Counselor’s Corner Issue 21

Life-Changers,

I always enjoy my drive to work. My daughters and I start the 15-minute ride out with a "Good Morning, Jesus" prayer, as I simultaneously steer into the street. Then we spend our ride in gratitude, noticing the weather, passersby, and interesting sights. But of all the things we point out, the highlight is one we see every day.

We usually spot the pair near a local elementary school. One is dressed in warm outwear, the other wears only a collar. One has a hot drink in his hands, the other has a stick in his mouth. One shows very little expression on his face... this is just what he does as a caring provider: A daily walk together. The other struggles as he carries his rather large load, pausing to rest before completing the neighborhood journey.

As I drive past this "dog daddy" and his Golden Retriever, I reflect on the loads we carry on a daily basis. I think of the emotional "heavies" we drag around, whether it be personal, professional, or previous hurt from long ago. How much our Master wants to relieve us of those; To pick up those hardships and carry it for us! And yet, we haul it ourselves, failing to pass it off to our Faithful Father.

Maybe you're carrying a too-heavy workload. Give it to Him.
Maybe you're lugging damage from a former workplace. Give it to him.
Maybe you're shouldering the weight of family dysfunction. Give it to him.
That weight is nothing to Him. It's what He does as a Caring Provider:
Daily walk beside us and give us rest in the journey.

Tenderheartedly,
Mindy