You’re only required to be human

After I experienced a loss of a parent…

I found myself unknowingly disconnecting from friends because "How are you Dominique" got too hard to answer and I started to believe I don't want to be that friend that's always sad. I just can't be...I mean, I never had to be. I justified not answering my phone when I seen people call with telling myself "You're busy, just act like you really don't see it". I had a hard time with my morning prayer sessions with quick simple prayers such as "Help me Lord", "Help", "Give me strength".

Granted those prayers were enough to get me through the day by the skin of my teeth but one morning I finally opened my mouth and told God exactly what I needed. Not what I needed to make it through the rest of the year, not even through the next 30 days, but I told Him what I needed for just the next 12 hours of my life. Those hours were critical. I was exhausted, I was depressed, and I had not bit of energy left in me. Not even a few hours later after that short prayer, what I told the Lord I needed for energy happened in such a bold way. And it got me through that day...

It makes me think of that scripture we get so used to saying in church “…Give us this day, our daily bread…” The keyword being daily...realizing God literally gives us what we need, but on a daily basis.

During grief, or any type of long term hardship. some days there has to be gratitude in just completing one simple task, maybe two...and one of my tasks for that day was to finally answer a phone call from a friend.

When I answered, I didn't pretend that I've been fine even though I wanted to or try to push being the encourager in the few moments I could have been. I just waited for the opportunity to say "I haven't been okay" and the Lord began to minister to me through her and gave me the comfort to get me through the day on top of how He answered my prayers earlier that morning.

"Blessed are those who mourn for they will be comforted" Matthew 5:4

"The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; He rescues those whose spirits are crushed" Psalms 34:18

If you're dealing with any hardships, today, know that you do not have to be the strongest woman or man in the room, you only have to be human

Sending hugs to you and your household