"Tell me a story..."

Once upon a time there was a world.

An absolutely beautiful world created by the one and only God. The King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. 

He filled this world with people. Lots of people. 

Along with people...came sin. And with sin...there came suffering. 

Lots of suffering. 

Today. In 2012. There is still suffering.

Once upon a time there was a girl. 

This girl had many friends. 

She loved her friends dearly and it hurt her to see them suffer. 

Her friends struggled. And they struggled with different situations. 

Some went through family trials. Others battled with the demons that tried to consume them. 

Oftentimes....she felt utterly helpless as she watched her friends fighting giants and trying to keep their spirits high in the midst of pain and hardships. She would stare at her clock at 11:11 every night and wish over and over again that she could be a superhero and save all those most dear to her from their problems.
Although she continued to wish on that wishing star....she knew in the back of her mind that she really couldn't do anything to help them. The only superhero who could fill her friends with strength was that same God who created the world and all the people in it way back in the beginning. So instead of wishing...she started praying. And she prayed that her struggling friends could find strength in God and lean on him when things got rough.
One time....she was talking with a friend who was going through a really really hard time...and she told this friend something. Her friend seemed grateful for her small little piece of advice....so she decided she wanted to share it...so that if anyone who was fighting giants inside of them saw it...that they would hopefully be comforted.
She said...

"God loves you SO much and he is ALWAYS with you no matter what. He will never ever ever give you something that you can't handle. No matter how hard life gets sometimes....we just gotta persevere. We will always have sufferings. Little crosses. Jesus tells us to pick up our cross and follow him. It's not easy, but if we can pick up that cross and smile through the pain and suffering and tears while keeping our eyes on Him....our reward in Heaven will be so great. And if you do all that with a joyful heart....if you rejoice in your suffering....you are going to be just THAT much more beautiful to God."

She knows it's not much, but she hopes that every person going through any kind of trial would remember to rejoice through it all, to lean on God, and to smile.
Always smile.

The End.