If you look over the span of your entire life thus far you will surely see wonderful things that have happened in your life and very hard things that have happened in your life. You will remember triumphs and tragedies. Sometimes it is easy to dwell on the hard times. You may see a picture and even though your family is smiling you remember that in that season of your life the smiles were only for a moment. Maybe underneath the smiles your family was doing all they could to hold it together. Maybe there was a job loss, a teenager that got into drugs, a loved one that passed away. Sometimes pictures can take us right back to that moment in time and we can choose to let our minds think of the terrible time it was in our life or how it eventually shaped us into a better, more compassionate and empathetic person. And when someone else is facing a trial like the one you have faced, the depth of your understanding is much deeper had you never gone through the same kind of trial. And your ability to help them and pray for them and with them touches them and you on a deeper level.

I had a situation recently that totally changed my perspective on the trials I’ve been through. I was in line to get into the pool. There was a lady in front of me with what looked to be her mom, grandma and little kids. She was on crutches and was trying to pay and her kids were running around and she was getting frustrated rightfully so. She appeared to be in a lot of pain as she walked on her crutches. I then paid for my ticket and went in to get settled. The family was also just getting settled and hadn’t even gotten their shoes or cover ups off. I plopped my stuff on the ground and within seconds the horn went off. The little 3 year old girl with this family had run into the pool and was under the water and not coming up. Her mom stumbled into the pool on her hurt leg yelling “My baby, my baby.” The lifeguards got a hold of the little girl but the mom stood there frozen with her leg shaking and she was crying so hard. She was headed for a panic attack and having had panic attacks myself I knew it. I told the lifeguard, she will need help, she can’t walk. They proceeded to stand next to her and say “Do you need help?” She was in such shock she couldn’t even answer them. I felt God say…”go”. I went into the pool and put my arms around her. I told her to take deep breaths and I told her she was going to be ok. I just held her for a bit before the shaking subsided. In my head I was praying! I was able to get her calm enough to slowly get her to a lawn chair. The little girl was just fine but her mom was so scared understandably so. It took about 30 minutes for the panic attack to subside. But she finally settled. I saw her many times throughout the rest of the day playing with her little girl in the water and holding her and smiling so big knowing her baby girl was ok. I prayed for her all throughout the day that I was there. After a few hours she came over to me and said “Can I hug you?” I said ,of course. She explained to me that she had bad anxiety and I told her I understood and that I do also and that is how I knew how to help her. I expressed deep care and truly knew how she was feeling. The look in her eyes was precious as she told me how much I had helped her. But in my heart, I know it wasn’t me. God just chose to use me that day.

Earlier I said, God is changing my perspective on my trials. Having depression, panic attacks, and anxiety is so very hard, but over the years I’ve been able to share my story and my journey with many people, even my own Mom who was one of the happiest people I’ve ever known who battled depression when she had cancer. Had I never gone through these things, I could not help others who are struggling and, trust me, these issues are terrifying to go through alone and when you can’t find someone who has been there and who gets it, it is a very scary thing.

I was so very thankful that God chose to use me that day. It was ALL Him. I had no idea it would happen. But he saw me fit to help this girl. I give Him all the glory! And I believe God sets up divine appointments and He is right on time! I had thought about running a few errands before going to the pool because my friend was going to arrive later. But I thought I’d go early and get us a seat. Had I been later…I would not have been there to help her. And you see, helping others doesn’t just help them, it helps us. God has not called us to just serve ourselves and do what makes us feel good. He also calls us to go outside of our family and friends and the church and serve. I have had times in my life where I was depressed and I decided to do things to help others. I didn’t think I could help others because taking care of my own needs and my own family felt hard enough. But there is just something amazing that happens when we bring a smile to someones face or a tear to their eyes because you cared enough to carve out time in your day and in the busy lives we lead to help them. I sure didn’t feel qualified that day, and guess what, I wasn’t, but God saw fit to use me, and He can use you too. Be open, try it even if it is out of your comfort zone, make time. We are all busy, but we can make time for what we want to make time for. Leave the laundry, clean the house tomorrow, go get coffee with your best friend another day, mow the yard later, finish painting your house another time, put your work to the side for just a bit at the office and go listen to someone down the hall who is struggling. Show you care. You will feel so blessed by being a blessing. It is much more satisfying than so many other things in this world that make us happy. Tell your story, serve one another. look for opportunities to be used by God!

Acts 20:35-In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the work the Lord Jesus himself said “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

Matthew 5:16-In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in Heaven.