Hope and Being a Hot Mess


We've had a lot going on this year and at times it has felt like everything is falling apart, especially when it comes to our health. We keep hoping that it will all make sense and fall into place as we navigate our way through this. I'm sure there are lessons to learn from this journey, and with time I think we'll see them, but somedays it's just one more thing to deal with in this crazy world. 

It started in January when my autoimmune disease came back full force out of remission due to a virus and has been an unpleasant companion throughout the rest of this year. Jim recently found out that he has some long Covid symptoms and a few autoimmune issues that have made life more challenging for him too. We are thankful that we know what is going on in our bodies so we can make changes to ease the effects, but we aren't used to being the hot mess couple. 

Autoimmune diseases are challenging as they affect your life daily and sometimes make it hard to even get out of bed, let alone do all the things you're used to doing. Lifestyle changes, diet changes, activity level changes are all part of our issues. We are even having to relocate to help ease symptoms. Not the life we envisioned at this stage in our lives. 

As with everything in our marriage we are tackling our current state of hot messiness together. We continue to include God in our marriage and seek his counsel as he has a pretty good track record for bringing us out the other end of trials better than when we went in.

My relationship with God has brought with it a love of the scriptures. I am grateful for the scriptures as they provide me with hope when life gets messy. Whatever mess your find yourself in, there is a scripture for it, ready to lift you up.

Here are a few that have been helping me lately:

Psalm 42:11 (KJV) "Why are thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet paise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God."

Jeremiah 29:11 (KJV) "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end."

Isaiah 40:31 (KJV) "But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint."

It's a great blessing to have my husband's love and the love of God in my life, especially when things are falling apart. Team Clark, with God's help, will be okay. Hope gives me faith that we will overcome and have more good days and fewer bad days. Our hot mess will somehow bless us in ways we can only imagine. We just need to do our part and let God do his part and watch the pieces fall into place. 

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