Daily Devotional - Friday - November 19

​I've shared a bit about my testimony in growing up in a household where my father, though a good man, was a heavy drinker, and I was witness to things a child never should be witness to. I was never really a child as I had to grow up very early on.  I can remember standing between my mother and my father because I knew he would not harm me because I was his little girl. There was an odd sense of warrior that I carried. However, I was raised in the church and we went Sunday morning, Sunday night and Wednesday night. I had that exposure to God and His people.  EVERY Sunday there was an “altar call” where if you felt you needed prayer, you could go up and someone would pray with you. EVERY Sunday this little warrior went up and prayed for a “friend” who was dealing with this issue or that.  How no one guessed (or admitted) that I was that Friend is beyond me. The adults in my life missed the signs even though I was asking for help in a veiled way. No one really reached out, though they likely didn’t know how things were in our home and therefore didn’t want to interfere.  I learned that we don’t talk about certain things and we don’t share certain things. I am now very open about things most don’t like to talk about because honestly this is refreshing and it is REAL and tangible.  
 
I felt alone and isolated - are you feeling this way?  Sad and unable to look forward to the future- is this something you deal with?  This is not what God wants---He wants us to seek out people who are good for us so they can lift us in times that are hard. THESE times are hard.  Have you been connecting with others in a real way? Are you staying in touch with your support system? Do you have a support system? If you don’t let’s talk about some ways you can build one.  
 
Reach out to church leaders to talk about getting connected.  It’s definitely different in these days, but we can try to find ways to connect with one another. 
We are not meant to do life alone. 
 
Do you need support for substance use that may have gotten out of hand? We have an AA meeting on Monday nights that my friend Tim runs and it may be just the right thing for you to find the support and healing you need.  
 
Ultimately, we don’t want others to feel alone or isolated. If you are craving connection with others, but don’t really know how to do this, please reach out to me or someone in leadership. Again, if you need help getting information on mental health or alcohol or drug treatment, get with me. I will gladly help you navigate this. Likewise, do the same for others. Help them when you know they need a call or text just to brighten their day.  Let’s be the church to one another and the world around us during these uncertain times.