My husband and I met Marlon Smith and his wife Syretta in 2006 when we moved to the Charlotte, North Carolina, area from our hometown of Washington, DC. Since then, they have become good friends and business colleagues, and our relationship is blossoming.
Yesterday, we met over coffee for a few hours to discuss our goals for our marriages, our families and our businesses. About half way through our time together, we began to share some of the "real deal" challenges that couples face in today's stressful and economically challenging world, and how we might be able to work together to provide uplift and encouragement. At one point, Marlon said, we have to do this: "Let your misery become your ministry."
I totally did a double take. Let's face it. These are challenging times for many of us. But for some, it's a little more challenging than for others. If you see someone facing a situation that you have already overcome, why not reach out to them with a kind word or a helpful tip. When people are down, sometimes the best pick-me-up is just knowing that they are not alone — that they are not facing a situation that others have not already faced and overcome.
Question: Can you reach out to lift someone else up today? Have you ever let your misery be your ministry?
The death of ones child is a devasting experience. After the death of my son, I was confused, my heart felt like a huge empty hole, and life as I had known it was no more. I knew no one who had faced this kind of experience, but I was given a book by my sister that, along with my own faith, helped me to move thru my grief, and slowly learn to accept my loss. As I became more accepting, several people passed thru my life that needed a compassionate heart and understanding ear, due to a loss in their own lives. Helping those people deal with their loss, helped me to further accept my own loss. The pain never really goes away, but a person can choose to be bitter or better because of it.
The death of ones child is a devasting experience. After the death of my son, I was confused, my heart felt like a huge empty hole, and life as I had known it was no more. I knew no one who had faced this kind of experience, but I was given a book by my sister that, along with my own faith, helped me to move thru my grief, and slowly learn to accept my loss. As I became more accepting, several people passed thru my life that needed a compassionate heart and understanding ear, due to a loss in their own lives. Helping those people deal with their loss, helped me to further accept my own loss. The pain never really goes away, but a person can choose to be bitter or better because of it.
@Melanie: I’m so sorry to know of your loss, and amazed at how you used it to be able to comfort and encouarage others. If you get a chance, please share the name of the book that helped you so much. Thanks for using your story to inspire and uplift everyone here. God bless you.
@Melanie: I’m so sorry to know of your loss, and amazed at how you used it to be able to comfort and encouarage others. If you get a chance, please share the name of the book that helped you so much. Thanks for using your story to inspire and uplift everyone here. God bless you.
Thank you DM, the name of the book: Good Grief, by Granger E. Westberg. 35th anniversay edition. This book is only 64 pages long, which is nice because when someone is hurting they don’t really “feel” like reading a big combersome book anyway. A little about the author – Mr. Westberg has held a joint prefessorship in medicine and religion at the University of Chicago and a professor in preventive medicine at the University of Illinois College of Medicine.
Thank you DM, the name of the book: Good Grief, by Granger E. Westberg. 35th anniversay edition. This book is only 64 pages long, which is nice because when someone is hurting they don’t really “feel” like reading a big combersome book anyway. A little about the author – Mr. Westberg has held a joint prefessorship in medicine and religion at the University of Chicago and a professor in preventive medicine at the University of Illinois College of Medicine.
I really like this way of looking at things. I particularly liked the title of this post, and will also look up “Good Grief.” It is amazing to realize that even the bad stuff can be used for the good.
I really like this way of looking at things. I particularly liked the title of this post, and will also look up “Good Grief.” It is amazing to realize that even the bad stuff can be used for the good.