In the past four months, I have heard these true stories from the people involved - none are 2nd hand tellings, each has personally told me their story:
B & T's teen-age son tried to commit suicide. He told his mother, "Mom, you have no idea how rough it is in school these days."
R & S's 20-something daughter is an alcoholic. She was nearly killed in an horrific accident recently. She has lost two jobs. She gets sober for awhile, but can't maintain it for long.
M & M's son returned early from his mission to Germany. He admitted to his mother what she had long suspected...he was gay, which in itself was not the bitter cup, but that he was abandoning his faith to embrace the gay lifestyle.
C's husband lost his job. He was the top salesman in the company and earned a great salary. The firing came totally out of the blue.
J's husband has been addicted to pornography since he was 13 years old. His father mortgaged his home to send the adult son/father of 4 to a very expensive recovery program costing over $40,000 for one week of treatment.
Each of these couples has/is facing major issues that have caused pain, heartache, sorrow. And yet, each of these five couples can be seen on a weekly basis in their LDS congregations. Each of these couples demonstrates - to me - the power of forgiveness, hope, and most of all FAITH.
I admire them for their courage, their honesty, their openness, their goodness, and their commitment to family and the future.
I am also, once again, reminded how each of us walks a path that is often marked with difficulties, but there is forever hope in the power of the Atonement of Christ.
The sun continues to rise each day and bring that hope to us all.
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