ann kiemel

copyright Judy Silverstein 2009

used by permission

pain is a gift!

it hurts. it scrapes our

egos and hearts against rock-

hard boundaries. but...

it forces us to tilt our eyes away

from ourselves to others. and

ultimately, toward the face of

God.

pain kneads in us a softening

of our rigidity. our criticisms.

our wilful bent to define our own

journey. leaving God on the sidelines.

believing ourselves far more adept

than He at putting the pieces together.

i have never marched in

the band of suffering with joy and

acceptance. in time, i start kicking and

screaming. i go from shock to an immed-

iate sense of rebellion and fear. believing

that God needs my help to peel away

this claustrophobic tightening of what i

want vs. His will of defined hardship.

i always think of brock, my second born.

standing in the door of the laundry room

where i was folding clean clothes. he had

just returned from kindergarten.

mommy,

someone said something mean

to me today.

really?

my face looked sad.

that must have really hurt

your feelings.

it did.

i folded this five year old

little wonder into my arms.

brock, life is sometimes mean

and hard, but Jesus always, in time,

fixes everything.

i am just now really coming out of

years in the wilderness. and silence.

always writing and speaking publicly

that darkness comes, BUT Jesus never

leaves us there forever. that we will always

laugh again. the sun will diffuse the

darkness. yet, this wilderness felt like

forever.

stop the pain.

turn off the sun, moon. the stars.

close all the stores. tell the policemen

to go home. paint the windows black.

today,

again, i promise you that pain is

a gift. it purifies our souls. gives God

a chance to prove Himself: that love

ALWAYS wins. miracles ARE raised

out of ashes. we can really appreciate

the gifts He has saved for us only if we

have lived with pain.

take pain's hand.

make her your friend.

believe....always...that darkness

does NOT last forever.

today,

as i read your loving comments

on facebook and my website, i

have tears. your love warms my

spirit where wounds once lived.

Jesus is my Song.

the ONLY One who can paint

beauty and purpose in our lives

if we embrace the pain, and wait

for Him to create the sunrise.

dance with me.

take my hand. i love you.

remember that God's

love binds us together.

and our acceptance of

suffering ultimately brings

God's brand new, fresh

tomorrows.

"Dear friends, do not be surprised

at the painful trials you are suffering,

as though something strange is

happening to you.

But rejoice that you participate

in the sufferings of Christ,

so that you may be overjoyed

when His glory is revealed."

~ I Peter 4:12-13 (NIV)