Hard Times

If you want to know your capabilities, just wait for hard times, if you want to know how strong your faith is, just wait for hard times, if you want to know your strength and integrity wait for hard times. Run DMC did a song in 1980 called “Hard Times”. The lyrics said, “Hard times spreading just like the flu. Watch out homeboy, don’t let it catch you.” I know Rev Run meant well when he wrote those lyrics but I disagree and say “Let them catch you.” Let them catch you to test you!

I had surgery last week and I had lots of pre-op time to talk to the nurses. It didn’t take long for us to get into a serious conversation about life. I don’t remember what I said exactly (because the anesthesia cocktail was kicking in) but I do remember one nurse looked at me and said “You have real strong faith.” I explained to her that it didn’t just come naturally but it came through years of suffering and pain. I told her when it’s just you and you alone in the dark, all you can do is pray and have faith. And when you witness over and over again saving grace, and situations that you have no idea how you are going to make it, then the situation flips like a light switch with a phone call, a knock at the door, a text message, a total stranger, a drop in your bank account, then you know that there is a God bigger than you and I, a higher power, a guardian angel, unfathomable energy that is almighty and all-knowing always there to perform nothing short of a miracle. That’s how you develop strong faith!

On July 7th I parted ways with my full-time job and started a new journey. A journey that is going to put my faith on another level that I cannot comprehend. From here it looks like more hard times and it very well could be but I know with every fiber in me that my present situation is positioning me to do what I have been called to do and that is continue building my Dealing to Healing project. In less than 30 days I have put much thought into my sessions by adding a tab on my website for sessions and the intricate details of each session. https://dealingtohealing.com/dealing-to-healing-sessions/ I’m also considering a podcast that several have requested but one, in particular, tells me each conversation that it is a must for Dealing to Healing.

I’m not sure how I will find participants for sessions but the one thing I do know is “The Hows are not up to us.” That is a phrase my shrink told me over and over. Leave the how up to God and let divine intervention do its thing.

To anyone reading this and having hard times. Let me implore you that your hard times will test your faith, integrity, strength, and capabilities and hard times WILL test your relationships. If you want to know the true character of who someone is, let hard times come and you will find out who can stay in the boat with you and row and who is a jumper, and who will drill a hole in hopes that you will sink. As I told someone the other day, when someone walks out of your life, let them! Don’t beg, don’t cry, and please don’t ask “why?” because if they don’t want to be with you then why do you want to be with them? Embrace that new chapters and transformation can only happen when doors close, people leave, and hard times come. Sending love and prayers to everyone having hard times!