suffering and perception promotes encouragement.

Sometimes when I think about my life, I think there is no way possible that all of this stuff has really happened.

Sometimes I think about my life and find it a little blurry, foggy, dream-like.  Things were so bad but God has made them so good.  I can honestly stand on this side of things and say that all the pain was a path straight toward Christ.

It's so funny to look at it all now.  Especially when I think about how impossible life seemed at times.  Those days when I could barely get out of bed.  When I thought I'd never get past the sadness, the hurt, the absolute heartache.  The burden of it all was overwhelming.

But Christ has claimed me.  He has put a stake on me.  He wants me.  He is my hero.

To be honest, I always wanted more.  Nothing in my life ever satisfied my thirst.

I found love but my heart still ached, I still felt unwanted.
I found family but I was still lonely.
I found confidants but I could not be comforted.
I "found" who I was but I was still lost.

I look back and wonder who that person was.  I can't make the connection between old Sara and new Sara.

My ache was for Christ and I didn't even know it.
I's been calling out in urgency for someone to save me from drowning and Christ came in and saved the day.  He pulled me out of the mess and the muck and he washed me clean.  He made me dazzling and brilliant and told me he loved me and for the first time the meaning rang true.

I am free because Christ has saved me.  He has released me from all bondage.

I want to laugh at the past.  I want to forget it, yet I know that Christ will use my story.  That's why I write about what Christ is doing my life.  The most encouragement I've ever received is when people told me that they were dealing with the same things and showed me how God was moving in their lives despite the hardship.

I am writing to you who are God's children because you sins have been forgiven through Jesus. 

I am writing to you who are mature in the faith because you know Christ, who existed from the beginning.  

I am writing to you who are young in the faith because you have won your battle with the evil one.  

I have written to you who are God's children because you know the Father.  

I have written to you who are mature in the faith because you know Christ, who existed in the beginning.  

I have written to you who are young in the faith because you are strong.  

God's word lives in your hearts, and you have won your battle with the evil one. 

-1 John 2:12-14 (NLT)

In essence, I write to you because I love you.  Because Christ loves you.  We were not made to walk this path alone.  Christ is by our side and it is our duty as brothers and sisters in Christ to encourage and love one another.  We are a community in Christ.  Be strong and fortify those who walk the path toward our beautiful Savior.

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.  God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort.  He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others.  When they are troubled, we will be able to give the same comfort God has given us.  For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ.  Even when we are weighted down with troubles, it is for your comfort and salvation!  For when we ourselves are comforted, we will certainly comfort you.  Then you can patiently endure the same things we suffer.  We are confident that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in the comfort God gives us.

-2 Corinthians 1:3-7 (NLT)

[Images: http://kisstheskies.deviantart.com/art/Clarity-149055434, http://cznonamealbum.deviantart.com/art/lost-and-found-105747562]