Last month I was just about to leave on holiday when I wrote this article. Well, it certainly didn’t go to plan. The first day of our holiday saw me in a French hospital with a fractured rib amongst other things. Not an ideal start! Any of you that have had a broken rib will know how painful it is and those of you that haven’t had one I hope you never do. Although it is painful I know that the pain will only be around for a limited time. There are many people who don’t know when or if their pain will go, those with long term chronic pain, terminal illness, undiagnosed issues and many more. Some pain is not associated with physical illnesses but are just as painful, unhappiness, loneliness, trauma, guilt, and stress. Pain can be very debilitating, and we need lots of love and support from family, friends and colleagues. I am very lucky that I have wonderful family and friends that have given me this in abundance. I think I am also lucky with having my faith. When we are in pain it is natural to ask why God allows this to happen. You would need to talk to a much wiser person than me to get a fully understandable answer to that question, but I can tell you what God means to me with my pain. I feel him as a constant comfort. He is always there like a friend that sits by your side asking nothing of you but just being there. The sort of friend who you can confide in knowing that he will never betray that trust. He comforts us with unconditional love.
Instead of a book choice this month I am recommending that you read the poem Footprints in the Sand. It may have been written by Mary Stevenson but there is some controversy about its authorship. It is easy to find it on the internet.
God Bless
Maureen Kendall