Posted by Joyous on June 11, 2008 at 02:46:20:
In Reply to: A "From the Wilderness" update posted by Only_The_Lonely on June 09, 2008 at 14:28:43:
Dear OTL,
Maybe it's God's will you don't receive any of these messages. I emailed you personally using two different email addresses. I'm not sure if you still have those accounts. I also submitted this message earlier, but it didn't post. This could be the fourth time you have to read this and you're thinking, "alright already." If the earlier message is just slow to post I hope one of them gets deleted so you and others don't have to reread this message.
You don't know how happy I was to see your name! Thank you so much for posting and letting us know you are still alive! Praise God you were able to make it to the convenience store and get help.
There are so many people that love you & deeply care about you.
God was with you that night watching over you,
making sure you were able to make it to that store ("When you pas through the waters,
I will be with you...).
You are a person of great value.
You can know that you have immeasurable worth because of the high price God paid for you through Jesus' death on the cross.
God wants you here.
He is not finished with you yet - has not completed the good work He has started in you.
Do not feel as if you are imposing on your sister and brother-in-law. If they did not want you with them they would not have taken you in. Plus, they would rather have you alive - living with them, than not have you at all. That is why God has given us our families. You said you don't know how any of them put up with you. They love you. To me their love for you is unconditional.
It will be 11 years next Friday that my oldest sister took her own life. Things have not been better without her. If anything they have been harder. It has put a strain on our relationship with her two daughters. Sadly, she is missing out on so many wonderful things. One, which is missing watching her four grandsons grow-up.
She too took an overdose. When she left her house that day she had a fight with her family. She went to work visibly upset. Work sent her home. She called a couple of friends - all knew she was very upset, but they really didn't do anything. She went to a motel in town. Her family drove past the motel and saw her car, but did not stop. The next day they got the phone call saying she was dead.
God is in control of everything. He could have prevented my sister's overdose. He could have laid it on the hearts of her friends to try and find her (wouldn't of been hard). He could have orchestrated circumstances for her family to stop at the motel when they drove by. But He didn't. Does that mean God loves my sister or my family less. NO. His ways are not are ways. Someday we'll understand.
The only reason why I mention that is to tell you God protected you that night. He does care about you. He has not forgotten about or isn't too busy for you. Like Hagar, God heard your cries. He saw your tears and responded. He was the one that got you to the store. He is the One that has given you friends & family that love you and took action that day.
Take things one day at a time. Be patient with yourself. Give yourself time to heal. As long as we are still alive we can have hope. No matter how hopeless things seem we can find our hope in God. He wants to give us a future and a hope.
Glad you are still with us, OTL.
In Christ,
Joyous