The Struggle Is Real

I was thinking about some things today and some people I know, myself included, and how we all deal with struggles we go through.

Every single one of us have battles and trials as the Bible calls them, or struggles as most others call them. You've seen the memes on Facebook of a weary mom with a few kids, two are screaming, two are fighting, there's spilled food on the floor, the dog is barking, the house is a mess and the mom looks as if she could pull her hair out right there, lol. Usually there's a caption above it that says "the struggle is real".

That's one example to which we can all relate.

Another might be weight loss.

If you're like me, you LOVE food, especially carbs. You want to lose weight and try to be healthy, but that baked potato and Texas toast is calling your name, lol. (Sometimes, I think carbs are from Heaven, other times, straight from the pits of hell). Most women, and a lot of men, try and try for their entire lives to acheive their ideal weight goal. We flucuate up and down on the scale, yo-yo diet and spend most of our younger years worrying about what we look like instead of just living life and being happy. I'm not advocating being unhealthy or obese, but I've found that I spent my twenties and thirties worried about what my body looked like instead of taking care of my heart and soul.

Maybe your struggle is something else entirely. Maybe you're struggling to put food on the table for your family, going to a dead end job each day while fighting to stay afloat in life.

It seems I'm surrounded by that here in southern WV, where the poverty rate is sky high. But I know that struggle as well. I grew up with money. My family had lots of it and I got anything I wanted, mostly without even asking for it. But as soon as I got married, guess what? I was on my own. LOL. And it was NOT fun. My husband and I struggled for a few years before I learned how to make it without my grandparent's money. But I did it, although it took longer than I wanted, I finally made it. But while I was in it, the struggle was real. I rode that struggle bus longer than I wanted to. LOL

I remember being told when my son was very small that I really wasn't a parent because I only had one child. This came from a man who had four children with his wife. He said that if you don't have two or more, you're not considered a real parent. I think he was joking but it still bothered me, nonetheless, because my struggles as a mother were just as real as theirs with their family. He tried to discount my battles, but I knew they were real.

Maybe you struggle with religion like I do.

Yes, I went to church for more than two decades, but due to some unfortunate situations, I turned away from God and tried life on my own. Well, you really want to talk about a struggle, THAT was it. I've never been so unhappy in my whole life. I've never encountered such heartache and pain as I did when I was without Christ. I know, I know, there I go with God and religion again. LOL.

I made myself a promise when I first started this website and this blog that I would stay away from politics and religion. I would not mention either because they are both hot button issues. If you want to upset the masses and alienate some of your audience, mention even one of them and boom, there goes some of your readers. So at first, I adhered to that policy of mine and I blogged about other things such as my books, the movie, the script, and moving to Los Angeles. I tried to stay middle of the road and not "offend" anyone. We all know how easy that is in this country nowadays. So I didn't want any part of upsetting anyone and losing readers.

But I can't do that anymore. I have found over the last couple of months, that my personal relationship with God is being patched up. He loves me and I love Him and I don't want to be embarrassed by that. I can't make it in life without Him daily walking with me and I don't want to try anymore. I have found a peace with Him that can't be found anywhere else.

Is my relationship with God like it was when I attended church?

NO WAY!! The church I went to, (or rather the pastor) taught us a rigid, legalistic, set of standards that HE thought we should adhere to, instead of teaching us that it was our own walk with God. At least that's what I got out of it. I remember several times being told by him certain "things" that we had to do, or not do, to gain the approval of God. And while I do believe that you have to live by the word of God, it was much different than what the pastor taught us. Or maybe he just showed me differently, who knows.

Anyway, I didn't mean to go off in another direction, but what I want to get across to each of you is life is full of struggles. And though yours are different from mine and mine are different from my neighbors, they are all just as real to each of us as they are to the next person.

As I drove home yesterday I looked at the doors of each house I passed in town, and I thought that behind each door is a house with problems, be they big or small. Each house has hurt and pain, heartache, and tears. Some are huge and some may be things I would consider small, but to each person who is in that battle at that time, the struggle is real.

Don't ever let anyone tell you that your problems aren't important. They are. Don't ever let anyone make you feel insignificant or less than they are because you're not. God loves us all the same. The Bible tells us in Romans 2:11 that "there is no respect of persons with God", meaning we are all important in his eyes. There are no little you and big I, we are ALL the same. So your problems mean as much to God as the next persons.

If you find yourself in a place today of feeling as though you can't cope with life and the struggles that it presents, turn to God and His word and allow Him to bring you peace in the midst of the battle. He will and can do it. He did it for me.

Life isn't perfect now. I still struggle each day. Right now I'm battling some health issues that have changed my daily life. I'm in constant pain and have been to the hospital and am now waiting to have some tests done. The worry about it all is real, it's a struggle to keep my mind from going where human nature takes it, but God is with me no matter what.

Turn to Him today in your struggles. He is there to have a personal relationship with you. I love you all and I want the best for each of you. If you have problems that you can't talk about with anyone else, email me and I'll take the time to talk to you. Thank you to those who email me and tell me what my blogs mean to you. It's so much appreciated. I love hearing from you all.

Remember to work hard and Dream Big!!

Much love,

Christy