Last year was very difficult for my wife and me. Within a month she had lost three family members. Having been through the same thing a few years ago, I definitely didn’t want her to feel the same pain I had experienced. Along with this there were other weighty issues we were going through, one including me trying to find my purpose in life and battling self-doubt.
It was a time of frustration and confusion as to why life was going the way it was. I didn’t see a reason for the pain and I hated that I couldn’t wipe away my wife’s pain for her. That feeling of hopelessness increased because I felt I wasn’t living my own purpose. If I’m honest it felt like God didn’t like me anymore. Like He was done with me and wasn’t offering guidance or comfort.
My mom’s favorite Bible verse is Jeremiah 29:11. She’d recite it to me and my little sister routinely and still reminds me that God does have a plan for me.
“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”
Even though I knew the verse by heart I had difficulty believing it. Sure I know life isn’t all rainbows and butterflies, but it literally felt like we would go from one difficult period into another before the previous period had been resolved.
December 22, 2012 I was determined to get my wife and myself each a key. I was fortunate enough to meet Caitlin who helped me pick out keys! Mine said “Believe” because I knew I needed to believe that God was with me, and was going to make things better.
My key served as a reminder that He really does care, especially when I feel like my world is crumbling down. Time went on and I came to realize that the experiences we go through allow us to help someone when they go through their dark valleys. Everything truly does happen for a reason and here I am a year later giving my key away to one of my close friends who supported us through our tough times. He’s in a period where he’s getting hammered by trial after trial and fighting to stay positive.
I knew it was time to give him my key and continue to encourage him just like he encouraged me. I hope anyone going through difficulty has hope and believes that things will get better!
-Grant
