I was so inspired to read this edition’s story of Tanya, who emerged from a difficult background, compounded by debt, and turned things around with help from The Salvation Army.
Tanya worked with determination to get both addiction and debt under control and is now giving back to others as a budget advisor. She’s a credit to herself and those who believed in her and cheered her on. Talking to staff writer Robin Raymond, Tanya says, ‘I was lost and it was like a little thread [of hope] was just poking through, and I grabbed hold of it and held on.’
We all have times when it seems there is just the tiniest thread of hope left. Yet these are the times—when perhaps we feel at our most hopeless—when it’s so important to look for these threads, which can still be traced in the tapestry of our lives.
Recently, I had to face up to having become burned out at work. I’d probably been in denial a long time, but it’s hard to remain that way when every time someone asks, ‘How are you going?’, you find yourself bursting into tears. Working among genuinely caring people means there have been lots of times over the past few weeks when I’ve had to reach for the tissues.
I’ll be honest: some things are still a bit of a struggle, but I’ve been doing what Tanya says and looking for those threads of hope. For instance, each evening before I go to sleep, I practice having an ‘attitude of gratitude’, examining the worries that crowd my mind and mining them for blessings. This is helping me regain perspective and appreciate afresh how good God is. Another thread of hope is the church home group I belong to. This is a place where I feel safe enough to be honest and vulnerable. The love and acceptance of my friends is also renewing a sense of hope in my life.
No matter how hard things get for any of us in life, I believe we can still identify some threads of hope. In Tanya’s situation, those threads became apparent when she took the courageous step of trusting others to listen to her. If life is hard for you at the moment, don’t despair—find someone to talk to. And know that God is ready to hear your prayers at any time.
Christina Tyson
Editor
Psalm 145:14 The Message
‘God gives a hand to those down on their luck, gives a fresh start to those ready to quit.’
Ngā Waiata 145:14
‘E tautokona ana e Ihowā te hunga katoa e hinga ana: e whakaarahia ake ana hoki e ia te hunga katoa kua whakapikoa iho.’