A letter v.3

Dear Friend,

You tell me that there have been so many moments these last couple months where you couldn't see an inch in front of your face. You say that all you could hear was the wind and driving rain from the storms that howled around you. You say that you are a silhouette, a mirror of who you don't want to be, and image of the person you made yourself up to be. And as you speak I see the pain in your eyes and I feel the tears well up in mine because I had to watch as the future became a thirty foot wave and crashed down on the walls of your heart that you thought were so secure. You tell me how you feel like a ship lost at sea with no anchor and no sail; you say you feel like a window that doesn't have a shutter. "You'll find your way one day." your friends tell you. "Keep holding on and don't let go; things will get better." your parents say. And yet as we sat on the porch that evening and listened to the crickets sing I instinctively knew that you didn't believe them; that somewhere down the line you had given up hope. And as I struggled for the words to say you squeezed my hand and told me not to worry about you, but friend, although I won't worry, my heart aches for the deep chasms of hurt I see exploding in your eyes. You saw so-called families break up into fragmented pieces of painful memories and churches lose their focus and argue with each other as they fought and killed the spark that was slowly growing in your heart. I know how much you hurt; I know, my friend. It makes no sense, all this fighting and giving up; it's like any other war that is filled with self absorbed people and others who will stop at nothing to get what they think is right, but I just want to encourage you to not give up. Not all people are like that; you have to believe that tomorrow will be brighter than it was today and not give up on the human race. There are good people out there; people who love the Lord and who will love you for who you are and who will let you make mistakes and grow. I know I sound just like the rest of them and my words must be a continual echo in your mind, but all these what-ifs are eventually going to tear the heart of you. You can't live in the past and all those people who hurt you? You are hurting yourself more than them by not forgiving. Maybe it's time to let the storm mold your heart into something beautiful? You know, if you ran straight to Him, He would give you wings to fly above this storm and you could and would find refuge in His strong tower. He's catching every tear that falls from your eyes and He knows every night that you couldn't sleep because the pain was pounding in your heart. He knows. And I know you'll probably take this as a sermon; just one of those "trying to be helpful" letters that don't mean much and end up in the trash, but I just want to say one last thing: don't you dare give up. I'm praying for you and others are too, and we care about you. We care about what happens and we care about the tumult of thoughts that swirl around in your brain like a tornado. We'll stand by you and I for one won't let you fall down in defeat... I care too much. It's tough right now, I know, but it will get better. How many nights have you experienced that didn't explode into an array of light? How many storms have you witnessed that didn't unfold into beautiful blue skies and leave behind scents that could leave the whole earth singing for joy? Your storm will unfold too, I promise. And those voices of the wind and rain? They'll stop beating at your door as soon as you stop letting them in and maybe, if you listen close enough, you'll be able to hear His gentle whisper through the beautiful chaos of your life. It's not over yet, this battle isn't finished... He's got this and you. Don't you dare give up.

   -Your friend.