The horrible fate of a young person's life has hit a community dear to my heart, once again. A life was taken too soon. A young person felt trapped within the walls of her heart and mind.
To the family who lost a child, sibling, or cousin - Words cannot express how much my heart hurts for you. There are honestly no words that can describe the multitude of emotions that you are all going through right now, but you are so strong for continuing to put one foot in front of the other every day. That does not go unnoticed.
To the friends who lost a loved one - I promise you, it gets easier everyday without you even noticing. The pain you are feeling now in every little thing you do, will turn to joy and bliss because you know that they are walking along beside you. Don't try to figure everything out, you can't. You cannot figure out why, or what you could have done differently, you cannot dwell on the fact that you should have reached out more or loved them more than you feel like you did. It will tear you up inside more than anything else. Know that they are in a better place, know that they are not in any more pain, know that you did everything you possibly could to love and care for them. Know you will see them again.
To those who feel separated in the world - You are not alone. There are so many people around you and on the world of social media that genuinely want to be there for you. You don't have to worry about the guy who doesn't give you the time of day, or the girl that makes you feel less than adequate all the damn time. You are so loved.
My words are not enough, I have found that out the hard way; but there is a God who has just the right things to say in times like this.
If there is one thing I cannot say enough, it is YOU ARE LOVED.
"This is how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him, anyone can have a whole and lasting life." John 3:16 MSG
YOU HAVE A PURPOSE.
God says: "I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for." Jeremiah 29:11 MSG
YOU ARE GIVEN STRENGTH TO PERSEVERE.
"No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he’ll never let you be pushed past your limit; he’ll always be there to help you come through it." 1 Corinthians 10:13 MSG
YOU WILL BE GUIDED.
God says: "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you with my loving eye on you." Psalm 32:8 NIV
YOU ARE NOT ALONE.
“Be strong. Take courage. Don’t be intimidated. Don’t give them a second thought because God, your God, is striding ahead of you. He’s right there with you. He won’t let you down; he won’t leave you.”Deuteronomy 31:6 MSG
YOU WERE CREATED BY HIM AND FOR HIS GLORY.
"Everyone is called by my name,
whom I created for my glory,
whom I formed and made.” Isaiah 43:7 NIV
HE WILL TAKE AWAY YOUR WORRIES.
"Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you." 1 Peter 5:7 NLT
HE WILL COMFORT YOU.
"All praise to the God and Father of our Master, Jesus the Messiah! Father of all mercy! God of all healing counsel! He comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, he brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us. We have plenty of hard times that come from following the Messiah, but no more so than the good times of his healing comfort—we get a full measure of that, too." 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 MSG
HE WILL CARRY YOUR BURDENS.
"Pile your troubles on God’s shoulders—
he’ll carry your load, he’ll help you out." Psalm 55:22 MSG
HE WILL FORGIVE.
"And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” Mark 11:25 NIV
HE WILL GIVE YOU HOPE.
"I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13 NLT
HE WILL DELIVER.
“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened." Matthew 7:7-8 NLT
HE DWELLS IN YOU.
"You realize, don’t you, that you are the temple of God, and God himself is present in you? No one will get by with vandalizing God’s temple, you can be sure of that. God’s temple is sacred—and you, remember, are the temple."
Nothing can separate you from the love of the Lord. ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. I pray for all of those going through a valley, whether that is losing someone to the terrible fate of suicide, or if you yourself are fighting everyday, that you understand you are so loved. By so many people.