Rough day? Oh man, I understand. Wouldn’t it be nice if life was easier? The truth is that rough days happen. Here is my advice for getting through:
Rough Day? 3 Tips for Getting Through: Prayer, Perspective, Purpose
1. Prayer. I don’t know where I’d be without prayer. Throughout the day I seek God. “Please, help me. Give me strength. Give me wisdom. Give me patience, Lord!”
I also ask friends to pray for me. I have a network of friends that I reach out to. I text them often, “Please pray …,” and I’m honored when they ask me to do the same. Sometimes it’s about big stuff, but sometimes it’s about the ordinary stuff of life, like a teen’s bad attitude. Going before God makes a difference. Yes, prayer does change things.
2. Perspective. I used to think I had rough days. You know the days when the laundry is piled up, the kids are sick, and I feel pulled in too many directions. Yet my idea of rough days changed as I started stepping out in faith—when I started walking out God’s directives and reaching out to those in need.
Just last week I met a new young mom in our teen mom support group. *Danielle came with a friend. Both of these young moms have aged out of foster care. Both live in transitional housing, and Danielle shared how she watched her mother died when she was only seven-years-old. Neither of these moms have families to call “theirs.” Both were excited about our teen mom support group. They were really overjoyed to hear about the upcoming speakers, and both gave a little cheer when they heard we were going to all have matching t-shirts. Finally, a place they belonged! (Isn’t it amazing that something as simple as matching t-shirts can give them that feeling?)
My adopted kids have given me a different perspective on rough days, too. One of my girls had major surgery before we’d even met her, and she didn’t have a mom or dad there with her. My adopted daughters also tell me about the hard things they’ve experience and the horrible things they’ve seen. They talk about the ways they were teased and bullied in school since they were in foster care. My heart breaks knowing MY kids faced that and I wasn’t around to help them. Thankfully, John and I are here now and will be until our last breaths.
Loving these young moms and even my own children has changed my perspective. Walking out God’s Word takes me to hard places and to hurting people. As I give, love and serve, I also look at my life differently. The things that I used to consider rough days are now minor conveniences.
Want to see the world differently? Step outside of your comfort zone.
Want to feel as if you’re making a difference? Open your arms—or even your home—to someone without a family or without hope for the future.
Want to get a new perspective? Listen to another person’s story.
As I hear about other people’s hard lives it gives me perspectives on my hard days.
3. Purpose. I used to think that my life’s purpose was to do good, live well, and make some type of difference. Yet the more I followed God, the more I began to see that my purpose isn’t about me.
My purpose on earth is to follow God, to spread the gospel, and to depend on Jesus as I do both. When my eyes are lifted to Him, and I discover God’s great purposes, I worry less about the daily, little stuff.
Yes, I still have rough days. Yes, sometimes I still get overwhelmed by little stuff. Yet overall, reaching out to care for the needy and hurting—knowing this is God’s good purpose for me—has changed things. When I’ve asked God to show me His heart, He has … and I find my heart breaking. A broken heart is not a bad thing. Instead, it’s made me thankful for all I have and all that God’s done. And that truly is something to get me through rough days.
Can You Help?
Would you like to support our teen mom support group? Check out these shirts that I designed!
100% of the profit goes to support our group in inner-city Little Rock! Or donate $15 so I can buy a Strength and Dignity t-shirt for our teen moms. If you want to give, just let us know!
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