Doing Hard Things...

We will all be called to do hard things in this life.

A financial hardship.  A prodigal child.  An abusive relationship. 

A Cancer Diagnosis...

And how do we keep living though the hard without losing our hope?  When grief and pain and struggle marks our way...

Ann Voskamp speaks with a bit of truth:

"... the details of our hard may be different, but all our need for courage is the same."

Truth.

We all need courage to face our hard things.

Ann continues, "You have to keep hanging on, when you don't know how to go on."

When pancreatic cancer began taking mom from us, one painful, hard fought battle at a time, we were faced with a choice, Give up or Go on.

Mom's courage on the journey lit the way for our own.  It was one step at a time.  She knew how to do hard things and we learned that you can win the battle when you simply stay the course.  One step at a time.

There is a truth in the holy words:

"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."
           ~ Psalm 119:105

When we carry a lamp out onto our path, the circle of light shines just far enough to illuminate our next step.  We trust that step and bring the lamp forward with us to bring focus to the next step... and the next... and the next.

It is a light unto my path.

It is the courage for the next step.

It is Hope in the midst of Hard Things.

There is a young girl who shares a story that kind of puts this all in perspective.  Her name is Hannah.  And her words speak it best:

"Proud doesn't even begin to cover it!

I don't talk about my mom's visual disability a lot, mostly because she makes it seem so easy that I forget about it.  I forget to be amazed at all the times she chooses joy despite monumental daily challenges with chronic vision loss.

It's been over three years since my mom first told me she was going to open a coffee shop employing people with disabilities, and today there was a line out the door of her shop for 4 straight hours.

Esteamed Coffee is an outflow of her heart and her own personal struggles of finding jobs as someone with a disability.  It's a way to decrease stigmas, positively influence her community, provide jobs, and create a space for all people to gather.  It's the culmination of her passions and pain.

Often times I wonder why the Lord allows certain hard things to pass through His hands, and I've wondered that about my mom's vision impairment too.  Today felt like a glimpse behind the curtain of all the good that's come from her experiences and how she's positively impacting the lives of tons of people in her community right now.

If you're ever in Cary, make sure you drop by Esteamed Coffee & pick up a great cup of coffee with a great purpose."

We can all do hard things.  One step at a time. 

When our passions and our pain collide, God's faithfulness will always light our way... May we find the courage to take that next step in the midst of the hard.

My Love,
Always,
           Jane