The international diplomatic response was severe, ranging from stern warnings from the UN to a US-led boycott of the Summer Olympics in Moscow. The intervention, along with other events, such as the Iranian revolution and the US hostage stand-off that accompanied it, the Iran—Iraq War , the Lebanon War and the escalating tensions between Pakistan and India, contributed to the volatility of the Middle East and South Asian regions in the s.
The Non-Aligned Movement was sharply divided between those who believed the Soviet deployment to be a legitimate police action and others who considered the deployment an illegal invasion. Among the Warsaw Pact countries, the intervention was condemned only by Romania. The Afghan Mujahideen were supported by several other countries, with the U.
The Soviet air base outside of Kandahar was "30 minutes flying time by strike aircraft or naval bomber" to the Persian Gulf according to Robert Kaplan. It "became the heart of the southernmost concentration of Soviet soldier" in the year history of Russian expansion in central Asia. National Security Advisor Zbigniew Brzezinski , known for his hardline policies on the Soviet Union, initiated in a campaign supporting mujahideen in Pakistan and Afghanistan , which was run by Pakistani security services with financial support from the Central Intelligence Agency and Britain's MI6.
We immediately launched a twofold process when we heard that the Soviets had entered Afghanistan. The first involved direct reactions and sanctions focused on the Soviet Union, and both the State Department and the National Security Council prepared long lists of sanctions to be adopted, of steps to be taken to increase the international costs to the Soviet Union of their actions.
And the second course of action led to my going to Pakistan a month or so after the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, for the purpose of coordinating with the Pakistanis a joint response, the purpose of which would be to make the Soviets bleed for as much and as long as is possible; and we engaged in that effort in a collaborative sense with the Saudis , the Egyptians, the British, the Chinese, and we started providing weapons to the Mujaheddin, from various sources again — for example, some Soviet arms from the Egyptians and the Chinese. We even got Soviet arms from the Czechoslovak communist government, since it was obviously susceptible to material incentives; and at some point we started buying arms for the Mujaheddin from the Soviet army in Afghanistan, because that army was increasingly corrupt.
The supplying of billions of dollars in arms to the Afghan mujahideen militants was one of the CIA's longest and most expensive covert operations. At least 3 billion in U. Pakistan's secret service, Inter-Services Intelligence ISI , was used as an intermediary for most of these activities to disguise the sources of support for the resistance. Although some sources have claimed that no Americans had direct contact with the mujahideen, [] [] there was recurrent contact between the CIA and Afghan commanders, especially by agent Howard Hart , [] and Director of Central Intelligence William Casey personally visited training camps on several occasions.
Shortly after the intervention, Pakistan's military ruler General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq called for a meeting of senior military members and technocrats of his military government. After the Soviet deployment, Pakistan's military ruler General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq started accepting financial aid from the Western powers to aid the mujahideen. The SSG are widely suspected of participating in Operation Hill , near the Pakistani border where nearly suspected SSG personnel were killed in a futile attempt to assault the Soviet held hill. The theft of large sums of aid spurred Pakistan's economic growth, but along with the war in general had devastating side effects for that country.
The siphoning off of aid weapons, in which the weapons logistics and coordination were put under the Pakistan Navy in the port city of Karachi , contributed to disorder and violence there, while heroin entering from Afghanistan to pay for arms contributed to addiction problems. In retaliation for Pakistan's assistance to the insurgents, the KHAD Afghan security service, under leader Mohammad Najibullah , carried out according to the Mitrokhin Archives and other sources a large number of operations against Pakistan. In , incidents resulted in deaths in Pakistan. In April , an ammunition depot outside the Pakistani capital of Islamabad was blown up killing and injuring more than people.
These attacks are known to have caused at least civilian deaths and extensive damage. Sometimes they got involved in shootings with the Pakistani jets defending the airspace. Pakistan took in millions of Afghan refugees mostly Pashtun fleeing the Soviet occupation. Although the refugees were controlled within Pakistan's largest province, Balochistan under then- martial law ruler General Rahimuddin Khan , the influx of so many refugees — believed to be the largest refugee population in the world [] — spread into several other regions.
All of this had a heavy impact on Pakistan and its effects continue to this day. Pakistan, through its support for the mujahideen, played a significant role in the eventual withdrawal of Soviet military personnel from Afghanistan. During the Sino-Soviet split , strained relations between China and the USSR resulted in bloody border clashes and mutual backing for the opponent's enemies.
China and Afghanistan had neutral relations with each other during the King's rule. When the pro-Soviet Afghan Communists seized power in Afghanistan in , relations between China and the Afghan communists quickly turned hostile. The Afghan pro-Soviet communists supported China's then-enemy Vietnam and blamed China for supporting Afghan anticommunist militants. China responded to the Soviet war in Afghanistan by supporting the Afghan mujahideen and ramping up their military presence near Afghanistan in Xinjiang.
China acquired military equipment from America to defend itself from Soviet attack. The training camps were moved from Pakistan into China itself. Anti-aircraft missiles, rocket launchers and machine guns, valued at hundreds of millions, were given to the mujahideen by the Chinese. Chinese military advisors and army troops were present with the Mujahidin during training. Between December 25, , and February 15, , a total of , [ citation needed ] soldiers served with the forces in Afghanistan though there were only 80,—, serving at one time: A further 21, personnel were with the Soviet troop contingent over the same period doing various white collar and blue collar jobs.
The total irrecoverable personnel losses of the Soviet Armed Forces, frontier, and internal security troops came to 14, During this period servicemen were missing in action or taken prisoner; were later freed, of whom 97 returned to the USSR and 22 went to other countries. Of the troops deployed, 53, were wounded, injured, or sustained concussion and , fell sick. A high proportion of casualties were those who fell ill. This was because of local climatic and sanitary conditions, which were such that acute infections spread rapidly among the troops.
There were , cases of infectious hepatitis , 31, of typhoid fever, and , of other diseases. Of the 11, who were discharged from the army after being wounded, maimed, or contracting serious diseases, 10, men, were left disabled. Material losses were as follows: There have also been numerous reports of chemical weapons being used by Soviet forces in Afghanistan, often indiscriminately against civilians.
Some of the causes of the Soviet Union's withdrawal from Afghanistan leading to the Afghanistan regime's eventual defeat include []. Civilian death and destruction from the war was considerable. Estimates of Afghan civilian deaths vary from , [32] to 2,, In the s, half of all refugees in the world were Afghan. Felix Ermacora , the UN Special Rapporteur to Afghanistan, said that heavy fighting in combat areas cost the lives of more than 35, civilians in , 15, in , and around 14, in Rummel , an analyst of political killings, estimated that Soviet forces were responsible for , democidal killings during the war and that the government of Afghanistan was responsible for , democidal killings.
Rocket attacks on Kabul's residential areas caused more than civilian deaths in according to the UN's Ermacora. Along with fatalities were 1. Irrigation systems, crucial to agriculture in Afghanistan's arid climate , were destroyed by aerial bombing and strafing by Soviet or government forces. In the worst year of the war, , well over half of all the farmers who remained in Afghanistan had their fields bombed, and over one quarter had their irrigation systems destroyed and their livestock shot by Soviet or government troops, according to a survey conducted by Swedish relief experts [].
The population of Afghanistan's second largest city, Kandahar, was reduced from , before the war to no more than 25, inhabitants, following a months-long campaign of carpet bombing and bulldozing by the Soviets and Afghan communist soldiers in A great deal of damage was done to the civilian children population by land mines. Critics of Soviet and Afghan government forces describe their effect on Afghan culture as working in three stages: The Geneva Accords of , which ultimately led to the withdrawal of the Soviet forces in early , left the Afghan government in ruins.
The accords had failed to address adequately the issue of the post-occupation period and the future governance of Afghanistan. The assumption among most Western diplomats was that the Soviet-backed government in Kabul would soon collapse; however, this was not to happen for another three years.
The exclusion of key groups such as refugees and Shias , combined with major disagreements between the different mujahideen factions, meant that the IIGA never succeeded in acting as a functional government. Before the war, Afghanistan was already one of the world's poorest nations. The prolonged conflict left Afghanistan ranked out of in the UNDP's Human Development Index , making Afghanistan one of the least developed countries in the world. The US decided not to help with reconstruction of the country, instead handing the interests of the country over to US allies Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.
Pakistan quickly took advantage of this opportunity and forged relations with warlords and later the Taliban , to secure trade interests and routes. Captain Tarlan Eyvazov, a soldier in the Soviet forces during the war, stated that the Afghan children's future is destined for war. Eyvazov said, "Children born in Afghanistan at the start of the war The swift rise to power, from the young Taliban in , was the result of the disorder and civil war that had warlords running wild because of the complete breakdown of law and order in Afghanistan after the departure of the Soviets.
A total of 3. Of this total, about , were based in the city of Peshawar , while more than 2 million were located in other parts of the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa then known as the North-West Frontier Province. Over the years Pakistan and Iran have imposed tighter controls on refugees which have resulted in numerous returnees. According to scholars Rafael Reuveny and Aseem Prakash, the war contributed to the fall of the Soviet Union by undermining the image of the Red Army as invincible, undermining Soviet legitimacy, and by creating new forms of political participation.
The war created a cleavage between the party and the military in the Soviet Union where the efficacy of using the Soviet military to maintain the USSR's overseas interests was now put in doubt. In the non-Russian republics, those interested in independence were emboldened by the army's defeat. In Russia the war created cleavage between the party and the military, changing the perceptions of leaders about the ability to put down anti-Soviet resistance militarily as it had in Czechoslovakia in , Hungary in , and East Germany in As the war was viewed as "a Russian war fought by non Russians against Afghans", outside of Russia it undermined the legitimacy of the Soviet Union as a trans-national political union.
The war created new forms of political participation, in the form of new civil organizations of war veterans Afghansti which weakened the political hegemony of the communist party. The war did not end with the withdrawal of the Soviet Army. The Soviet Union left Afghanistan deep in winter, with intimations of panic among Kabul officials.
The Afghan mujahideen were poised to attack provincial towns and cities and eventually Kabul, if necessary. Najibullah's government, though failing to win popular support, territory, or international recognition, was able to remain in power until Civil war between the Afghan army and mujahideen continued and about , Afghan civilians had lost their lives in the chaos and civil war of the s. Kabul had achieved a stalemate that exposed the mujahideen's weaknesses, political and military.
But for nearly three years, while Najibullah's government successfully defended itself against mujahideen attacks, factions within the government had also developed connections with its opponents. According to Russian publicist Andrey Karaulov , the main trigger for Najibullah losing power was Russia's refusal to sell oil products to Afghanistan in for political reasons the new Yeltsin government did not want to support the former communists , which effectively triggered an embargo.
Grain production declined an average of 3. During the withdrawal of Soviet troops, Afghanistan's natural gas fields were capped to prevent sabotage. Following the Soviet withdrawal, some of the foreign volunteers including Osama bin Laden 's al-Qaeda [] [] and young Afghan refugees, went on to continue violent jihad in Afghanistan, Pakistan and abroad. Some of the thousands of Afghan Arabs who left Afghanistan went on to become "capable leaders, religious ideologues and military commanders," who played "vital roles" as insurgents or terrorists in places such as Algeria , Egypt, Bosnia and Chechnya.
As many as 35, non-Afghan Muslim fighters went to Afghanistan between and After the Soviets left, training continued and "tens of thousands" from "some 40 nations" came to prepare for armed insurrections "to bring the struggle back home". The man instrumental not only in generating international support but also in inspiring these volunteers to travel to Afghanistan for the jihad was a Palestinian Muslim Brotherhood cleric, Abdullah Azzam.
Touring the Muslim world and the United States, he inspired young Muslims with stories of miraculous deeds, such as mujahideen who defeated vast columns of Soviet troops virtually single-handedly, angels riding into battle on horseback, and falling bombs intercepted by birds. When back in the volunteer camps and training centers that he helped set up around Peshawar, Pakistan, Azzam exercised a "strong influence. The volunteers also influenced each other. Many "unexpected" religious-political ideas resulted from the "cross-pollination" during the "great gathering" of Islamists from dozens of countries in the camps and training centers.
When the Soviet Union fell shortly after their withdrawal from Afghanistan, the volunteers were "exultant", [] believing that—in the words of Osama bin Laden —the credit for "the dissolution of the Soviet Union They eagerly sought to duplicate their jihad in other countries. Three such countries were Bosnia , Algeria and Egypt. In Algeria and Egypt thousand of volunteers returned and fought but were even less successful.
Among the approximately three million Afghan refugees in Pakistan, thousands of children were educated in madrasa boarding schools financed by aid from the US and Gulf monarchies. Since that aid was distributed according to the conservative Islamist ideological criteria of Pakistan's President Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq and Saudi Arabia and ignoring native Afghan traditions , the schools were part of networks of the favored Hizb-e-Islami party and the Pakistan Deobandi.
Cut off from families and local traditions, the madrassa students were "educated to put Deobandi doctrines into action through obedience to the fatwas produced in the madrasses in a spirit of conservatism and religious rigor. But unlike the traditionally non-violent Deobandi, this "hybrid movement" embraced the violence of jihad, and unlike the Islamists of Hizb-e-Islami they were uninterested in "islamizing modernity" of western knowledge or in western knowledge at all.
Blowback , or unintended consequences of funding the mujahideen, was said to have come to the United States in the World Trade Center bombing and the September 11 attacks. His group al-Qaeda, returned to Afghanistan to take refuge with the Taliban after being expelled from Sudan. Commemorating the intervention of December 25, , in December , veterans of the Soviet war in Afghanistan were honoured by the Duma or Parliament of the Russian Federation. On December 25, the lower house of the parliament defended the Soviet war in Afghanistan on the 30th anniversary of its start, and praised the veterans of the conflict.
Differing assessments of the war "mustn't erode the Russian people's respect for the soldiers who honestly fulfilled their duty in implementing tasks to combat international terrorism and religious extremists". Duma member Semyon Bagdasarov Just Russia advocated that Russia had to reject Western calls for stronger assistance to the US-led ISAF -coalition in Afghanistan and also had to establish contacts with the "anti-Western forces"; the Taliban , in case they regain power.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. War between the Soviet Union and Afghan insurgents, War in Afghanistan —present. Part of a series on the. Kabul Shahi — Principality of Chaghaniyan 7th—8th centuries Rashidun Caliphate — Umayyads — Abbasids — Tahirids — Saffarids — Samanids — Ghaznavids — Ghurids before — Seljuks — Khwarezmids — Qarlughids — Ilkhanate — Chagatai Khanate — Khaljis — Karts — Timurids — Arghuns — We believe it would be a fatal mistake to commit ground troops. On the contrary, it would get worse. Our troops would have to struggle not only with an external aggressor, but with a significant part of your own people.
And the people would never forgive such things. Kidnapping and assassination of U. We should tell Taraki and Amin to change their tactics. They still continue to execute those people who disagree with them. They are killing nearly all of the Parcham leaders, not only the highest rank, but of the middle rank, too. Those hopelessly brave warriors I walked with, and their families, who suffered so much for faith and freedom and who are still not free, they were truly the people of God.
List of Soviet aircraft losses during the Soviet—Afghan War. Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan. Afghan refugees and Afghans in Pakistan. Conflict in Afghanistan —present and Civil war in Afghanistan — Soviet war in Afghanistan in popular culture. Afghanistan- Aid, Armies and Empires: Aid, Armies and Empires.
University of Washington Press. Osama bin Laden 'was in routine contact with Pakistan's spy agency ' ". Archived from the original on Retrieved October 2, Congressman whose support for the mujahideen helped force the Soviet Union out of Afghanistan". Council on Foreign Relations. Zbigniew Brzezinski — June 13, Good Guys, Bad Guys.
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Life and Death in the British Secret Service. Retrieved 6 June Vietnam and Afghanistan compared. United States Government Printing Office. Archived from the original PDF on November 3, Katz March 9, Retrieved July 28, Archived from the original on May 25, Retrieved February 15, Grau and Ali Ahmad Jalali vfw. Retrieved 21 September Russia's War in Afghanistan. War, politics and society in Afghanistan, — A tentative estimate for total mujahideen losses in may be in the —, range, with maybe half of them killed.
European Journal of Population. Archived from the original PDF on October 6, Retrieved December 8, Demographic Consequences of War: The Decimation of a People," Orbis Winter, , p. Soviet Intervention in Afghanistan. The Widening Circle of Genocide. During the intervening fourteen years of Communist rule, an estimated 1. These were not battle casualties or the unavoidable civilian victims of warfare. Soviet and local Communist forces seldom attacked the scattered guerrilla bands of the Afghan Resistance except, in a few strategic locales like the Panjsher valley.
Instead they deliberately targeted the civilian population, primarily in the rural areas. The Trail of Political Islam. Soviet war in Afghanistan". Published February 17, Retrieved March 22, Retrieved 1 July Belknap Press of Harvard University Press. The precise figures as well as a description of the mechanics of the aid process are given in Barnett R. Rubin, The Fragmentation of Afghanistan. The Failure of Military Coercion in Afghanistan, —89".
Retrieved 3 October Malaria, which on the eve of Taraki's Communist coup in April was at the point of being eradicated in Afghanistan, had returned with a vengeance, thanks to the stagnant, mosquito-breeding pools caused by the widespread destruction of irrigation systems. Nangarhar [province] was rife with the disease. This was another relatively minor, tedious side effect of the Soviet invasion.
The New York Times. Retrieved 15 July Encyclopedia of the New American Nation. Retrieved 20 February Afghanistan, the bear trap: Retrieved December 22, Review of International Studies. The Fragmentation of Afghanistan. Yale University Press, The Inside Story of the Soviet Withdrawal. Retrieved 4 June From Prague to Kabul: The Soviet Style of Invasion. Soviet Military Intervention in Afghanistan: Afghanistan and the Soviet Union.
Duke Press Policy Studies. The Journal of Slavic Military Studies. Retrieved March 2, How a Superpower Fought and Lost. University Press of Kansas. Political Frailty and External Interference. Archived from the original on April 28, A Military History from Alexander the Great. The Inside Story of the Soviet withdrawal. Oxford University Press, Cordovez, Diego.
The New York Times, Retrieved February 28, Archived from the original on 8 May Death Behind a Keyhole". America's Secret War in Afghanistan, — The Russians in Afghanistan — Orchestrating the Instruments of Power: A Critical Examination of the U. University of Nebraska Press. Madrassahs in South Asia. America's War for the Greater Middle East: Random House Publishing Group.
The Last Days of the American Republic. Henry Holt and Company. Separately, the Pakistani intelligence service was pressing us to provide military equipment to support an expanding insurgency. When Turner heard this, he urged the DO to get moving in providing more help to the insurgents. They responded with several enhancement options, including communications equipment for the insurgents via the Pakistanis or Saudis, funds for the Pakistanis to purchase lethal military equipment for the insurgents, and providing a like amount of lethal equipment ourselves for the Pakistanis to distribute to the insurgents.
A covert action that began six months earlier funded at just over half a million dollars would, within a year, grow to tens of millions, and most assuredly included the provision of weapons. Herat strengthened Brzezinski's argument that the rebels enjoyed indigenous support and merited American help. In April, he relates in his memoirs, 'I pushed a decision through the SCC to be more sympathetic to those Afghans who were determined to preserve their country's independence.
Strictly speaking, one of his aides later told me, it was not an American weapons program, but it was designed to help finance, orchestrate, and facilitate weapons purchases and related assistance by others. The finding permitted the CIA to ship weapons secretly to the mujahedin. Within days of the invasion, President Carter made a series of symbolic gestures to invoke American outrage No longer skittish about a direct American role in providing weapons support to the Afghan resistance, Carter also gave the CIA the green light for an American—orchestrated covert assistance program to be financed in part by congressional appropriations and in part with Saudi Arabian help.
As the president was jogging on February 12, , his press secretary, Jody Powell , interrupted his run to tell him that the Washington Post had a story in the works about the CIA's operation to feed arms to the mujahideen rebels through Pakistan. In short, less than a month after the first arms arrived in Karachi , the secret was about to be published by the media. As Carter noted, the Pakistanis 'would be highly embarrassed.
There were no lethal provisions given to the Afghans before the Soviet invasion. There was a little propaganda, communication assistance, and so on at the instigation of the ISI. But after the Soviet invasion everything changed. The first weapons for the Afghans arrived in Pakistan on the tenth of January, fourteen days after the invasion. Shortly after the invasion, we got into the discussions with the Saudis that you just mentioned.
And then when [William J. The Soviets in Afghanistan". Retrieved April 1, The Cold War — A History. Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. Retrieved 17 April Failure of Intelligence or of the Policy Process? Archived from the original PDF on July 22, The Great War for Civilisation: Islam and resistance in Afghanistan. Foreign Military Studies Office Publications. Retrieved September 15, The Great Game Revisited. National Defense University Press. Penguin Putnam, , p. Retrieved January 9, Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society. University of Pennsylvania Press. US Department of State.
Archived from the original on December 1, Retrieved March 28, Retrieved July 1, Retrieved 5 October The last great call to arms for Muslim fighters was in the s, after the Soviets invaded Afghanistan. About 20, foreign fighters traveled there, most of them from the Gulf states. The Wahhabi Mission and Saudi Arabia. In all, perhaps 35, Muslim fighters went to Afghanistan between and , while untold thousands more attended frontier schools teeming with former and future fighters. Wright, Lawrence, Looming Tower , Knopf, , p.
Condensing the Cold War: Reader's Digest and American Identity. University of Minnesota Press. Retrieved 16 July Phillips, Wall Street Journal, October 1, ". Archived from the original on July 17, The Fragmentation of Afghanistan: State Formation and Collapse in the International System. Retrieved March 29, Phillips, Heritage Foundation Backgrounder No. The Soviet Withdrawal from Afghanistan. Archived from the original PDF on December 25, Retrieved 15 April Michael; Norchi, Charles H. Retrieved 7 January The Soviet Invasion and the Afghan Response, — University of California Press.
The Afghans are among the latest victims of genocide by a superpower. Large numbers of Afghans were killed to suppress resistance to the army of the Soviet Union, which wished to vindicate its client regime and realize its goal in Afghanistan. According to widely reported accounts, substantial programmes of depopulation have been conducted in these Afghan provinces: There is considerable evidence that genocide has been committed against the Afghan people by the combined forces of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan and the Soviet Union.
Incidents of the mass killing of noncombatant civilians were observed in the summer of The dropping of booby traps from the air, the planting of mines, and the use of chemical substances, though not on a wide scale, were also meant to serve the same purpose While military operations in the country were going on, women were abducted. While flying in the country in search of mujahideen, helicopters would land in fields where women were spotted. While Afghan women do mainly domestic chores, they also work in fields assisting their husbands or performing tasks by themselves.
The women were now exposed to the Russians, who kidnapped them with helicopters. By November a number of such incidents had taken place in various parts of the country, including Laghman and Kama. In the city of Kabul, too, the Russians kidnapped women, taking them away in tanks and other vehicles, especially after dark. Such incidents happened mainly in the areas of Darul Aman and Khair Khana, near the Soviet garrisons. At times such acts were committed even during the day.
KhAD agents also did the same. Small groups of them would pick up young women in the streets, apparently to question them but in reality to satisfy their lust: From Flintlocks to Machine Guns. A final weapon of terror the Soviets used against the mujahideen was the abduction of Afghan women. Soldiers flying in helicopters would scan for women working in the fields in the absence of their men, land, and take the women captive. Russian soldiers in the city of Kabul would also steal young women. The object was rape, although sometimes the women were killed, as well.
The women who returned home were often considered dishonored for life. Retrieved 6 January Retrieved December 5, Encyclopedia of the Cold War, Volume 1. Casting a Shadow of Terror. How Pakistan Negotiates with the United States: Riding the Roller Coaster.
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US Institute of Peace Press. Rise of the Vulcans: The History of Bush's War Cabinet. Kaplan, Soldiers of God: With Islamic Warriors in Afghanistan and Pakistan , p. The Wars of Afghanistan: The Haqqani Nexus, Scott 3 July Understanding Congressional Foreign Policy Entrepreneurs. Retrieved 24 July Retrieved March 27, The world's largest single refugee group". Archived from the original on July 11, Retrieved May 14, China's Muslim Borderland illustrated ed. Combat Losses and Casualties in the Twentieth Century.
Retrieved 21 October The Soviet—Afghan War — So, I immediately stop listening. I go to the library and the librarian tells me about this great new true story mystery novel arriving soon. I place a hold for it. I read the jacket and set it aside for later. I get all cozy and crack open the book and start to read. Guess where the mystery is centered: My sister buys me chocolate as a gift. I open the package and the name of he chocolate company is named after THAT city. I could go one like this for quite some time.
You get the picture. Is God really telling me to pick up my life and move to a huge crime ridden city where my ex lives and if he is WHY? I liked that ministry but not enough to want to move there. I looked into cities on the opposite coast and started lifting them up in prayer to God. He breaks in my thoughts or someone does with THAT city.
On another front, at the same time, I was unemployed for almost three years. I wanted to work in the IT field and had no background to do so. God gets me into IT! There is no reason I should be in this job other than God put me here. I know that for a fact. I made a huge splash by quickly becoming the highest performer. I am not bragging. I was literally an accidental success. The only thing I will say is that God always reminded me at every new job to work unto all thing as though working unto the Lord.
I wanted to do well and I wanted to honor God by not cheating my employer by working hard and trying to do a good job. Well then I got attacked by people who started saying I was cheating. One of my coworkers posted a nasty message about me on a work related website and has recruited a bunch of her friends at work to constantly nit pick me. Now this same girl is having her family and friends call our work and ask for me and pretend to be customers. I start to help them and they call me names, hang up, etc. My supervisor is aware of it and tries to help but it continues. He spread it all over to the whole company and now people make fun of me.
Plus my ex lives there now. Please pray for me. It might dispel some doubts you have about God or it might not. Either way, I hope it helps. God never said no to your prayer to heal and restore your relationship — this is how He has chosen to do it. By allowing all that your relationship was to be destroyed, He was able to work on both of you in order to make that relationship what He wanted it to be. He may now be calling you to step back into it.
The two of you can get to know each other all over again, with the right mindset this time. God does that sort of thing all the time. I could offer many examples, but just consider His call to Jonah. Jonah really, really did not want to go to Nineva to preach repentance. God wanted him to do exactly that thing. The thing to take back to God in prayer at this point is whether or not He is calling you to build a new relationship with your ex after all.
If He is pushing you as hard as you say He is, and potentially moving your ex as well, it is entirely reasonable that He is guiding and calling you. God has given us the Holy Spirit as a guide and a comforter. In this way, you cannot be misled by deviant activity trying to pull you back into a possibly toxic relationship — I dont know the dynamic of yours.
First and foremost, though, the decider would be whether or not your ex is a Christian…not by birth, but by rebirth, and whether he is a faithfull servant of God. If he is not, it is not of God. I know it has been hard. Most of us on here have a story. You are set for great things in what God is entrusting and building up in you. Even now, in your discouragement, you are an encouragement — already being used by Him. Stay strong, my sister. GOD would never ever make you be with someone that your heart does not love.
Just stick close to god.. HE is making you into an overcomer!!! I felt the need to reply to you because your story reminded me so much of me. Without trying to be harsh or critical, the only thing I can say to you is have Faith.. He wants us to surrender to him. My point of pain and frustration was so deep that it took me to a level I had never been before.
He will bring us to the brink of feeling like there is nothing left in order for us to give up our independence and to rely completely in him. God may be simply using him as a tool to lead you to your destination of greater joy. I have learned to accept anything that comes my way. Pain, suffering, back stabbing, criticism, all of it, are simply tests of our faith. His way and no other way. Many prayers for you.. I try to turn to our Lord before making decisions and reciting and remembering Proverbs 3: However if this passage does not touch your heart then I recommend turning to the Word of God to find your answer.
As followers of Jesus Christ the road is not easy. Let God guide you and forgive which is very hard to do sometime. I had to let my ex go but only by the grace of God are my 3 children with me along with our house. Several means of safely getting on dry land were offered to him but he said No to them all and stated he was waiting on God to save him. This is truly just a thought. Remember, search your heart as you study Proverbs 3: Relax and listen to Him. Hi Cristal, I just wanted to remind you of something God said in the Bible.
He talked about those who follow Him will go through persecution, you should feel honored. Paul was beheaded for obeying God. John saw visions while exiled just because he was listening to his Savior. God actually calls us to step out of our comfort zone. Who knows what kind of blessings are waiting for you. He will direct your path, just follow it. God is still GOD even in the dry places. I went from working a full time job and a part-time job, attending college, and playing sports, to being unemployed, dropping out of school unofficially for the second time, being injured in a automobile accident and not being able to endure the stress of working, being disenfranchised of my rights both at school and work, all while no one seemed to care except me.
Being action oriented i sought avenues for redemption but most importantly i sought god. In standing for righteousness, i lost everything GOD blessed me with and everything i worked hard for during the past five years of my life. Im tired, frustrated, weak, seeking god every day. But if i could encourage anyone here including myself.
GOD has not forgotten and he speaks through me as i type this message.
Before all of this occurred, i had an encounter with GOD through another person and GOD showed me in a vision and gave me a promise. Broken and still waiting. Still seeking him and still waiting. I just pray that i dont lose hope and that neither of you all will either. God Bless you all.!!! Hey Kim Just said a prayer for you.
Remain faithful and know that like Paul, your sufferings are not in vain. The first year I had to work full time and take a few courses each semester. Although, I tend to eat my problems away every since middle school. I just eat my pain away since I have nothing to do, nor look forward to.
I go to class everyday, come home to eat and sit in front of the tv- losing motivation to do work and procrastinating and doing things at the last minute. I feel so lost, even I pray 2x or More a day since god have had a good connection since I was very young , read Joyce Meyers books and such. Though nothing seems to work. I can also only work so much, or my financial aid will be taken away. However, God is good I managed to keep a 3. All is really bad now, and I cry everyday so very hard.
Church these days are pushing out the kids in my generation, although I do believe in God, Jesus and Christ and never will let go. Overall, I just never imagined my mother and our lives being like this. I feel so depressed and alone. I even thought to end my life. Life has been incredibly hard for me and my mother. Hi Brittany, Glory to God for your authentic testimony. I understand your situation I had been through many valleys. I can hear the conflict of the desires of your flesh versus the desires of your spirit man.
That you give into your fleshly desires. The devil took everything away from Job and his own wife told him to curse God and even his friends told him to give up because it seemed hopeless. Walk away from overeating to comfort yourself, walk away from just wanting to be leave the house this is where God has placed you right now at this point.
I know that its hard trust me, I know the flesh is very strong. Brittany i am going to lift you in prayer…stay encouraged. First off, know that God loves you, so very dearly! You are precious to Him! I know that right now you feel like life is ending, that the world is crashing around you, and that there is no hope in this world to be found, but know that beyond what you can see, God has a glorious plan for you. We found only one doctor who could help us. My mom was so sick, it was a good day when she had energy to brush her hair.
Because of this all of the housework and cooking fell onto my older sister 20 at the time and myself. When I was 13 we got evicted from our home that I had lived in my whole life, till then. We had never been wealthy, and my father made poor financial decisions most of the time. Yet through all of my life and during these struggles, God let me know that He is always there, and Brittney, He is there for you!
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We ended up borrowing a 15ft long camping trailer from someone at a church we used to go to. Looking for cheep rent, we moved to a missionary campus for Bible translators and lived in the RV park there. The verse that God showed me so very often through this was Romans 5: Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.
The best way I can explain this is like while we were moving. It was just me and my dad loading things onto the truck while my sister and mom packed boxes. Late nights, little sleep, tons of stress and worry, and lots of physical labor—suffering. But even though my back hurt and I was tired I learned that I could keep going regardless of that; God gave me strength and endurance. The moving added to my character because I am now really good at moving. This brings me joy because I help people move a lot now and I know how to help them. Which also ties in with 2 Corinthians 1: God will take you through things that are hard so He can refine you.
God is like a gardener, and us like His trees. He will cut away the weak limbs to help make you healthy and stronger, able to soar above the things that stopped you before in life so that you can overcome them, help others, get closer to God, better trust Him, end up in a blessed place and because of these further glorify Him. Like when we moved to the missionary campus, I started going to a youth group for the missionary kids there. That day we read Romans 1: Could God forgive me though I fail Him?
Could He really not condemn me? I opened up to the group about what I was going through and was met with compassion and love. Through the months of battling over this God continued to show me how beloved we His children are. One night in particular I was feeling upset about the hardships I had gone through. But it was hard not being able to go to my mom during the evictions because she was too ill to take more stress.
Through it I was worried about everything: I felt like I had to be a grown up. I stopped caring, because if I cared I would just get hurt again, and I was already so hurt. So this night the pain was revisiting me I felt like God wanted me to read my Bible. I open it and come across the death of Lazarus. I would read the whole story if I were you, it really helped me: I know what pain you feel!
I see your tears my child! But let us go to him. I had just gone through it, I knew exactly how she felt! Not only could I say that I understood her, but I also had been given all these scriptures of truth that could help her out of it. This gave me the upmost joy! That was why I went through this, I was to be a mouthpiece of His love to her.
Also from what God showed me I now have hope for the next hardship, because I know that God will turn it into something good. When God takes you through something hard, trust Him.
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It is really for a better and greater reason. To bridge that gap between us. He knows how you feel, trapped in darkness, the world against you, drowning without light. But know that light will soon flood your life! The goodness of God will come before you and you will see His plan soon. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. But even better, compare hardship to the rest of our lives, which is forever and eternal since we know Christ as our Savior.
In this world you will have trouble. I have overcome the world. Because we moved to the missionary campus, my dad got a job with them and they pay more than his last job did. We are now in an apartment. My mom was able to answer those and he is now a Christian! While traveling with my dad for his new job, I met a boy who God told me to witness to. He was homeless and his mom was sick. I was able to help him through his hardships, share the Gospel with him and even give him a Bible.
Finally, you do not have to go through this alone. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. Also, during my own troubles I also considered taking my own life. Know that you are completely and totally unique. No one can fill your shoes, no one can replace you. Trust that God has your life, and your steps planned. Know that I am praying for you my dear sister in Christ, and will ask those I know to pray for you as well.
You will get through this! All that I have shared about hardships in this message, I have learned through my own hardships, and now I am able to, I pray, help you. Let me act as living proof of the good work God does through hardship if you trust and obey Him. If you are having a hard time trusting Him or having a hard time with anything you need, know that you can go to God for whatever you need, and He will be willing to help you according to His righteousness! I pray that you come out on the other side of these troubles with much reason to rejoice. I pray that you grow closer to God and stronger in your faith because of this.
I pray that peace, joy, and love abound in your heart and mind, and wherever you go. Just like in Philippians 4: And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Remember that you are loved by God! Much love and prayers. I know right where you are with the nothing- to- look- forward- I- dread- life kinda thing.
I also know the no- guys- want- me kinda thing. One thing that really helped me is helping others. When we take the focus off ourselves and our own problems, we realize just how much God has truly blessed us with. Living a life of humility is truly the best way to reflect the best opinion of God to others. Let God know how your feeling. He wants to here it from you. Let God be your best friend. I hope this helps, and God loves you girl. No but I do believe he is doing a work in me — to accomplish what, I do not know. What I do know is that this season has been painful, confusing, growing….
The past year just a nightmare and to open the new year thinking it was over and it was just starting. In me and my wife was having a very rough patch in our lives. It was to the point where I almost sought after child custody, but instead decided to go a different route and work things out. Shortly after our debacle my mother was re-diagnosed with cancer and no greater fear than hearing that brought the most pain knowing that she might not be here to make it.
Later in the year I find out I am having a son and the news was awesome, but just like clockwork another tragedy struck and that was that my mother was admitted to the hospital due to cancer attacking her brain and her skull protruding. I left my job to go down and visit with her as what I thought to be her power of attorney only to be denied by my mother and rejected by her. I left the hospital even more disgruntled and in pain. I traveled back to my home in Colorado to just be even more welcomed by more tragedy. The company I managed store closed and I was laid off and now with little to no money, job searches coming up great but not providing an immediate solution being their commission based solely and time winding down; with no way to pay rent, lease is up next month, car note bill is coming and my son is due next month.
I just pray and continue to pray that God somehow will make a way out of no way.
I have been looking for work and actively going out with little to no gas and so far time is against me. Been on so many interviews and applied to more than I have and still do feel at times left out, unwanted and I look around and see others prosper — some in the worse way. I felt that God was leading me to let some things go and I did and I stopped doing somethings and it seems like my situation got worse…. I pray, pray, pray, study his word, etc. These past few years have been some of the toughest times in my life. Drug addict parents and no support system, the only thing that kept me going and motivated was my siblings and GOD took that away from me when I had sooo much faith!!!!
Did God give up on me because I turned my back on him when my brother was tooken out of my life, is he not understanding of my pain and struggle On a daily? How do you keep faith when life has been dramatic from birth. How do I forgive others for taking my family, or parents for letting go of there own children? Never questioned my faith before like I do now. How much do you have to go through till God gives you a break! Tashonda losing a love one can be very hard and be very sad and during the process of grieving you have a lot of emotions you must relinquish.
Nothing wrong with that because God already knows this. But God is not one that will just do bad things to us He is a loving God and He loved us so much that he gave us his only son. But God knew all these things would take place in your life including you your parents work the job you will have an even the life of your brother but he also knows that greatness is in you you just have to fulfill your purpose sometimes there is pain during the process of us being made whom he will have us to be.
God just used them to get you here. Do the enemy make you fill like you made a mistake And the reason why I say this is because i was working on a job that I like for two years because it was paying my truck note and my pastor came to me and offered me to be his assistant at the church because I was only making 20 hours a week at Toysrus in a way i know God has great things for me so keep me in your prayers on the right decision.
He has allowed whats good in me to flourish for a reason. Im getting the sense that the lord is preparing me for his purpose. I have had good and bad during this season but mainly restless not knowing if i am doing the right thing. I just keep waiting…. So take some time by yourself and just let go and talk to God like you would a friend and at the end of it tell Him that you give all your situations your in to Him and lay it down.
You have to let His Will be done and not yours. The last few years of my life has been hell. The worse of the worse could have took place. Because my emotion are so deep and caring for others, they took advantage of me financially, sexually, and emotionally. I started to believe it was nothing but pure love. But it was lies, manipulation, deceitful, evil, cruel, jealousy, etc….. I did some research on his behavior and realized that he was a sociopath, psychopath, narcissistic scumbag. Well both guys had the same tendencies to use other people.
This last guy tried to destroy my marriage. I feel like I woke up out of this nightmare and came to my senses. One thing happened after another, good things…. I was slowly but surely getting him out of my life. The final straw was putting a restraining order on him Sometimes, this horrible act still haunts me, I have feelings of guilt and regret. So I am asking for prayers, please pray for me. After this happen to me I got baptized and surrendered my whole life to Christ. I pray everyday for reconcileition for my husband and I.
Similar things happen to men too, it happened to me! The thing that concerns me is the woman I believe God has shown me has a similar issue, a grown child strongly influencing her and using her! God bless you and prayers for you! I thank God for your testimony irene…. In , god gave me the strength to end a miserable relationship that I was in. It lasted for almost a year. Mark that I started to grow lonely. Then after about 9 mos. I met this guy on line…. I allowd him to use me up sooo bad that I ended up falling into serious debt.
I almost lost everything…. This was my first experience with verbal abuse…Then once I was able to break away from that, this guy at my job had been watching me for several months and he finally approached me. We dated for about 4 months. He was so good to me then all of the sudden, he started acting strange. I broke down crying at work in the bathroom. I began to ask the Lord to make me over!!! I asked him to use me for his glory. I want to be able to help other women who have been hurt like me.
I want to be able to teach young women how to protect their precious jewels…. For Several years I have gone through financial hardships. I am always in bad dept from the bank and friends and work place. My wife is always sickly. I earn my salary and it is gone in repaying the dept have and even still carry forward more bad dept. Recently I got a new job yet it is stressing that sometimes I feel I made a mistake. But one thing I have learn t is to to continue trusting in God for he is my fortress and my refuge. I know God is preparing me for greater things.
My God give me the strength to move on and overcome. I know that God is at work in my life. I have been through so much pain, but I want to please Him in all I do. I appreciate your thoughts and prayers. May God Bless you abundantly! Hey britt , just an update, from my opinion that signs came flashing down on me recent days and as ur a believer i shall share with my knowledge of thoughts i believe are my rights to help for the Glory of God. I finaly came to a conclusion on what those signs realy meant. All am certain of for now is to stay strong and prepare for anything.
God will send you these clues just listin and be patient. Then spread it out when its time. Year of the whirlwind. I have been let down by God, and my heart and faith is shattered. I really really hope someone can give some encouragement or even proof testimony of how Trusting God was even good. Since when did he care? Jonathan, I understand how you must be feeling. God put me thru seasons that I had not planned on going thru because I had lived my life through my devotion to my marriage, church, children, profession and community.
I thought because I lived this way and Jesus was in my heart that bad things would not affect my life.. Bad things are going to happen in life period!!! This incident happened over 15 years ago. I love The Lord and he is my salvation. My life has completely changed. I have gone thru divorce, domestic violence, homelessness, isolation, sin…but when The Lord really has your heart that of which you gave him..
Depend on HIM, not You! He wants to lead your life. I hear you Jonathon and my heart breaks for you. I think I was once a where you are now. Too scared to trust God with everything because he takes away more than he gives? With him we suffer more than we thrive? We lose in life more than we win? These used to be my beliefs of God. Funnily enough, total surrender has actually come through much heartbreak, similar to what April has said. If God had not allowed me to get to that breaking point in my life, I would still have been a little too independent of God for his power to be seen in me.
The immensity of how powerful he is and how extravagantly he loves us cannot be grasped by us or seen by others until we depend, surrender and trust — completely. Easy to say, hard to do, I know. He knows what he can accomplish in us and for us and he so longs for us to experience his incredible supernatural power every day of our lives. And so God directs our steps in such a way that we finally get to a place of complete dependence on him, much like a drowning swimmer grabs on to their rescuer for dear life.
Then you will find your rest. Then he can show you who he really is and the things he wants to do for you that you could never dream up yourself. But even so, I pray God will use these words speak to you. Julie, your post was written for Jonathon, but meant for myself and others as well. I call myself a newbie or infant in my relationship with the Lord. It is so very confusing at times as I try to understand how this whole relationship thing works.
Throughout my life most of the relationships I have had with friends, men and even family has caused me great heartache and to have a distrust of all relationships. So much so, that for the past almost twenty years the wall I built around my heart was solid. I just went through the motions each day going to work and living.
Some times were harder than others with medical and financial issues. I made it through those times with the help of family, of course, but also God. Not because I prayed, but because I had the prayers of other people in my life. Last year I met a young man through work. Certainly the last person I would ever think that would lead me to the Lord as I am almost 20 years his senior. But, that is exactly what he did.
Talking about work led to more personal conversations and friendship and God. I now go to his bible study group and he is a dear friend. I have come to realize that God puts people in your life for a reason and if we can open ourselves up enough, we will see that. I now have a handful of people that God has blessed me with to help me along in my journey. The hardest part of this whole journey is opening myself up enough and just trusting. Completely trusting and depending on and surrendering to Him. Giving God the control instead of myself. I am still working on that part. My life is already better than it was six months ago.
This is the first time I have visited this website. Reading your wonderful response to Jonathon really struck me and I knew it was meant for me as well. Thank you so very much for your words of love and support. I have never written a response to anything online before. Maybe what I have written will help someone else at some point. May God bless you and keep you safe, bring the wisdom of his Word to those mentoring and being mentored, and that the knowledge that Jesus loves you is a totally awesome feeling! So far, a year later I have had people speak on behalf of God for me.
I do miss being happy and my old life, but whatever God wants so I can stand before him and make it. But, if this is what he wants no complaints. Being single and traveling works for me. He made me reply for a reason which now has opened my eyes even more. Keep believing on the one and Only God. Dont keep your guards down. Raise your family on stronger path. If u really believe, you shall find out what ive found out and be ready for the events.
Believe in the abilities and capabilities plus talents he left in you. A Good choice makes you happy. A Bad one gives you a the horrible vibe. Trusting him is like handing over your rights and doing what the scriptures tell you too. To trust in him is to learn to trust yourself too,.
Know the origin of the trial and be honest about it. Was the trial a result from your lack of knowledge, a pre-meditated sin, poor decision-making etc on your part? Or is it to serve as a learning experience for you to help someone else down the road? Is your letdown and heartbreak of God based on not getting it ever or not getting it right now?
I know how you feel and am going through myself right now. Its up to us to accept it. We just wait to see what EACH day will bring. I used to dislike a lot when people would tell me things like this, it was my pride and stubbornness. I feel I have been in the valley for too long. I recently lost my fiance…we would have been married in March or my hope was on hi upcoming birthday. He proposed on mine so it was only fitting to take our vows on his. I finally found the man I have hoped for.. There were so many things going on that needed attending. All he wanted was a loving wife and companion.
His death was sudden and I am nit handling things welll. One thing I have become aware of is that I seemed to become interested in reading of religioys material and listening to religious songs. I sit and hear these songs as if they are being sent to me as a message from him…… and….. I am dealing with a major surgery and recovery is really tough and I miss the love and support he gave and would give had he been here.
For that I thank the Lord……. I am thankful for the 15 months we shared. I am lost though…. Maybe a few prayers and words would help. Carol, I wish that I could meet you in person, hold your hand and pray with you. But I am thankful that God can send you just what you need. Wait upon the Lord. The 23rd Psalm says that he restores our soul. He will do this for you, because he is a faithful God who loves you perfectly.
May he also send you friends and believers to come along side to bring encouragement and comfort. The valley is not a pain free place, but God has a purpose. I know my times in the valley, I want to see and know what is going on and what God is doing, but, trust and obey is usually the way he leads me. May God bring you hope this day to fight the good fight.
A friend in Christ………………Francine. I said a prayer for you immediately. Since a month has past I sure hope you have leaned more on our Lord and able to find some peace, but strength also. Francine gave some wonderful words of encouragement. I sure hope some family or friends have been able to also surround you with love and help in your recovery. Trust in the Lord always, for He is good. His love endures forever! Yes I truly do believe this whole heartily. I purchased a new business almost 1 year to the tee. I was just about ready to throw in the towel due to funds running very low, and I new deep down inside that God had a plan for me.
However I can tell you I did in fact start to loose faith. But the wonderful people that were around me and the people that I had to deal with who tried very hard to keep me grounded and tell me that good things will come my way and they did. You will open my eyes to things I would never have seen in this life time and lessons will be taught to me. So please try and never give up hope because God does hear our prayers and we need to instill patience, that was very hard for me. Carol my heart goes out to you dear one!
You are not alone and I will pray for you. So glad you found love like that…it will remain with you always!!! Everyone was so happy! The son was so sad and broken for quite awhile. But then a new love came into his life and now they are getting married. I certainly have no answers as to why life happens the way that it does…why bad things happen to good people…but God is still good and in time I believe you will find love again and you will find peace and happiness again.
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Hang in there…trust in the Lord…when He brings you to it, He will bring you through it. This past few weeks ive been given sign in which now i trully feel like i know why now, is to help people and to remind them that everything happends for a reason. I lost my mom when i was 7 years old , then my step mom when i was 17… It has made my life hard but grew strong from it.
I am led by him. Prepare youself for upcomming events stay strong cause when it comes it will be swiftly. We will unify or prevent it but will have to do something about it for the Glory. Subject as a matter to discuss on net but hopefully God will wisper it so that u can tell your fellow people too and so we can help each other to help us all. We come across so many in our ministry who give up on God through the troubles because if He really loved them and His Word is true, He would be the ever-present help in time of trouble Psalm It is no comfort to know that the One with the power to rescue you stands by and does nothing to relieve your pain.
We see way too many give up on Him. I try to read the Acts of the Apostles when this feeling comes over me; it helps put everything in perspective. I am learning neither to look back nor forward, but to just stay in the present day as if it were the only day I have. We cry, He cries, we laugh, He laughs.
As a parent, its not always good to jump in and help a child. But kid will walk eventually. I pray every day to just know where to put one foot in front of the other and that soon my journey on this earth will come to an end. I pray that the Lord will renew your strength and give you his joy. He has work for you to do here that only you can do. Volunteer if you are able, encourage people over the phone and online if you can.
Focus on blessing other people and God will pour out his blessings on you! I am praying that the presence of the Lord is felt greatly by you and you are filled with the power and wonder of the Holy Spirit! Wow, this is actually the subject of a book and workshop I am writing right now. I went through a very difficult season in and came out determined to believe that God has a plan for restoration, provision and destiny , even if I could not see it with my eyes. Here is my intro: Dear Susie…Thank you for your encouraging post.
I am going through the results of a fall when I fractured my upper shoulder…. I have found whenever hard situations happen, God sometimes is trying to get my attention. And I just want him to have full control of my life. I do not have a sense of how God is using my circumstances to a greater calling, in fact, I feel like I have died and no longer live, just exist.
Two other seasons of my life I also went through extreme circumstances and the Lord pulled me through them in unusual ways, but as I enter my seventh year of this particular season I have no dreams left and feel that I have used up the talents God gave me in the prior seasons. My dream right now is to have me doctor tell me that I have an advanced stage of cancer or any other disease that cannot be cured and that I only have a month or so left.
Things will get better in time! Can I say, that you might be right where God intends you to be, yes to die.. You see you are being used, not even knowing so right now, God has given you a great purpose in life to accomplish all he has for you. I will pray for you!! Mary, I could have written this myself. Thanks for sharing your comments and thank you, Gary. I needed to hear that. I am glad to meet you, and wish you well with this lesson, too.
The people that make it through this lesson have awesome testimony, which encourages me to hold on a little longer. Things may take time but keep your head up and just pray. Ashely and Mary Ch, Your comments affected me so deeply that they brought tears to my eyes. I have felt so much in despair lately. I do know that God will see us through all our darkest days or years even… They may not seem temporary while we are in the middle of these times of despair, but they are. God is faithful and will never leave us even when we have almost given up on ourselves.
He has brought me through too many awful times to not know deep within my soul that He will bring me through time and time again. He never gives up and will give us strength and peace even when all we want to do is escape from our pain. Hold on tight and just Trust. Thank you for your analogy about God giving his strongest soldiers the toughest battles because He knows they can overcome them. I thank God for you guys and feel not so alone right now because of you both.
Thank you for all the prayers. I am not giving up but cannot get past the scared and sick feeling. Have waited 7 yrs for a job to no avail. What a great word of encouragement for me in this season as I walk through this valley! I know what I need to do. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.
We have been praying and working while we wait for Him to fulfill it. In that time I have seen Him work in us and refine us more than I could have ever imagined possible. I am thankful that God never wastes time! God has been speaking to me about humbleness, and I believe it involves being secure with your relationship with God so much so that whatever is required of you, you are at peace. I am finally living out the position that I have been preparing for all of my life. In it, I have found every day that there is a choice: Be overwhelmed, or surrender each and every decision to Christ.
I am thankful and am praying to be more.
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I am surrendered and am taking steps to let go of more. Reading your prayers and others helps me feel that I am part of the greater Christian community that is doing the same. He loves me too much to leave me as I was. They have softened me and strengthened me all at the same time. Thanks for your blog post today on Facebook. It really jumped out at me and spoke to my heart. Norman, Why would you feel useless to God, because of a breakup? A beautiful reminder that to whom much is given much is required.
Obedience is better than sacrifice. Patience is a virtue. Thanks for the reminder. This is so timely in my season right now. And a conversation I just had with a dear friend tonight. Thank you for this God whisper.