Tag Archives: Pain

Jan10

Day 10 of Random (hopefully inspired) Thought. Today I Am Thankful For…Sorrow

Posted on January 10, 2026 by lsgrlr

Yesterday was a hard day for me, emotionally, to the point that I did not post on day 9. In 2024, my mom died suddenly, and even though it’s been almost two full years since her passing, the pain still feels like it happened yesterday. Yesterday was not a traumatic day by any means. Nothing that should have thrown me into the depths of pain and loss that I experienced; it was, from all accounts, a normal day, and as weird as this sounds, normal days are the hardest. Why? Because on normal days, I am more acutely aware that she’s not here. I can’t just walk into her room for a hug. She’s not here spontaneously singing at the top of her lungs, or saying words wrong and doubling down that her way is the correct way, and everyone else is wrong. On normal days, I simply miss her more.

There is no cut-off time for grief, and there is no proper way to handle it. We each experience it differently, and that’s how it’s meant to be. So, if you need to cry, cry, let grief wash over you, don’t run from it, don’t hide from it, and don’t ever say “I should be over this by now.” God promises to be close to us when our hearts are broken, when the pain we feel is so deep that there are no proper words to describe it.

“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted, and saves the crushed in spirit” (Psalms 34:18).

Here’s the truth, friends: grief is real, as are loss and pain; there is no getting away from them or pretending them away. So don’t hide or run from the hurt, let loss have its moment in your life, and the God who is acquainted with our sorrows will be by your side to walk you through the pain and pour out His love and peace and joy on you that no one and nothing will be able to take away. Just as He promised, “You have sorrow now, but I will give you joy again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you” John 16:22.

So, what am I thankful for today? Sorrow that leads to joy.

Sep24

Random (hopefully inspired) Thought

Posted on September 24, 2014 by lsgrlr

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I have hidden Thy word in my heart.
(Picture by Lisa R)

Judges 11. “So she said to him, ‘My father, if you have given your word to the Lord, do to me according to what has gone out of your mouth, because the Lord has avenged you of your enemies, the people of Ammon.’ Then she said to her father, ‘Let this thing be done for me: let me alone for two months, that I may go and wander on the mountains and bewail my virginity, my friends and I” (Verses 36-37). Be careful of your words. Don’t make idle promises to God. I am sure at the time Jephthah wasn’t thinking that his vow was idle. I am sure the intentions of his heart were good. “Lord id you do this, then I’ll do this…” We do it now as well, the barter. The price Jephthah paid for his idle words? His one and ONLY child. Some may be thinking God spared Issac why not this child? There is a difference, God asked Abraham to sacrifice Issac to test Abraham’s heart. Jephthah vowed to give the first thing that came out of his house after battle to God as a burnt offering, IF God would help them defeat the enemy. God did what he asked. He made the vow, without ever thinking about what it would mean. Don’t idly vow to God, just to get what you want. God held Jephthah to his vow, He will do the same with us. So think and pray before you speak. God holds us to our word.

May20

DAY 140 (2014)

Posted on May 20, 2014 by lsgrlr

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Sometimes doing good yields, but results. At those times make sure your good and God's good are the same.

Sometimes doing good yields bad results. At those times make sure your good and God’s good are the same.

So I recently wrote about my return to the things that I once loved, one of the things I returned to…working out. Hahaha. I started with running. Then one day I heard my friend “double time” (aka. Cheryl, those who have been reading my blog for a while know why I call her double time… DAY 99 April 9 2013), started talking about palates. Sounded like fun (she could make having a tooth pulled sound like the greatest experience EVER). So on my none run days I added palates to my routine. Yesterday I had an epiphany. I could do it all in the same day! (Mmmm…yeah). So this morning I woke up at 5:45 am and did 45 minutes of pure palates. All day at work any movement that required my abs felt like someone was punching me in the gut. What should I do to make it go away? Oh, I know I’ll just run when I get home (clearly I am mad at myself). When I got home I changed and went running for 30 minutes (it was a gorgeous evening out), after my run I decided what’s a little ab workout gonna hurt. it would be the perfect way to finish up my day (can we say baaaad idea)… Right about now you’re thinking is this gonna lead to a point? It is I promise. What’s my point? Everything I did today was good for me. Palates, running, and the ab workout none of it was bad. None of it was wrong. However, right about now it hurts to breath (not an exaggeration). Here’s the lesson: just because something is good, does not mean it is right (or for that time). Some of my workout could have been saved for tomorrow (or another day), but in my desire to take care of myself, I took care of myself a little too well ;). There will be days when we do “good”, but get “bad” results. Does that mean don’t do good? No. Sometimes it just means it wasn’t time, or it wasn’t ours to do. So check your heart, check with God. Make sure the good you want to do is His will for you. The “how” and the “when” of good, it’s just as important. So do good, but make sure it’s God’s absolute good, and not just our personal desire. “Trust in the LORD and do good; Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness” (Psalm 37:3). So what’s the plan? Do God’s good.

May4

DAY 124 (2014)

Posted on May 4, 2014 by lsgrlr

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When we focus on the forest all we see are tress. When we focus on the flower, we see the butterflies.
(Daejeon S. Korea, Picture Daniel S.)

Easy or hard. These are the two choices we get. The problem is that our definition of those two words are colored by our life experiences. What do I mean? Well, often times we will choose the easy way out because the consequences are less severe in the present. What we fail to realize is that down the road when the truth comes out the consequences become even more severe than the original crime (this is a ALWAYS truth). Let me give an example. I had a favorite winter coat, I also had a friend who really like my coat. She would admire it and always tell me how beautiful it was. One day I accidentally left my coat in the library of my school, when I went back to get it it was gone. I went to a small private school everyone knew the coat was mine. Therefore, I was not worried about it getting returned. But two weeks later my coat still wasn’t back. I asked my friend (quite innocently) if she has seen it, to which she answered, “No.” I had no reason to not believe so I just chalked it up to carelessness on my part. A few months later a couple friends and I were visiting outside of school, when we happened upon my friend (who had left school due to family issues), there she stood in front of me..wearing my coat! It devastated me, not because she had my coat, but because she lied. When she had the chance to confess she didn’t and thus the consequences of her action were more severe later on (I will not be going into detail). The irony is that the year it went missing was my final year and I planned on giving her the jacket (I wouldn’t have needed it in Florida). I understand why she didn’t confess: she did not want to look bad, didn’t want people to see her differently, and she did not want to lose a friendship. All of which happened. But the thing is had she confessed, we had the type of friendship where I would have forgiven. We have since worked out our issues and are friends once again. But it will never be the same, we have lost so much. Maybe we shouldn’t see the choices as easy or hard, instead we should view them as right or wrong. In the moment the right choice will more than likely always be the hardest and less attractive decision, but it is better to make a hard (right) choice now, than suffer harsher consequences later because we made the easy (wrong) choice. Not sure why I felt the need to write this today…maybe someone needed to hear/read it. If that’s you make the RIGHT choice don’t settle for the easy one. Easy choices cause you to lose more than you gain.

“There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death” (Proverbs 14:12).

So what’s the plan? Right not easy.

Apr27

DAY 117 (2014)

Posted on April 27, 2014 by lsgrlr

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I realized something today. My needs are being met. Today at dinner time I realized that there has never been a day when we didn’t have something to eat (there was a time in my life when that could have been a real possibility). There has never been a moment when we didn’t have a place to put our heads to rest that was safe and secure. In every moment God has met the need. I realized another thing today. I have an incorrect understanding of having my needs met. I think (in my humanness) that having my needs met means I won’t face trouble, trials or circumstances that can leave me feeling uncomfortable. No, having my needs met, means that in those moments, in the times when the need is ever present and very real it is there that God will meet me. Nowhere in the bible does it say Christ will tie our problems up in a pretty bow and toss them into the ocean. But it does promise that He will meet us at the point of our need and He will walk through it with us.

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze” (Isaiah 43:2).

So what’s the plan today? Walk through it all with God.

Feb16

DAY 47 (2014)

Posted on February 16, 2014 by lsgrlr

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“A broken soul is not the absence of beauty, but a cracked and torn soul reeks of the sweet incense it contains.”
― C. Joy Bell

The past couple have months have been hard on me, physically, mentally, and emotionally. What I find odd is that the “hard” has also been very good. Sounds strange doesn’t it? Almost like an oxymoron. Here’s the reason: God has been breaking me. Taking out the unnecessary so that He can replace it with what IS necessary. The process has been painful (especially since I don’t recall praying for it 😉 ), but the pain has been almost like rain on my soul. Washing away the muck and the grime and leaving in its stead good soil that God can plant in. During this process He has answered many questions that I have been praying about, and dealt with fears that I had push deep down (pretending they didn’t exist). The intensity of the the schooling has at times left me reeling and feeling ashamed of my initial response. But I see now even that was a part of the lesson. Working in the healthcare industry here is what I know: Don’t despise the breaking. If a bone is set improperly a “good” doctor will break it, and reset it (unheard of pain). Why? Because he knows if not dealt with now, later it will cause irreversible problems. So if like me, God is breaking things in your life. Let Him. Better to be broken now and heal. Than to walk with a limp forever.

“The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise” (Psalm 51:17).

So what’s my plan of attack? Let God break. Let God heal.

Feb14

DAY 45 (2014)

Posted on February 14, 2014 by lsgrlr

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Every sunset says, "You get another chance tomorrow."
(Photo by Lisa R.)

Today someone made the decision to allow me hurt in order to alleviate another’s pain. Not gonna lie the decision hurt me. I am not sure which hurts more the physical pain or my emotions right now. But even in the midst of all the pain there is a lesson. People will fail you no matter how much they love you, or how much you love them (you will fail them too). Does this mean we don’t love, don’t trust? No. It simply means that our hope and trust should be in God who does not disappoint. As we trust Him it will allow us to let those around us be who they are. Even when what they do hurts.

“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds” (Psalm 147:3).

So what’s my plan of attack? Love the way the God intends me to, even If I get hurt.

Jan21

DAY 21 (2014)

Posted on January 21, 2014 by lsgrlr

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Sometimes the journey requires pain. Don’t run.

Ever been put in a position where pain was the right option, but fear kept you from choosing it. Right now as I type this my right foot is going through spasms. It feels like how your leg feels just before a muscle contraction. It is not really painful yet, but I know that release will only comes from pain, However, because I know it will really, really, really hurt I am trying not to cause the muscle to contract. The byproduct, I can’t move my foot. It feels weird too, the spams are involuntary so it seems like my right leg has a mind of it own. As I sit here waiting for the pain that will inevitably come, to arrive. I am reminded of this: We can’t be afraid of pain. It is inevitably. Learn to accept it. Sometimes on the journey pain will be required to get us where we need to be. Don’t try to evade it, it will only keep us from our destination.

“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed” (2 Corinthians 4:8-9).

So what’s my plan of attack? Endure through the pain, don’t run from it.

Nov27

DAY 331

Posted on November 27, 2013 by lsgrlr

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Sometimes it is in stillness and quietness that the battle is won.

I am always happy when I realize personal growth. This week has been less than stellar (in the I am not getting what I want way). But it has been super awesome in other areas. You realize your strength and your weaknesses. This week I realized both. I have a voice and I am not afraid to use it, but I try really hard not to use it irresponsibly. This is a strength. However at points during this week I realized I had not been responsible with my voice, weakness. Let me explain. There is a person in my world, whom I don’t trust. I don’t dislike this person, nor do I see them as the embodiment of evil. I just have that check in my spirit, that warns me to beware. I have learned from experience that, that check is there for a reason. So as I am growing up I am learning to pay attention to it. However, today I think that I may have hurt that person’s feeling, because I was not responsible with how I was feeling. Wondering why I see this as personal growth? I use to hurt people, realize it, and not care; because in my opinion they deserved it (as though I had the right to judge). Today I realized it. Not only did I realize it, it bothered me. I know the person is not trustworthy, but that does not at any point give me the right to trample someone else’s feelings. Realizing this stung, (it hurt me that I hurt them). Society has thought us to speak our minds, and say what we feel. God teaches us to hold our tongue, and put others first. I want to do the latter. I want to be a good witness of what I believe.

“If you claim to be religious but don’t control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless” (James 1:26).

So what am I thankful for today? Painful lessons that lead to personal growth and honest evaluation.

Nov14

DAY 318 – Random (hopefully inspired) Thought

Posted on November 14, 2013 by lsgrlr

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I had planned on posting my devotion this morning as I normally do, but the Scripture I read went so well with something that I learned today. So I decided to combine my day with my random thoughts…let’s see how it works out:

We are often the reason that we are bound.

2 Timothy 3. “But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money,boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people” (Verses 1-5). These verses feels as though they were ripped from news headline rather than from the Bible. This morning I had a interesting conversation with a friend, she was telling me about a news item she had watched the night before. Two teenage girls, robbed the home of an elderly couple who where the legal guardians of their grandchildren. The family was not home at the time (thankfully). After taking all of the family’s valuables. The girls then proceed to, for no reason at all set the house on fire. The family came home to find their home in a heap of ashes. When asked why they did it, one of the girl replied, she thought it would be funny. FUNNY?!!! What?! My mind can’t even begin to conceive, how she came to believe that making a family homeless would be funny. Where’s the punchline? How did we (society) make it here? Oh wait I forgot: The world’s motto, “If it feels good, do it”. We put ourselves here. We did it by taking God out of schools, taking prayer out of school. We did it when we decided anything and everything had a rightful place in the world, except the One who created it. We have been making the decision on our own for a while now, and I have to say, we aren’t doing so well. How about we give God back His rightful place? You don’t to have to believe me, but take a look at the world now, then look back at society prior to our disregard for all things God. Then honestly say, we are better off. Just a thought.

“We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time” (Romans 8:22).

So what am I thankful for today? That I know the One who has the solution.