So Many Friends Suffering So Much

I haven't been posting for a while. My body has gone through the motions of everyday living. I've continued with my charity crafting projects, with my de-cluttering, my crock pot meals for the freezer, kitty care, and so on. But my heart has been troubled because of the burdens faced by many of my friends.

It seems that every week or month, I learn of more and more troubles faced by others. It's not that I'm just beginning to become aware of the troubles of others. This is not new to me. But I suppose as we get older, our friends do, too. This means medical and financial and even emotional issues surface and affect their lives.

One couple is finally getting past a devastating auto accident. It involved physical healing, financial issues, and emotional worries.

Another friend is at the time of the year when she faces a fairly recent memory - the loss of her beloved son one day, and the loss of her beloved mother just two weeks later. It's only been two years, so the memory is still fresh.

Yet another friend, after being 32 years free of cancer, suddenly developed skin cancer and had to have that dealt with - she is having pain from the skin graft they took from her ear to put on her nose. I can't even imagine that.

In one family, one woman who has recently become a friend, has just finished radiation treatments for cancer and was planning a cross country trip as soon as she is strong enough, to see a brother who just had surgery for colon cancer (another friend of mine!) and learned he just passed away this week.

Still another is facing an upcoming regime of treatments, yet to be determined, for breast cancer. She is alone and fears side effects and how they will affect her in her, shall we say, "mature" (I know you are laughing, my friend) years.

I pray, of course, about them all. And I'm in touch with each of them, almost daily.

So many friends; so many problems.

And that doesn't count the others who have ongoing issues.

Lord Jesus, I don't know who to worry about most among my friends. You have lived in one of our bodies here on earth. You had friends who walked the earth with you. You saw them pass on, too. So I understand that you know how we are feeling. Please let your love and healing and strength pour down upon them all, each and every one, in whatever manner and level required. And please, too, heal my own heart which aches for them. We trust in you.