A thread for those going through difficult times in life

[prolifewife]

I have seen so many members suffering on these forums. I thought it might be nice to have a thread where we could pray for one another and support each other during our difficult times. Venting is allowed…bashing other people is NOT.

I am also experiencing some ongoing crosses in my life. Mainly: long term infertility, adoption failure, chronic health issues in mind and body, and spending long hours alone while my husband is working long hours at work to make ends meet.

Looking forward to meeting everyone.

 

[prodigalson12]

Good thread starter, it’s been one of the toughest years of my life in every way imaginable and it’s not getting any better as time goes on. I was going to write a book once I get to the end of these tribulations to share my story in full, for now, I offer my suffering up to God in prayer for others.

 

[Hiskid1973]

Without trials and tribulations, how else would our faith in Christ grow…Sometimes it’s life in general, sometimes we have to reap for poor choices, but we all have to trust He knows whats going on and cares for us…What is He trying to teach us through it all. It’s work just to get to that point where instead of grumbling or worrying, we just say "Thank you Lord, I trust You to know what’s going on and what I should learn from it…

Life takes many turns…I have health complication from a fall at work and am disabled from it…I was in a hurry one day because of the cold and missed a step causing a fall from the back of a rail car…That decision altered my life…At this moment we decided to sell our mobile home to get equity to pay debt off…We are renting and went to one vehicle to lighten our load and to be more able to help others for the times we face ahead…Right now what we spent for groceries and extras now pays our rent…Things are tight as we have to trust God to send a buyer for the home…Everything that needed to fall in place did except for a buyer…Every day I remind myself that as God guides He will provide…It’s faith we have to go on and not the daily economic reports and skeptical neighbors…God needs His people to be alive with faith trusting Him alone in an unknown future…May the Lord mature each of us as He works in our situations…Peace to you…K

 

[opera]

I have seen so many members suffering on these forums. I thought it might be nice to have a thread where we could pray for one another and support each other during our difficult times. Venting is allowed…bashing other people is NOT.

I am also experiencing some ongoing crosses in my life. Mainly: long term infertility, adoption failure, chronic health issues in mind and body, and spending long hours alone while my husband is working long hours at work to make ends meet.

Looking forward to meeting everyone.

I like your idea, and I certainly feel for you in your suffering. Although I am currently in a different state in life, that of a single person, I can certainly identify with some of the items you mentioned. Not being married yet, I wonder if I’ll be too old to have children when I finally do find the right man. I then think about the adoption process and also know many people who have adopted. I definitely know the pain of being alone more than one would like. I come home to an empty house every day. Like Prodigalson12, I too am trying to offer up my sufferings.

I also liked your suggestion regarding venting versus bashing others. I noticed quite a bit of judgemental responses on the family life section right around Thanksgiving. Maybe the holidays are as difficult for others as they are for me, and people were just letting it out in their posts. The problem is that they were letting it out on others in an uncharitable way. So good suggestion, prolifewife, all around.

 

[tamrk]

Thanks for starting a thread that asks for our prayers. Altough I have had the worst year of my life, I have been sustained by the wonderful graces in my life. I have found that the best way to get through the rough days is to understand that there are so many people that have much worse situations than I do.

If you haven’t read The Ten Prayers God Always Says Yes To, I strongly recommend it. It helped me to stop asking God to take away my suffering and instead, ask Him to offer up my suffering, knowing that he would give me the grace to get through the tough times. He gives me that grace every day!!

 

[taye]

After listening to my 3-y-o son crying and throwing a tantrum that lasted 1.5 hrs, it sure feels good to be on CAF!! I’m not exaggerating… a whole hour and a half. He’s going through a difficult phase and we’re having a real hard time getting him to go to bed (hence the lost productivity tonight - LOL!). He has temper tantrums also throughout the day also. Our eldest son is autistic, so perhaps the little guy has issues as well. The doctor will be hearing from us soon.

It’s so funny hearing my SIL complaining about her son’s “misbehavior”. Oh, he touches mirrors and clothing on a rack in a store. She told him to stop and he refused. Husband has to lead him out of the store. That is misbehaving? She has no clue!! If the child she is carrying is anything like a normal child, she is so unprepared.

This year has been particularly rough. Our marriage was in shambles for quite some time. The last month or so has been going extraordinarily well, so God decided we were up for a new “challenge”. I try to erase the word suffering in my mind and replace it with challenge. It helps me to be strong…

Prayers to all.

 

[StRoch]

This was a very nice thread idea. This have been a tough year for me as well. My father and I have been going through depression and it’s been really hard on my wife and especially hard on my mom because not only does she have to worry about my father, now she’s worrying about me! But I try to keep in mind that all storms eventually pass and this can only make all of us stronger. I’m trying to pray more and build my spirituality and like the one post said, if it’s not time yet to get through this, please grant me the grace to help me until it passes. And I’m trying to look at the things that I have, and not what I don’t have because no matter how bad it gets, someone else has it much worse so I should be thankful.
thank you all and God bless.

 

[Laurie_86]

I think this is a great idea everyone needs a place they can go to receive non-judgemental support. The holidays can be very hard to walk through life’s struggles in. I’m sorry for all of the ongoing struggles that have been mentioned here. I will keep you all in my prayers.

The past 6 months have been some of the best months of my life and some of the worst. After graduating from college in May I got married in June and moved 700 miles away with my husband from all of my family. Being in a new city is hard sometimes because I know very few people besides my DH, his brother, and a few of DH’s friends. Then I wasn’t able to find a teaching position in time here (stupid laws for transfering my license to a different state delayed the process of applying) so now I’m at a job where I’m constantly stressed and being underpaid for what I am doing, but it helps pay the bills so I keep it. DH’s car also broke down in August which cost us close to $1,000 to fix. We live on a very tight budget to begin with so we had to take that money out of our savings.

We found out at the beginning of September we were expecting our first child which was really exciting. We hadn’t planned on having kids this soon, but we were thrilled at the opportunity God had given us. At the end of October at 11 weeks of the pregnancy we found out our child had passed away at a doctor’s appointment. We had no warning and the child had been dead for at least a week or more. I ended up having an emergency D & C due to uncontrollable bleeding. Our insurance company is refusing to pay for any of the $15,000 in hospital bills because we haven’t been with them for 6 months yet. So now our already tight budget has become even tighter.

There was no reason for the miscarriage the doctor says, but I still analyze everything I did and didn’t during the pregnancy every day because it very well could have been my fault. I have so many people who explain how common miscarriages are and that just because you have one miscarriage doesn’t mean you will never have children, but they don’t know that. No one knows if we’ll ever have a child or if conceiving again would just put another child through the same pain. We have only been without our child for a month but every day I miss him more.

Thank you for starting this thread. I needed to vent and sometimes I am afraid to vent for fear of judgement.

 

[Hiskid1973]

Lord touch my brothers and sisters here…Minister Your love and peace that passes understanding mightily in these situations…Remind us Lord that our trials can turn to gold and others are strengthened by how we trust you in hard times…Thank You Lord for Your faithfulness and new mercies each morning…In the mighty name of our matchless Savior I ask…

 

[BMB]

THis is my first year as a divorced woman/single mother. After surviving the past 2 years of legal wrangling, I find myself becoming more and more bitter every day.

Dear ex’s mistress is firmly entrenched and publically accepted now. Funny how everyone accepts them, regardless of their scandalous 5 year affair and 'double adultery."

Despicable how he slipped seemlessly into the role of father to her 3 kids while our 3 children are left with a shadow of a Dad. They are as betrayed as i am and don’t even know it. He just can’t BEAR to tell them the truth… that he is in another relationship and has ‘psuedo’ kids who have replaced his own.

Help… I sometimes feel consumed with a seething hatred. I have been SO careful to cultivate a “amicable” separation/divorce. WHY all of the sudden do I feel so ANGRY?

Is the devil at work here because I truly fear I am unworthy of love. How could i ever have expected him to forgoe the pretty young co-worker for a 45 year old, worn out me?

I am desperate for this anger to leave me. I can never re-marry but perhaps the Lord has another vocation in mind? I want to believe that God has wonderful plans for my future.

 

[forgetmenot]

Sometimes I think I’m alone in my hurt. May God shine his greatness on us all. Amen.

 

[llmm2010]

im not sure what im suposed to do here and i hope i am in the right place. i read what all youve written on here and i hope we all find the guidance we all seem to need.

i looked up a catholic site because i have had a hard life and i just cant seem to have peace. i dont want to feel pain anymore… i do have a couple good things in my life… my daughter and my dog and i need God more. i really need some peace and a break from pain and feeling so much sadness and guilt.

i hope that i can help someone here and get some back. i have always tried to not ask for me from God…but i really need some now and i feel bad for asking.

anyway… thanks for reading my post.

 

[Hiskid1973]

I am desperate for this anger to leave me. I can never re-marry but perhaps the Lord has another vocation in mind? I want to believe that God has wonderful plans for my future.

I can feel your pain…I had my ex connect with a friend who was divorced…I was booted out but he was allowed their as his daughter and mine were best friends…I found he was even visiting along with the daughter while I was working 2nd shift…He even would answer the phone when I called to talk with the kids…I just wanted to punch this guy out and would be rough to him on the phone…One night as I was praying I felt conviction and asked the Lord to break the anger off so a root of bitterness wouldn’t start…A week later I was making a call and was suprised when He answered I said Hi D how are you? I think we were both surprised…Anyway I knew it broke off…The loss of the bitterness allowed me to pray for them and keep the kids out of the middle of things…It’s been almost 20 years and we are respectful to each other and my wife have been there for b-day parties…I was lonely and a wonderful, faithful woman has been put in my path…We’ve had 5 years with few disagreements…Just curious why you couldn’t remarry as you weren’t unfaithful …

 

[Hiskid1973]

I really need some peace and a break from pain and feeling so much sadness and guilt.

i hope that i can help someone here and get some back. i have always tried to not ask for me from God…but i really need some now and i feel bad for asking.

anyway… thanks for reading my post.

First you should NOT feel bad for asking for as believers in Christ we are to bear one anothers burdens…Secondly we are to care our cares on Him…Pour out your heart before Him , for God is a refuge for us…peace to you…May the Lord strengthen you and draw you closer…

 

[llmm2010]

thank you…did you mean to say “you should feel bad” or not? sorry i got confused.

 

[Hiskid1973]

thank you…did you mean to say “you should feel bad” or not? sorry i got confused.

Thanks for pointing that out…I fixed it…

 

[llmm2010]

thank you again…i appreciate what youre telling me… i feel really lost.

 

[Hiskid1973]

thank you again…i appreciate what youre telling me… i feel really lost.

You quite welcome…People here will pray for you…We all were lost lambs at one time or another…His arms arms wide open…

 

[BMB]

…Just curious why you couldn’t remarry as you weren’t unfaithful …

Hiskid - your post encourages me. I don’t want to live the rest of my life bitter and angry. I cannot imagine remarrying as I loved this man so deeply and completely. There is nothing left for me to offer anyone else. I have not and do not (at this stage) plan to seek an annulment. I just am not convinced there are grounds.

 

[Hiskid1973]

Hiskid - your post encourages me. I don’t want to live the rest of my life bitter and angry. I cannot imagine remarrying as I loved this man so deeply and completely. There is nothing left for me to offer anyone else. I have not and do not (at this stage) plan to seek an annulment. I just am not convinced there are grounds.

Thanks for getting back…The anger and bitterness just went against everything I believed and learned from the scriptures…I didn’t like the feelings that were being built up…It wasn’t my nature…You lose closeness with the Lord…The flesh felt good from the pity parties but it stifled the Spirit…Anyway you enjoy the freedom and release when it breaks…There’s hurt men out there are looking for someone faithful through it all…Who knows what can happen when your heart heals and your staying close to Abba…Take a day at a time. Change your thought patterns to reflect what Jesus desires you to keep your mind on…We have a hope and peace that passes understanding that can carry you through…Grace and peace to you my dear sister in Christ…K

My pm box is always open…

Oh Lord help my dear sister to be able to release this area over to You…Lord You always use the refiners fire to purify us into Your likeness…Carry her in times when she looses strength…Wrap her with the peace that passes understanding…In the mighty name of our intercessor Jesus…amen