hope in suffering: a wife’s story
Jesus told his followers 2,000 years ago, “You will have tribulation.” Tribulation is a fancy word for problems. It shouldn’t surprise when we suffer, but suffering is NOT fun. It hurts.
Jesus suffered.
You have and I have and so has Karen Watkins Hammons, Tuesday’s special guest on my Sisterhood of Beautiful Warrior blogtalkradio show at 1 p.m. Central. You can listen live or to the archive. Archives are the way to go if you cannot listen live. :-)
Karen founded the ministry and blogsite “The Offender’s Wife.”
The Offender’s Wife is a Christ-centered ministry that reaches out to wives of accused or convicted sex offenders with encouragement and hope. Karen says that sex offenders are the modern day lepers of society.
She’s right on.
I know how I felt and what I thought when a registered sex offender moved in down the block. I told my kids to steer clear of his house even though it was unlikely he’d hurt them. I didn’t bother to befriend other members of the household.
My attitude is so unlike the way Jesus would think. Just as he reached out and touched a leper, I’m certain he’d knock on the door and “Welcome to the neighborhood.” Not me.
I’ve got a long way to go.
Karen and I will talk not only about her new ministry but also the feelings all Christian women feel at times: rejection, isolation misunderstanding and chaos.
As Karen wrote on her blog and I quote,
“You are so precious to Him. He loves you passionately and sees everything you are having to walk through right now. It’s dang hard. And He knows it. But He already knows how you are going to shine from this because of Him. He sees how you are going to be a stronger, more courageous, and beautiful person from this situation. Don’t give up. Don’t let the Enemy steal your inheritance of peace, joy, and the abundant life.”
Don’t you just love the way Karen tells it like it is? Life’s tough but you’re gonna make it because God is with you.
You God’s Precious One!
