There is not one of us here on earth who is immune to suffering, but it is what we do with our suffering that determines the outcome. During the last six years my family has learned that anguish and joy can coexist, we have experienced it. There have been many who have brought us joy in the midst of our sorrow by showering us with love, compassion, kindness, generosity, and thoughtfulness. There are no words to express the overwhelming love we have felt from each of them.
I have come to believe that our suffering is never meaningless and it is never meant just for us because of the impact it has on everyone around us. When we face crushing circumstances, it changes everything in our lives. The only way to survive such anguish and overcome the mountain that lies before us is to depend on the Lord and those people he has so graciously surrounded us with.
I believe you can find your life purpose in the midst of your most difficult trials, so when you experience times of great anguish and face mountains that seem too high to even attempt to climb, please remember my son’s name and this acronym that I believe God shared with me, which gives me great comfort:
T-O-M (Together Overcoming Mountains)
When you are facing great difficulty and you feel as if you cannot possibly continue, please remember TOM (T-O-M) and that Together with God and with the help of those he has placed around you, you can Overcome even the most daunting Mountains.
Thank you to our family, friends, church, and community for helping us begin and continue the climb!
It is my deepest hope that by sharing the lessons we have learned through our suffering we might help others experiencing darkness to be set free from the pain that holds them captive.
Dear friend, don’t wait another second! May today be the day you begin the journey towards healing and freedom!
Blessings my friend!
(On September 7th, 2011, we tragically lost our oldest son, Thomas. In a moment of desperation, our son acted on impulse and made a reckless decision, he took his own life. His actions that night will affect our family every single day for the rest of our lives.)
