Loss and Hope

Throughout my life I have dealt with loss and shared my experiences with whoever needed to hear me say "I've been through this and I know how you feel".  I have lost a child, my father, my first marriage, and dreams for the future. These losses never made me lose hope! I've put one foot in front of the other and moved on, knowing that God has been in control and that life is too short to be sad and unhappy - loss always brings something new in my life and that has been the most important truth. Jesus said it best when he told his disciples his beautiful attitudes about life - yes, it is upside-down to say that we are blessed when we suffer, but when we are blessed we are touched by God. The blessing may not be what we want, but it is still a touch from God and we can help others because we've experienced it.

Breast cancer - loss of a breast, loss of hair, loss of the dream of a "perfect future together".  We will always say, "remember that year of dealing with breast cancer?" It changes your life forever, but it really only creates a changed future.  Lee said it best when he admitted to me that our future will be different because he will always wonder if this cancer will come back -- despite remission and despite how good I feel now.  He is right -- our future will be different but not hopeless! God is good, and I am healthy. 
 
Blessings, Laura Story

We pray for blessings
We pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering
All the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love us way too much to give us lesser things

Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

We pray for wisdom
Your voice to hear
And we cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
We doubt Your goodness, we doubt Your love
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough
All the while, You hear each desperate plea
And long that we'd have faith to believe

Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
And what if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise