over, and I believe God is calling me to use this pain for His glory and to start a ministry for moms of imprisoned children...Imprisoned to drugs, alcohol, the correctional system or whatever chains control them.

My Emotional Extremes

Throughout the ups and downs of this nightmare, I have felt every emotion humanly possible.

I’ve walked in unconditional love, practiced tough love and been so angry at him, that I wasn’t walking in love at all.

There were weeks where I created posters and walked the streets trying to find him and there were months that I wouldn’t answer the door for him.

I’ve written the judge letters asking for leniency and I’ve helped the DA stack charges on him.

I’ve put money on his books every month for one prison stint and blocked his phone calls and refused to speak to him the next stint.

I’ve hidden him from the police, and I’ve turned him into the police.

I put him into rehabs, and I’ve pulled him out of them.

I’ve lied to him, for him, and about him.

I tried everything in the world to fix him and save him and other times I threw in the towel and let him live his consequences.

I’ve spent unending hours praying for healing and deliverance and I’ve asked God to take him home so he could be out of his misery, or maybe so I could be out of mine.

A Ministry for Moms Like Me

My story is raw and sadly relatable, and I obviously don’t have a lot of answers, but I know the God who does, and I have faith that He has me and my son cradled in His hand and is working all of this for His good. I grew up in surrounded by ministry and have had a call on my life since I was a teenager. I thought that Satan had robbed me of that ministry, but now I have peace and confidence that God is going to use my situation for great ministry even though it looks different than I imagined.  My ministry is to to bring hope and healing to others like me ...moms out there in need.

I'm just getting started but the vision God has given me is to use this ministry to create:
· Retreats where Moms receive fellowship, encouragement, inspirational messages and healing. Also, a time of restoration through relaxation, yoga, hiking, meditation, prayer, and worship.
· Regional conferences for moms who are hurting, ashamed, lonely, bitter, sad and hopeless, where they can find support and know they are not alone. Where they can discover healing, peace and a renewed hope for their future.
· Camps for grandchildren affected by this pain. As well as resources to help with their school supplies, clothing and even court costs to protect them.
· A book that shares our stories for the benefit of others.
I would appreciate your prayers for God to use this ministry for HIS glory. Thank you for what you do to restore faith in moms like me!
~ Brenda

What gives Brenda hope despite such an overwhelming situation with her son?  It is her faith that God holds it all in his loving hands and a purpose for it beyond her pain. If you would like to learn more about finding this hope, please download this free mini eBook - Understanding Hope.

I am nearly 36 years old, and I’ve only been asked out twice. The first was a deaf, divorced man 22 years my senior. The second, though only 15 years older, was also divorced and wanted a mother for his children. He asked me out via email, which he obtained through a mutual friend; I’d never even spoken to him in person.

Apparently, I was only attractive to much older men, desperate for any type of female companionship. At least, that was how I felt. Demoralizing, to say the least.

Still Single...What's Wrong with Me?

I used to wonder which of my flaws made me so undesirable. At first, I thought it was my weight. So, I went on a crazy diet and lost about 75 pounds. People noted the weight loss, but I still didn’t catch anyone’s attention in a romantic sort of way.

That meant the problem ran deeper. There had to be something wrong with me on an emotional level. My personality had to be lacking in some way. I was too loud, too pushy, too tough. But I couldn’t bring myself to be more girly or to wear clothes I didn’t like or flirt and flutter my eyelids. If I needed to be someone, I wasn’t just so a guy would find me attractive, I didn’t want to do it.

So, I gave up.

I told myself it didn’t matter, that it didn’t hurt, that I didn’t feel left out or passed over or ignored. But realizing that you’re not wanted is a difficult and painful thing to grasp.

In this culture, we all expect to find a soulmate. Maybe in recent decades that expectation has changed shapes a bit, but somewhere in our minds, we still yearn for it. It’s one of the deepest, most desperate desires of our hearts — to be wanted, to be loved, to be seen. And it doesn’t matter how tough a princess you are. Part of you still wants a knight in shining armor to sweep you off your feet.

So Where Does That Leave Us?

If you’re single, you understand the paralyzing fear of being the only one in the room without a date. You feel other people judging you in every glance. It’s enough to lock yourself away and never show your face again. That leaves many of us desperate. The need to be in a relationship can drive us to do absurd things, just so that we can change our social media status.

But if your desire for a spouse is the result of peer pressure or a perceived lack of self-worth, you’re heading for frustration and failure.

Hey, if you’re looking for someone to tell you that Prince Charming will make everything better, you’re reading the wrong article.

Single men and women today don’t need more fairytales. What we need is straight talk about where we get our identity.

The truth is you may never find that one special person the romance novels and Hallmark movies talk about. You may be single for the rest of your life. Are you OK with that? If you aren’t, it’s time to take a good, long look at where you find your personal value.

I’ve had too many friends who needed a boyfriend or girlfriend to complete their lives. I’ve watched these beloved friends throw themselves at every person (available or otherwise), just so that they could have the pleasure of saying they were in a relationship.

No matter how much damage that relationship did to them, they needed it. Like a drug. Like they weren’t whole unless they had a significant other.

But a relationship where one person finds his or her value in another person is doomed to fail. This is the truth no one wants to talk about. A successful relationship isn’t a 50/50 effort. If you want success in your relationship, each partner must put in 100 percent. Then, and only then, will you even have a chance of succeeding.

Instead, a man looks to a woman to complete his picture of himself. A woman looks to a man to make her feel worthy and loved. Neither are whole on their own. And then, when one of them (inevitably) fails to fulfill expectations, the relationship falls apart.

First, learn to be You

Learn to be you, whole and complete and content, before you try to build a life with someone else.

If you want a healthy relationship, know who you are and embrace it. Don’t change yourself to make someone else happy. Don’t live someone else’s story. Be YOU — the unique, special, marvelously created person you are — and don’t look to another person for your worth.

If having a relationship means being someone you’re not, it’s not time yet. Keep waiting. Ironically, that same truth will help you navigate your friendships too.

I love being single. I travel. I get to go places and do things for other people that I wouldn’t be free to do if I were married. And I’m not lonely. Not anymore, because I have friends — single and married — who invest in my life and who know the authentic me.

The real you are beautiful, so don’t be afraid to let that person show. Surround yourself with people who love you — not for what you can do for them, but because they know who you truly are. True, deep, authentic friendships supersede your marital status. Be friends with those people. Seek out mentors among friends like that.

One day, if it’s supposed to happen, you’ll meet the person you’ve been waiting for. He or she will be the piece of your life you didn’t know was missing. And by that time, you’ll know 100 percent who you are. You won’t have to try to impress anyone. You’ll just be yourself, and that’s all you’ll need.

Are you single too, but not loving it? Do you struggle with why Mr. Right hasn’t knocked on your door. Read, Finding the Right Guy.

Used with permission of Power to Change. Originally published at issuesiface.com.

I'm Dewinsar and I'm 19. Every day after going to school, I just sit in my room doing nothing. I wonder why I'm still going to school. No one wants me there. They hate me and say that I'm not wanted. They push me away like I'm a monster. Sometimes I can convince myself that I'm not really alive. It's like a nightmare, but I just can't wake up.

I Really Hated Myself

I feel suicidal every day. I really hated myself because of the way I look. I've become crazy with my thoughts. Some days I cry because of the load of shame and hate. Other days I giggle without reason. My hobby is writing. I love to write so much, but now I can't write anymore. I don't know why. I'm trying, but I have a hard time focusing. I haven't written in almost 4 months.

Now I Know I'm Not Alone

I needed someone. I really needed a friend who knows what I feel. So, I found this site.  Now I know I'm not alone. I read all of your stories and they make me feel better because I'm not alone, you know? I have the same scars, like you. I have the same pain, like you. So, I'm so thankful to you because you are still alive. Your stories help.
-Dewinsar

From TheHopeLine...

No matter how others feel about you or how you feel about yourself, you are loved and accepted by God! Once you have accepted Jesus Christ into your life you can never be separated from the love of God. You will find grace and mercy in Him in times of need. You are significant and worthy and Jesus' chosen friend.

You too are not alone!  Like, Dewinsar, you can read stories here - Stories List. And then take a moment to share your own story to encourage others - Share Your Story.

And if you need to talk to someone, you can chat with a HopeCoach any evening here - Get Help.