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From: Mary Zimmerman
Winona
If we poor creatures had our way we would perhaps resist any cross along our road of life, yet our God says pick up your cross daily and follow me. Daily, we ask? As we momentarily seek to find another way. My friends, I have been around for 77 years and I have found no detour.
They say God carefully weighs each cross before He sends them, puts them in front of us, whatever, but I seriously question that. On July 6, 1976, when He called our son, Duane to his heavenly home - no, no, that can’t be. I am too weak for such a heavy cross. Now as I look back I see where God was with me and many others as well to console me, to be my friends, to lift me up when the cross knocked me down, which it did. Many times I carried the cross of depression. I guess unless you’ve been there you can’t know or understand the loneliness and darkness. Seemingly one feels so trapped you can’t see or have much hope for escape. That’s where I was. But wait a minute. As the many prayers ascended, God’s graces descended. God gave me an antidote - help others and that will rescue you. Yes, that was my special key that opened up the door for me to emerge forward to become a happy, joy-filled person. I also received the keys of trying to be more prayerful and trusting, to be used by me and all humanity.
Helping others carry their crosses. What a grace God gave me. My heart still goes out to every parent that may have lost a child. I assure you I understand. My personal experience has been a 16-year-old (car accident), a 5-month old (cancer and a rare blood condition), a 4-hour old (a birth defect), a stillborn, and 2 miscarriages. Know I would be happy to extend my hand in whatever way I could make your cross just a little more bearable, let others along your way help you, especially Jesus, who carried the ultimate cross. But even He accepted help to carry His.
Now as time has passed I know God is my fortress and rock and that depression and sadness will never again have such a grip on my life. Pills no longer sustain me but God’s love does. By His cross and Resurrection we are set free. He is the savior of the world.
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