Just Remember ...                                                                                                                                       It’s been nearly 6 years since my best friend, Sylvester, took his own life.  I wrote this poem for him at that time, but I could never seem to find it within myself to post it here.  And so that became sort of a roadblock that kept me from posting anything at all.  It seems that I have become all too familiar with death these days. I have lost many friends and loved ones in recent years, but to lose someone that I was that close to, in that way, was almost unbearable.  As I have come to terms with it, the one overarching thought has been two-fold; “thank God for His amazing grace to me”, and “what could I have possibly done to help him".  My friend’s world became so dark that he couldn’t find his way through. I wish I had understood how dark, just maybe I could have shined a light. But one thing that all of the loss and darkness in my own life has taught me, is that the Lord is always there to be the light for me if I will look up and…

 

Just Remember

There are times in life for all of us

When nothing makes much sense

When there are no words of comfort

You think you’ve lost your closest friend

When the pain is overwhelming

And the rain won’t seem to cease

The darkness wraps around you

And you just can’t find your peace

Just remember in that moment

That your Savior is still there

And He knows exactly what you feel

Your deepest sorrow He will bare

His promise to never leave you

Is as real as it’s ever been

And although the clouds seem heavy

Jesus wants to be that closest friend

The enemy may want to steal your joy

And he will if you let him in

But the victory has been guaranteed

And it’s certain in the end

So the moral of this story

What I want you to take away

Things are never quite as bad as they seem

There is coming a brighter day

Find someone who loves you

And open up your heart

Leave the past behind you

Change your mind and make a new start

 

For Sylvester 12/1/16

 

John 8:12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”

Prov 18:24 A man who has friends must himself be friendly,
but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

 

When I was growing up, the term “mental illness” wasn’t really talked about much, and if it was it often came with some disdain and certainly some misunderstanding.  Today, however, there are many places to find help.  I believe that ultimately help is found in Jesus Christ, but there is certainly a place for therapy and/or medication.  There can be many reasons for what I call “the battles of the soul”, and we all face them from time to time.  The word “soul” has been defined as your mind, your will and your emotions.  The trouble is that your mind, your will, and your emotions can get twisted and play tricks on you.  They can convince you of things that aren’t true or get you to miss seeing answers to problems that you might otherwise see under different circumstances.  If you know someone who is struggling in a dark place in their life, be a friend, be willing to hold the light for them when they can’t do it for themselves.  Be willing to get out of your comfort zone and ask tough questions.  And be brave enough to point them to the Light of the World.