All Alone

LYNDA B 10/11/2008 05:11:21

What a beautiful thought for today.

JACKIE D 10/11/2008 18:30:28

This was right on time for me! I wake up every morning at the verge of tears. Then I remember to pray and thank the Lord for the day and the breath in my body. I have to remember to thank Him for the home that I have and the food that I have, even the pets I own. But, then I still feel lonely. I am a single mom raising a 14 year old and I have one grown son that lives 1500 miles from me. I sometimes struggle on a daily basis and try to push it all into the back of my mind, thinking that if I do that it will somehow just go away. But it does not, SO.... tonight I crawl into Jesus' lap and cling onto Him and allow Him to bottle my tears. How I long to feel His arms around me and hear Him whisper in my ear and say "stop crying my child, I am here for you." I need that peace now in my life.

SUE M 10/11/2009 06:20:52

I so needed this today. We had to put our dear sweet puppy to sleep on Sept 17th and I have been so desolate and in tears ever since. I have been praying constantly for comfort from God, for forgiveness and for peace and healing. I had to post here especially after reading Jackie D's post about being thankful for even the pets she owns. Yes, be thankful for them. They give unconditional love and just want to make you happy. Our dear puppy was only 14 months old but had been having seizures for 5 months. I love him dearly and miss his companionship so very much. God gave him to us as a rescue puppy and I am so grateful that He put our puppy into our life. There was a reason why this happened. I just don't know what it is yet. I also need healing and peace.

JESSICA M 10/11/2010 04:29:34

Yes, yes, yes! Loneliness is my constant companion. I've tried so hard to ignore it. Usually I'm too busy to even acknowledge it's blue presence. But it's there...hovering, waiting for the kids to go to bed, my husband to be gone on his extended trips. Every time it has reached for my hand, I've snatched my hand away and turned to a task, hobby, TV, or a book. I've successfully ignored it time and again. But I gave in this weekend. I gave in to loneliness and cried. Once I embraced loneliness, once I looked it in the face and realized it wasn't going away without some extreme changes, I just can't stop crying. I'm much weaker than most people think.

Perhaps you're thinking that I need Prozac or something!! Some days I feel like I do! Loneliness is here to stay. I'm not the first and hardly the last woman to live with it. Turn to God? Yes, I will. I will remember that He says, "My strength is made perfect in weakness." God, You're going to have to be awfully strong because I'm awfully weak right now. "When He hath tried me I shall come forth as gold." A big, huge shiny nugget would be nice right about now! Oh, that doesn't mean I'll GET gold, I'll be LIKE a new piece of gold with the impurities burned off. I don't like the burning!!! "Not my will, but Thine be done." Ugh! That's a hard one... He knows the hairs on my head, holds my tears in a bottle, and provides for me. Yes, Loneliness is my companion, but Jesus is holding my other hand. He can cheer us both up!

TAMMY W 10/11/2010 06:15:58

Hello, I am new to this & have been so encouraged by these comments.I am a mother that never stops hurting & missing her child that has went on ahead to be in her eternity with Christ. I cry with Peace knowing my Savior is always holding her & that she is decorating my mansion with purple & gold. Home-schooling is tough so many days, but we must press on & upward toward that mansion in the sky. May you all be blessed & encouraged. Love in Christ , from a Happy Heart.

SANDY G 10/11/2011 03:24:33

I was just feeling so sad and telling my husband how lonley i was and this turned up in my inbox how awesome to feel i am being watched over however sad and lonley i feel

REBECCA S 10/11/2011 03:55:56

So timely. I feel like I have closed off everyone but my mom and even her sometimes. Thank you. Lord have your way. I just prayed the Lord would send us some Christian friends.

BETTY N 10/11/2011 04:35:46

I have felt so alone since my husband died. His funeral was six years ago today, and I awoke this morning feeling so sad and missing him so terribly. I homeschool our 15 year old daughter and she is such a light in my life. However, I often feel overwhelmed by the daily grind of life. Today's message is a gift from the Father: He is holding out his arms to comfort me. He rescues me from despair. Thank you for posting these encouraging words.

RONI R 10/11/2011 05:20:30

My husband is a Marine currently deployed overseas. I am attacked by feelings of loneliness during deployments. I focus on the knowledge that my feelings will lie to me. I am not alone. God is here and He sees me. This season is not about me waiting for my husband to get home, but whatever the Lord has called me to right now. My feelings can be a distraction to God's purpose for me!

LIZETTE M 10/11/2011 06:17:10

In tears I THANK YOU with all my heart. I'm not alone in my loneliness & I draw from the Lord's love thru these devos. In our unity & sharing of common experiences, truly there is strength. One day we will all see each other& the fruits of our labor of love. It is all worth it for His Glory! GB. :-)

NOEL P 10/11/2011 09:56:48

I thank you for this. I am a mom who works sixty hours a week, I do get to feeling alone.My daughters are special needs and my husband is very ill. Both mynhusband and my girls have the same type of sickness. the abveriation is NF but it shortens live and in some cases you might not grow out of the tenn years.

CARRIE K 10/11/2011 15:28:27

I stay so busy that I forget how isolated I really am. With homeschooling, house hold needs, pets, husband, children\'s extracurricular activities, doctor appointments, etc., sometimes I feel as if I\'ve hardly had a chance to lift my head and notice the world around me. I miss my parents and old friends to the point that I can almost smell my hometown - 1,000 miles away, to be exact. Yes, I\'m lonely, but I haven\'t any time to be otherwise. I\'m on a mission. I believe the Lord has me on this adventure for a purpose, and He won\'t leave me alone.

CARRIE K 10/11/2011 15:35:23

This is to Noel P - Did you mean CF, instead of NF? If so, you\'re not alone. My daughter has CF. Keep the hope that the Lord has given you! If you meant CF, then there is a new therapy that should be available in Dec/Jan that has helped patients with a particular genetic mutation test below CF diagnostic levels. And, it only has to be 10% effective to show improvement for other mutations. Hang in there!

TRISTA J 10/11/2011 19:52:12

I read this devotional this morning and realized that although I am generally lonely (I live in an isolated, rural location and my husband works 1000km away for all but 6 days of the month), I also have a particularly Christian loneliness. I have only one friend with whom I can openly share my faith! I am a new Christian and it has alienated me from all of my old friends and most of my family. This is not necessarily a negative thing, but I am in a transition where I have not yet connected with many like-minded women and, sometimes, I do feel lonely. But how quickly prayers are answered sometimes!! This evening a lady from my church called and invited me to Ladies Bible Study once each week in the morning. I have no child care and no way to afford any at present, and was about to politely decline, when she told me that if I would allow it, she would look after my children at the church during the study time, so that I could attend. (she already goes to the evening bible study group) How amazing is that!? Thank you Lord!! What a mighty God we serve!!

JENNIFER E 10/12/2011 01:35:30

Hope

It never ceases to amaze me, the power of the Holy Spirit. I\'ve been really fighting loneliness and tend to be somewhat recluse in nature.Not really one to express how I feel very often. This month has been especially difficult for me as it is the month of my brother\'s birthday. The brother I lost in a motorcycle accident at 24, then 6 months later my sister died of breast cancer at 31, and a day later my grandmother also died of cancer. I\'ve always wanted to donate to Locks of Love but finally decided to do it as my sister was ever prevalent in my mind lately, maybe cause it\'s breast cancer awareness month. So I get home and before I could bag the hair my daughter got a hold of it, and started playing with it and took it out of the ponytail. I was beside myself with sudden grief . So at this point I just start crying and all my emotions that this devotion describes, start coming to a head. Homeschooling is such a daily sacrifice in itself, we ought to be vigilant and appreciative of God\'s blessings. Putting the whole armour of God on so when loneliness attacks your ready, and your in the right frame of mind. But put homeschooling aside and having any other issues you might be dealing with just make the struggle that much more amplified. I really wanted to do something for someone that was in my sister\'s and grandmother\'s place. I feel sometimes that I didn\'t do enough. Although knowing my sister and grandma, they\'re probably up there right now having a good laugh at me, they both had a very good sense of humor. As I looked in my inbox still crying, I stumble upon this email. Isn\'t the Lord just amazing!!! He\'s talking to me and he\'s talking to you. He knows exactly how many hairs are left on my head, and he\'s bottled every tear I just cried. Praise God!!

KRISTINE B 10/12/2011 05:01:44

I cried reading through all the posts, I could relate to the lonliness and pain each person shared. I have lost dear family members and in Aug had to put down cat of 16 yrs alone with kids. There is much excitment in military community here on loved ones being sent home early. My husband isn\'t one of them. He is happy for them as they prepare to leave and I was happy last night for wives whose husbands returned or will soon be, but there is a deep saddness to not be part of celebration too. I often feel my husband and I are on two separate deserted islands, going through separate trials, but Jesus knows our struggles and is there waiting with open arms until I am ready to stop avoiding disapoointment, lonliness, and sadness.

ELEANOR P 10/26/2011 07:44:14

Eleanor D

I feel the pain of loneliness and loss. I\'m a single parent homeschooling one child. I started homeschooling after my husband was called home to heaven. This journey isn\'t easy, especially with no one coming home at the end of the day to talk over the days events. It is only with the help and grace of God who gives me the strength to go on.

TONY S 10/11/2012 05:09:36

Julia S

Such a timely message - thank you!

NORMA Q 10/11/2012 05:35:40

After being refueled last night at our mid-week service. This was a reminder and confirmation that God is ALWAYS with us and loves us soooooooo much!!!

KATHY S 10/11/2012 05:43:54

I also am a single Mom homeschooling my one and only child.

Sometimes I do long for Adult company. But my son being 13 yrs. he always makes me smile, we do evrything together. And I have my elderly Mom that we see frequently too.

I do feel sad sometimes. But am so thankful for my son. After reading the post from

Tammy W. I no longer feel so sad for myself. I have my son with me and he will continue to be my company, my joy.

Tammy W.

I am so sorry that you have lost your child. I am thankful that you take comfort in the Lord, and yes, surley she is in heaven, Jesus caring for her as she watches over you. My heart goes out to you. Continue to be strong in the Lord. You will be in my prayers today.

Lorill Z 10/11/2012 09:08:40

Lorill Z

Reading all of your stories makes me realize we\'re not alone. So much heartache. I\'ve faced so many trials in this past year, financial, emotional, and spiritual. Just yesterday I wanted to give up. With our 5 children I\'m on the go with 6 soccer practices, 4 ballet classes, football and 3 games on the weekend. My van got vandalized on the weekend and I\'m having to deal with some issues in our business. This is our second year homeschooling and i still have so much to learn. There are so many days that I feel completely alone and isolated, but I know God is with me. He has spoken to me so many times through these devotionals. Today I feel His strength to keep going. Thank you everyone for being so honest and sharing your hearts. Jesus is closer to all of you than you could ever imagine. There is a purpose in everything we go through.

Blessings

GWYNETH K 10/11/2012 09:50:13

I live in Southwest Michigan, and would appreciate more friends who understand this lonliness that we face... God is so very good! I have said a prayer for all of you today that you lifted by His Spirit and feel loved by those around you. God bless!

J R 10/11/2012 12:00:09

Thank you again for sending me emails. i rarely get to sit and read my emails. but I do believe that God is using your ministry to meet me right were I am.

Trish Carpenter 10/11/2013 13:21:47

I love these devotionals but rarely comment. I cried as I read through it and thanked God for being so amazing to always give what I need when I need it most. My husband and I have a good marriage mostly. We struggle sometimes when we don't get enough alone time , which lately seems pretty often. He told me this morning that I should just take care of the kids and he'll take care of himself. I struggle trying to balance being a Godly mom AND a Godly wife. I feel the sacrifice of self frequently as I try to allow God to use me to fill everyone else's needs. Unfortunately loneliness has become a second skin. I'm thankful for everything, but mostly I'm thankful for my relationship with Christ that gives me strength for today, forgiveness when I'm struggling in sin, and love to lift me up and help me to fly again.