Dear Miserable People

Miserable would have been a good term to describe me in my teenage years. My family life was a complete and total mess. My school life wasn't much better. And my walk with Christ was almost non-existent. I held onto resentment as though it were my life source. They were dark times; dark and miserable times.

I remember waking up one morning and realizing that being miserable would eventually kill me. I could no longer hold onto all the hurt from the people in my life who had wounded me. And there was a very long list.

But I knew that I couldn't live like that anymore. I couldn't exist anymore if I didn't find a way to move past all the pain. I was being drained beneath it's crushing weight.

I always give my husband credit for saving my life. He is, and has always been, whole to me. His parents gave him a wonderful childhood that he loves to tell me stories about. And though there were rough times, he always had a great support system and a crowd of people in his corner to cheer him on. I never imagined that we would ever work out because I was just so broken. My heart was in a million pieces when he volunteered to pick them up and put them back together. God sent him to heal me. And to make me whole. If you knew me 6 years ago, you probably would have thought I was a hopeless case.

But I was tired of being miserable. Tired of just being tired.

Choosing joy is hard. It's not for the faint of heart. There are a million distractions in a day that have the potential to steal your joy. A rude person. A messy house. An unexpected detour. One phone call. A doctor's diagnosis.

If you are miserable today, let me reassure you that life is worth the living. It's worth giving everything you have to a day and pouring yourself into your passions. If you don't have a passion, cultivate one. This life is too short, so let the little things go and pick your battles wisely. I've found the best way to remain joyful is to be understanding in all circumstances. Give people grace when they mess up. Offer mercy when you feel they deserve a whole lot more. Rise above.

"No one has the power to make you feel inferior without your consent."

--Jessica