As a writer, I am moved by the words of others, sharing their passion for expressing what they are feeling. A niece of mine recently said, “I must remind myself especially now, that never have I been faced with troubles that have not given birth to opportunity.” Incredible insight for such a young person! Having experienced many troubles in my years I can attest to the truth of this statement. Life is never without bumps, curves, and even major disasters. It is the facing of each one individually that shapes our destiny. In addition, as horrific as some of the tales I could tell, there has never been a situation where I could not find someone else facing something worse. I didn’t see them as long as I lay buried under my pain, but as I came out there they would be asking for my love.

I was deeply humbled by my inability to fix myself or my situations. This created a fresh and sincere empathy in my heart for others in their pain. What a perfect opportunity to really help another! Even so, there are times my arrogance surfaces and I regress to my fixing mode. Leaving humility behind, I become the next disaster to myself or someone else! Planet Carol has a solid goal to stay in the humble place. Of course I won’t be good at it! However, there is no doubt that the effort to have my eyes see more clearly, my ears hear more accurately, and my lips speak more cautiously will keep me seeking God’s wisdom. To those who are fighting hopelessness today I share a prayer Paul prayed:

“I pray that God, who gives you hope, will keep you happy and full of peace as you believe in him. May you overflow with hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.”  Romans 15:13