God Is Not Done With Me Yet!

“God is not done with me yet!”

I am blessed by the many people who reach out to me from across the world. They constantly remind me of the humanity we share, and the many ways life can break us. But more importantly, they remind me that regardless of the circumstances of our life, if we are breathing, we can find hope. And there are few things to be more thankful for than hope.

One such person is a new friend from here in the United States. I won’t relate the details of his story, but needless to say, he is in his 60s, was on the verge of suicide, facing a life of loneliness and much, much regret. My experience with him has been joy. He is so honest, kind, motivating, and the kind of light the world needs more of. Sadly, for too long, he has let the crud of life cloud and obscure the light.

He read my book, Who Am I?, and he has been going through my Ladder UPP workbook about which we’ve been exchanging thoughts. One question hit him extremely hard, “Write about a family member who has let you down.” He had no hesitation knowing who that was, his father. But he couldn’t put pen to paper, it was too painful. Then last night he broke through and it opened a mountain of pain that he had been avoiding and trying to bury for a long time. An arduous lifetime of digging a bottomless pit. But with the pain, comes joy. I wanted to share the message he sent to me this morning. I asked his permission and he agreed. May God bless my friend. May you find some hope in his words.

It is for people and messages like this, that I keep moving forward, looking for others living in the dark and doing my best to give them a hand up. Hope, faith, love – there are no greater gifts you can share with another.

“Silouan, it was intense and left me really angry, depressed, and defeated.  I thought at the moment it was a mistake to have completed and to be left alone to deal with.  But I know this morning that God wanted me to experience it and to experience it alone….with Him.  I know my dad did his best even if I was left damaged.  And this morning, I was able to go on and write about spiritual experiences, my vision of God, who I am, starting over knowing that I do have a Father and a Dad today who has been watching me, guiding me, loving me, even hugging me all along the way.  He has used what was meant for destruction for the good of many others and others to come.  It’s humbling.  Where I thought there was a period, God put a comma and says “I AM not done with you yet”.  He set me free from all that hurt and abandonment.  It is for freedom He has set me free.  “Joy comes with the morning”.

I want you to know how much the last three words of your message mean to me (God bless you).  And I say to you….God bless you.  Thanks for showing up!”

And that sums it up. Show up for each other. No one should be alone.