A place to find Hope

Category: suicide

We Need Strong Prayer to Survive in This World

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Prayer is very powerful. Things can happen when you Pray. Daniel from the Bible is a shining example of that. He was thrown in a den of lions, and his strong prayer for help from God was answered, by calming the lions and they did not kill him

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Have you had to pray for something and God answered you? I have.

In 2001 I was sitting in my Ford Explorer in a highschool parking lot. I was contmeplating ending my life. I finally cried out to God, “I can’t take this anymore. Please help me!” Instantly I felt much clamer, and felt that God was there with me. My life changed completely that day. I went home and wrote my first book called, Signs of Hope: Ways to Survive in a Not so Friendly World. It won a national award.

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How about you? Have you been struggling? Does the world seem to be spinning too fast for you?

PRAY!

God listens. God answers. It may not be the answer you wanted, but God does what He feels is best for you.

Never take on the not so friendly world alone. Lean on God.

There is no authority on this earth that should dictate to you. God is your authority.

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never, ever, gve up!

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I was Suicidal Until God was With me.

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I told you yesterday that I had my first physical therapy for getting better balance. Well, something I had to do during the therapy injured my back. Now I am a lame duck. I will have to heal before I can go back.

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One of the things we most fear is that we are alone on this world. We feel isolated, and lost. We do not know where to go for help.

David in the Old Testament felt that way. He was suppose to be king, but Saul had other ideas. Saul was trying to find David and kill him. David ran and hid. He lived in caves, for fear he would be found and killed.

What a terrible existence.

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Have you been lost and fearful? Have you felt there was nowhere to turn to?

You certainly are not alone. Many of us have felt that fear of being alone. We have felt there was nowhere to turn to.

Let me share some thoughts that I think will give you hope and comfort.

  1. God is near in times of need. He can take care of all your worries and fears.
  2. God is sufficient in the times of need. He is capable of handling all your burdens.
  3. You need to be saying, God is mine in my time of greatest need.

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Never think you are alone. Never think God has forsaken you. He loves you and wants the best for you. You are His child.

I was alone and lost in the year 2001. I was ready to end my life. Then I realized that God was right there with me. That gave me peace and comfort. I made it through that day, and I am here today talking to you.

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up!

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Do We Really Need to Go to Church to be Christians?

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It’s Monday, and I am suppose to dread the thought of it, but I am retired and every day is like Saturday to me. I put in my time, and now I am enjoying every day.

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Things are still in a turmoil in our country.

The rioting has spread. The pandemic is at a all time high, and we STILL do not know who our next president will be.

It is hard, at best, to be optimistic during this time. I am stubborn and will not let the dark side put out my light of hope, who is Jesus.

He is with each of us every day, 24/7. Never wavering. Never forsaking, never turning his back on us.

That gives me tremendous comfort. When I am down and depressed, He is there to take my hand and give me hope.

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I was told by someone that they don’t go to church.

I asked why? They said they are a Christian, but don’t feel they need to meet every week with other Christians. They feel they can make it on their own.

Dr. Phil might ask, “How is that working for you?”

I can not separate myself from the church. Right now I can only be at church through an online set-up, But I am refreshed and ready to take on another week.

Just being there, hearing the songs, and listening to my pastor reassuring me, makes the whole world different to me.

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Another thing I have been doing is talking to God every day.

I thank His Son for dying for me on the cross, and then I got through my list of family and friends I pray for. I even pray for our national and local governments.

I do this every day. I love my family and friends, and I love my country. I seek God’s wisdom to guide us all through the storms.

Things don’t seem to be going the way we would like it, but God is in charge and He never makes mistakes.

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How are you doing?

Is there a lot of turmoil in your life as well? Do you wonder what is going to happen to you in the future?

There is millions of people with you in the same boat. Many are clinging on for dear life. Some are ready to give up. The suicide rate is sky rocketing during these times.

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Don’t let the world dictate to you what you should fear. Jesus said, “Fear not.” He will be there for you during the good times and the bad times.

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all….Never, ever, give up!

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What Are The Things You Are Thankful For?

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I was sitting here wondering what I was thankful for, and what I had trouble with in my life. Complete opposites and yet we have them every day.

The Thing(s) I am thankful for is long, but here are a few:

  1. My family.
  2. I do not have the COVID-19 virus.
  3. I am working hard on my health by walking a lot.
  4. My church.
  5. That God is with me 24/7.
  6. Friends.
  7. Books to read.
  8. God’s glorious mountains and valleys.
  9. I still have my breath that God gives me.
  10. Naps!

I have many more, but you get the picture. Now about things I have trouble with:

  1. Procrastination.
  2. Not enough communication with others.
  3. Not going on walks enough.
  4. Motivation, at times.

There are others, but I really need to work on these first.

How about you?

Make your list and be glad, plus work on your list that you are having trouble with.

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Another day of wondering what is going to happen in our world. So much to consider. The Pandemic, rioting, debates, wild fires, and facing each day.

So, what can we do to survive?

I have my own list I have for me, so I will share some with you:

  1. 99% of what we worry about never happens. Give the rest to God.
  2. There will always be storms, but then the Son.
  3. There are some things you can’t control, let them go.
  4. Be sure to tell your children you love them every day.
  5. Never let someone else tell you who you are.
  6. Smile at everyone you see. They will often smile back. A win, win.
  7. Check with your neighbors to see if they are Ok.
  8. Have family time at you house at least once a week, Everyday would be better.
  9. Love others as yourself. (Jesus)
  10. Never, ever, give up!

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I was thinking (gives me a headache) about my new book coming up. I haven’t told you much about it here. If you want more information about it go to: http://www.dougbolton.com. There I share daily updates on how it is going.

I have a publisher who is very interesting, and I am almost done. It will be called, “Signs of Hope for the Military: In and Out of the Trenches of Life.” It reaches out to those veterans who may be suffering from PTSD, TBI, depression, anxiety, Lost buddies, or war wounds.

At the other site I have been sharing interviews I have been having with veterans. Some are WWII veterans. Those interviews are gut wrenching. Every one of them. If you are a veteran, please check out the site and subscribe. It will give you hope and peace, Plus you will get every post sent right to your in box.

The reason I am writing the book is that 22 veterans, or current service people are taking their own lives every day. Yes, I said every day. Hopefully this book will help them in some way.

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up!

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We Need to Pray About Our Fears to Stop Panic

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WE NEED TO PRAY RIGHT NOW

Thre no way to avoid it, we are in troubling times right now. There is the pandemic, rioting, wild fires, etc. A bit overwhelming don’t you think?

I have made a prayer list for myself that I do every day before I lay my head down:

  1. Pray for all leaders. From the president on down to our own local government.
  2. Pray for those you have trouble with. Love you neighbor as yourself.
  3. Pray for peace. There are many “hot posts,” in this world.
  4. Pray that the gospel will reach out to many and they will be saved.
  5. Pray for things that pleases God.
  6. Pray for your family, and friends.

We have many fears:

  1. Marriage-It is hard to have a good marriage if you don’t try hard to help it out.
  2. Job-There is much turmoil in the world now. Many people laid off because of the pandemic.
  3. Having enough money. Single moms wonder where the money will come for their rent.
  4. People wonder if life has any meaning. Sharp increase in suicides since the pandemic started.
  5. Many fear they are not accepted by God.
  6. Some think they are a failure.
  7. Others feel rejected.
  8. The opposite of # 5. People are afraid they are too close to od.

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Jesus has got us covered my friends. He said it very clearly in:

Matthew 6:25-34 

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed.

There is also a verse that shares these thoughts:

Philippians 4:6-7 

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

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So where are you in your faith right now? Do you wonder if you are safe from disaster? Would you rather stay in bed all day then face the wolrd?

BE STRONG IN THE LORD!

Jesus is beside you 24/7. He will not sway. He will protect you and love you. He faced many more horrible things many times, and He never wavered.

Show others why you are not afraid or full of fear. Tell who has your back and that they should too.

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up!

+If you like what you see, please subscribe at the top of this page where it says, “subscribe.” When you do, all future posts will come directly to your inbox. Also, if you know some else who could benefit for the site, please let them know about it. Your comments will not be seen by other people, just me, and I will connect with you to see if you are OK to share it.

There is Fear Because of Wild Fires, Riots, and the Pandemic

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The wild fires are out of control. Two big fires are about to merge here, and then that area will be an inferno. I pray that you are not affected by the fires. We are on a stage one here right now. The fires are about 15-20 miles away. That is pretty close.

So may people are under tremendous stress right now. There are the wild fires, rioting in the big cities, looting and arson, plus the pandemic. It is pretty overwhelming for the average Joe like me.

This is suicide prevention month. I fear that many people are thinking there is no more hope and are considering this. Do not let the dark side overcome you! Go to the light of Jesus. He is your fortress, your comfort, and your savior. Pray to him for your families and your safety.

If you are at the end of your rope and can’t go on, there is a toll free number to call for help. There are highly qualified counsleors there to help you. They will not hang up until the know you are OK.

1-800-273-8255

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When I think of all of this turmoil, I think of Paul, who was shipwrecked, beaten, put in jail, bitten by a snake, and disliked by many people.

Yet, this man fought hard for the Lord. He loved the people. He reached out to them, and gave them comfort.

This was a man that was killing Jews, and dispised by his fellow people. He had his awaking on the road to Damascus. Jesus wondered why he was so against Him. Paul fell down and was blinded for a while. That woke him up big time.

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Where are you at today? Do you dispise the way God is running the show? Do you wish He would end all of the tragic happens? I am with you there. I so would like all this pain to go away, but we have to always remember, GOD IS IN CHARGE!

He knows what is happening, and there is a reason for His approach.

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We, as Christians have to be strong to show those who do not believe how we react, and then they will say, “I want to be like them.”

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If you like what you see, please subscribe at the top of this page where it says, “subscribe.” When you do, all future posts will come directly to your inbox. Also, if you know some else who could benefit for the site, please let them know about it. Your comments will not be seen by other people, just me, and I will connect with you to see if you are OK to share it.

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up!

The Best Four Letter Word in the World is Hope

Times are not friendly on our planet. There are riots, pandemics, shootings, and violence.

Some people do not know what hope is. They hide in their basements and try to not face the world.

You often see the picture of an animal sticking his head in the sand out of fear. That is what we are facing.

What things do we need to do to overcome all of this?

Suggestions:

  1. God never wavers. He is always by your side.
  2. Jesus went all the way for you and I to have eternal life.
  3. 99% of what we worry about never happens.
  4. When the going gets tough, the tough get going.
  5. Block out all the negative stuff in your brain and replace it with positive stuff.
  6. Walls form. Work your way around them, through them, or under them.

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In the title I mentioned that hope is the best four letter word in the world. Well, the worst word in the world is hopelessness. Just the opposite of hope.

Hope is an anchor for our lives. This anchor solidifies like a boat in the wind. our hopes are in the promises of God.

Hope is my favorite word. I have two books with the word hope in them. The first one is Signs of Hope: Ways to Survive in an Unfriendly World. This book won a national award from the Readers Favorite Awards. You can order a copy from this site.

My second book that is almost finished is called, Signs of Hope for the Military: In and Out of the Trenches of Life. This book is reaching out to veterans and current service members who may be struggling with PTSD, TBI, depression, anxiety, etc.

Why am I writing this book? I am heart broken that 22 veterans or service members, are taking their own lives every day. Yes, I said every day. I am hoping this book will help bring that number down to zero.

Cling to hope. Hope gives you a chance to face life as we know it today.

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up!

A Special Veterans Day Tribute.

It is such a good feeling to be back with you. I have been down for almost a year do to technical difficulties. 

I lost over 108,000 follower over night. I am starting over. You can let the hackers know they didn’t win by subscribing. You can do this by clicking on the icon at the top of this page that says, “Subscribe.” You will then get a post in your inbox everything there is a post. 

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As a treat I have invited a young man to post. I was down for the veterans day celebrations, so this is a day late, but the thoughts are spot on. Please read Taylor Wilkins From Fellowship of Christian Athletes, aho is having a marvelous impact in the high schools of Salem Oregon.

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“When God’s people lead, hope is the outcome.”

“You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.”
II Timothy 2:1-4

Yesterday was Veterans Day, a day to honor people of courage, love, and sacrifice. I grew up in a community where veterans day was a really big deal. The community, and especially my high school celebrated Veterans Day at a level I don’t think most ever experience. In fact, my high school put on a veterans day assembly that lasted the entire school day, and brought in veterans from around the united states. We had veterans representing both World Wars, Tuskegee airman, Jewish Holocaust survivors, and many more. One year our school was featured on national news to showcase the veterans day assembly. It was an incredible honor to have all those amazing people share their lives with us for the day!

I believe we have many things to learn from our war heroes, and I think 2 Timothy 2 does a great job identifying some excellent qualities in soldiers.

Here are 4 Leadership qualities that Christians can learn from soldiers:

1) Soldiers are Strong– That might sound overly simplistic, but I believe it’s at the core of every great leader. If you are going to begin your journey as a Christian leader you have to be strong! Faith is the ability to see hope in the midst of life’s trials— weakness in faith blinds you from seeing hope. What I love about this quality is everyone can grow in Spiritual strength, just like we can all grow in physical strength. Getting stronger might be uncomfortable, but we need to consistently exercise our faith if we want to see growth!

2) Soldiers are Listeners— Whether it’s boot camp or the commanding officer leading his troops into battle, soldiers have to be acute listeners, eager to learn, and committed to following through! Believers who haven’t learned how to listen will struggle to find personal breakthrough, and will fail to see the fruitfulness God designed them for. God is always speaking, but if we don’t learn to listen we will miss out on His encouragement, and the hope-filled adventures God wants to take us on!

3)Soldiers are Faithful— Soldiers are trained to respond to obstacles and a variety of challenges by putting others first. Whether sacrificing for their Country, fellow soldiers or family, soldier’s embrace a mindset that always puts others first. Jesus demonstrated perfect faithfulness in his journey to the cross. Jesus sweet great drops of blood before heading to the cross because the weight of His calling was so heavy, yet He didn’t waiver, but fixed his face like flint toward the cross! Even though his road wasn’t easy he remained faithful to the call on His life. As a believer, you were created for the same kind of faithfulness Jesus demonstrated. Don’t get down on yourself if you feel like you have fallen short, God is still working in you and through you. Closeness with Jesus will always draw faithfulness out of your life!

4) Soldiers Endure Hardship— Soldiers must count the cost of serving their country. Before soldiers train for war, they must be willing to lay down your life. If a soldier can’t do that, he won’t be ready for action when he’s called to the front lines. Christian leaders are called to count the cost. Faith in Jesus comes with many blessings and promises for abundance, but it also comes with the promise of persecution. Jesus said, “if they persecuted me, they will persecute you.” Enduring hardship is one of the most attractive qualities in Christian Leaders because it draws out confidence in other believers.

When we grow closer to God we will see these qualities exponentially increase in our lives. I believe we will see more Christians standing at the front lines of leadership within politics, business, education, psychology and every type of profession.

Soldiers live their lives on a mission and with purpose. As God’s Children I believe we need to do the same. When God gives us clarity in those areas I believe we and the world around us will be flooded with hope!

“You are loved more than you know, and God’s plan for you is bigger than your biggest dream!”

Taylor Wilkins
FCA
(503)754-3783

“In all your getting, get understanding”

Visit the authors site

Time to Listen to God and Fight

This is my first post in several months. It has taken all this time to get back and going, because I was ready to quit. I was feeling down. I was having a pity party. 

That is behind me now. I feel God pushing me back into writing. He has told me to stop drowning in the muck and mire, and start helping people.

Each day I will be sending out daily signs of hope. It may be something personal that I went through, or it may be sharing stories of others who have suffered. 

 The bottom line is if you are suffering from anxiety, fear, depression, failure, low self-esteem, loneliness, and the many other usual suspects, this will be your home for peace and comfort. 

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To get each post daily into your own mailbox, just subscribe by clicking on the subscription icon right after the title. Use Feedblitz.  It is easy once you do that. Then you will have a place every day to go to find comfort. 

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Well now…happy to see you here again. It has been forever since I last talked to you. I hope everything is going well for you.

Since August a year ago, this site has been down. During that August I was charging along at a fast pace. I had 108,000 followers who were getting my posts every day in the mailbox. I was sending out hope, and comfort.

Then a horrible thing happened. My site crashed. It had been hacked. I called my provider. They checked it out, and said there was nothing I could do. It has been completely wiped out. I lost my 108,000 followers.

I went into depression. I withdrew from my family. I felt so lost. I was having a serious pity party that no one wanted to come to.

This went on for a year and a few months, until this morning!

That is when God woke me up and told me to quit my pity party. He told me to stop drowning in the muck and mire, and to start helping people again. It was very clear. I didn’t imagine Him speaking to me. He clearly wanted me to get at it.

Have you ever felt so down that you didn’t even want to get up in the mornings? Have you shut your heart to everyone? Did you hide your head in the sand to getaway from the world?

Well, you can see that I was there with you. Now it is time for you to listen to God like I did. He has plans for you. He wants to see you to help others. He knows your talents and wants you to use them.

Time to fight back!

Here is how you can fight back against the hackers. I have a very secure site now. I have only one  follower right now, and that is my tech guy (Jim Smith) who was with me yesterday to make sure everything was ready to go.

We need to let the hackers know that they cannot win!!

All you have to do is subscribe to this site by clicking on the icon after the title and then use Feedblitz. It is the best one right now. Tell you friends about this site. This site will have daily signs of hope for everyone.

I had many comments from my previous followers on how this site had helped them each day. Some even said it stopped them from suicide.

I want the hackers to see the tremendous response to show them they have lost. I know we will get back many of the 108,000 as soon as the word gets out that we are back.

Remember

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken

You are never unloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up!

 

 

A Story About Suicide

We have had a disaster here at Signs of Hope. We had a crash that is not fully explained as of yet, but the bottom line is that we have lost ALL of our subscribers. We had 108,000 or more and they are gone. We are starting with zero again tonight. We don’t have this new site up and running the way we want it yet. You can’t even subscribe.

We will continue to share hope, and reaching out to you that are battling Anxiety, fear, failure, depression, and the many other usual suspects. Don’t give up. We will be strong again!!

Please come back and subscribe once we have that subscription feature again. 

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Love in the Time of Suicide

by

Linda S. Clare

 

That day, my friend was too exhausted to cry anymore. She sipped her tea and picked at the banana bread I’d made, but she hardly looked at me.

Her husband had tried it. Again.

She stared at the floor, describing the local hospital’s beige and dreary psychiatric ward. When she’d visited, my friend’s husband had chatted about the hospital’s dinner menu. “I think I’ll order the mashed potatoes,” he’d chirped. He seemed to bask in the attention, as if suicide was the best way to spice up a dull morning.

“Did he say why?” I winced.

Her words stung. “When they asked him, he shrugged and said he just decided.” She’d already told me about her husband’s anger problem, and that she was his favorite target.

Then, her voice pinched. “Two attempts, both with weapons, in one year,” she said. “The doctor says he can’t come home this time.”

She paused while I gazed at the potted pink geraniums soaking up sun on the back deck. He was the family gardener—who would tend to the plants? My friend’s pretty face had taken on a grayish cast, even in the warm afternoon light. Should she walk away from this troubled relationship, or stay? She said, “I have some decisions to make.”

My mind had already leapt to the conclusion reached by the doctors, her family and her pastor. “Wanna know what I think?” I blurted it out as I pictured plucking my wonderful friend right out of this terrible situation and whisking her to safety.

“Wait.” She asked me to listen. “Through all of this, I’ve been thinking about your “just love” writing.”

Weeks earlier, when the county jail chaplain told me he didn’t believe in Tough Love—defined as ending relationship with addicts unless they got clean—I’d felt so validated. No, what I needed was a Just Love—the capacity to grant every person, addicts included, dignity and hope without judgment.

Just Love also calls for relationship—meaning both parties are required to offer the same humanity to one another. In a Just Love world, we dare to see addicts or any marginalized persons, as more than something they’ve done or not done. Just Love extends God’s patient, loving attitude to the least of these. Simple.

Most importantly, with Just Love I don’t necessarily have to turn away from my addicted/alcoholic sons. My friend hasn’t always seen it my way, asking if my addicted loved ones are getting the better part of the deal.

But on this day, my friend and I had switched places. Instead of her patiently tolerating my heartfelt belief in supporting my addicted/alcoholic sons, refusing to kick them out until they achieve sobriety, now she was the one who contemplated hanging in there for her husband.

“He had a knife,” I countered. “He could have killed you!”

“But I love him,” she said quietly. “How can I give up on him?”

The week before, she’d raised questions: What did Just Love look like if an addicted or mentally ill loved one acted out violently? Should we accept her even if she endangers lives? How about if he’s verbally or emotionally abusive?

I still wanted to protect my friend, but I had to admit: this is what Just Love looked like from the outside. And watching her suffer, love wasn’t simple at all.

While I was quick to want to separate my friend from her spouse, now she grappled with the same heartbreaking ideas that have dogged me: Do I cut bait and save myself? Which is better—Tough Love or Just Love?

I knew which option I’d choose for her—get the heck out of there before something terrible happened. But to be fair, I tried to see the situation from her vantage point. Suddenly things looked much different.

First, I had to admit that my friend seems to understand things about her husband that I don’t. She loves him for reasons that I can never know.

By that standard, I can’t stop loving my grown children, addictions and all. When it comes to the marginalized—people at the bottom of society who are kept down by punishment, shunning or fear, our knee-jerk reaction is to turn away. But according to the Bible, love is the best response, the response God requires of us.

But it’s not hard to love your own flesh and blood. When I viewed this same belief as an outsider, I began to understand why so many friends (and some who are just tired of my point of view) insist I adopt Tough Love with my sons.

They care.

They want me to be safe and happy—exactly what I want for my friend. And I’ve always said that I draw the line at violence—my sons’ or anyone else’s. From where I sat, the whole suicide scene must have been dangerous: she’d removed the knife from her husband’s hand as he sat nearly comatose. He’d swallowed a boatload of pills, too. But what if he’d played dead, only to attack her with that knife?

“He’d never do that,” she said.

Only a couple weeks before, I’d said the same thing when my meth-fueled son made menacing gestures at a big pot of boiling water on the stove just inches away from me. I didn’t know for sure, but because I’m his mom, I bet that I knew him better than most. I gambled that he wouldn’t hurt me.

She insisted her husband would never lift a finger against her, either. We both sensed our loved ones wouldn’t harm us. You might say we each relied upon a kind of deeper knowing that helped us through it.

This deeper knowing sometimes backfires. Domestic violence sometimes does turn deadly. I hate that. And I would never sentence anyone to a lifetime of abuse from someone who supposedly loves them. Sometimes the hurt is too deep and the bridge is too far and the best thing to do is walk (or run) away—Tough Love as survival.

But in other cases, like mine, Just Love feels more appropriate. My sons aren’t bad or trying to inflict abuse upon anyone but themselves. When my sons have been violent against one another I’ve seen it as the logical end to a bunch of rowdy boys’ drinking bouts. They haven’t shot up the neighborhood or tried to off themselves—well, not that often—and I keep nudging them toward treatment.  I’ve allowed them to stay in my home long past what Tough Love recommends, but in my opinion, not past what God recommends.

Right or wrong, I refuse to give up on them. Now my friend must make the same decisions about her marriage even as the docs work to have her husband committed. To Tough Love him to the curb or keep Just Loving him?

Over and over, God shows us the way of love. Even though we tend to associate love with warm, fuzzy feelings, in practice we experience love as the most dangerous place to be—love settles us in the crosshairs of vulnerability. In moments when we’re already down for the count, love can hurt, reject or abandon us. Anyone who dares to keep loving a misfit, who won’t give up hope even when the rest of the world has walked away, is either angelic or a darned fool. Practicing Just Love isn’t for everybody, but I still believe it is for me.

My friend may decide that detaching with love is her best response to her husband’s problems. Or she may extend the relationship with Just Love. She’ll invest in the hope that the marriage can heal and he’ll promise to work through the issues.

When her husband is released, I hope he never again attempts suicide.  And I hope Just Love helps her stay safe and happy in her marriage just as I hope my sons will seek treatment for their addictions.

To keep this kind of hope alive, we must consider the dangers, and ask ourselves again and again: Dare we risk it all for Love? Live dangerously? For me, God’s answer is always simple. “Just Love,” the One who is Love says, “Just Love.”

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