By: Bekah Schroeder | As a new mom sits on the hallway floor, her hair is up in a messy bun (half of it falling down) and her clothes smell like baby spit-up holding a screaming baby. She’s ready to give up. Motherhood is a lot harder than what she realized and she feels so alone….and exhausted. She is searching for someone…anyone..to help her and to understand her feelings and frustrations. Her doorbell chimed…she looked like a mess, but she was desperate for adult conversation and she was eager to see who might be there. Even if it was just the UPS guy, she needed something!
She opened her door to see her best friend’s bright face holding a coffee cup in her hands. Her friend with a huge smile on her face said, “hun, I’m here to help you today. Being a new mom is hard and we can’t do it alone.” The new mom sighed with relief, took her coffee, and handed the baby off to her friend. She was able to take a shower and rest that day. Before her friend left in the evening to go back to her own family, the new mom expressed how much she appreciated the help and unleashed all her frustrations of being a new mom. Her friend looked at her with eyes full of grace and said, “Me too sister. Me too.”
As a young man walks into a support group for recovering addicts, he slumped down into his chair and shame began to overwhelm him. Another recovered addict sat next to him very well knowing what that slump meant. He started a conversation up with the young man that was simple and basic. The young man looked at him straight in the face and said, “Man, I slipped up. I was having such a rough week and I found some stuff that I forgot about in my house. Man, I’m a failure.” The other addict, who had been sober for 6 years, looked at him straight in the face, and said, “Me too dude. Me too”.
A middle-aged woman, with children in tow, decided she endured the last fist to her face. She needed to get out and away from her abusive husband. So far, he only took his anger out on her, but it was only a matter of time before he hit one of the children. She waited for the kids to go to school the next day, gathered some of her things and the kid’s things, and left to find some help. She found herself standing on the front porch of another couple from church. She mustered up the courage to ring the doorbell and stood patiently for someone to answer the door. As a petite woman a few years older than she answered the door, she broke down in tears while she begged for some help. The petite woman ushered her into their living room, offered some hot tea, and they sat down to talk about what to do next. After a few hours, the abused mom asked “Why are you willing to help me? Aren’t you afraid of what he might do to you?” As the petite woman raised her head and said, “Me too. I was you many years ago.”
It’s amazing how life-changing those two words can be for someone who is in desperate a dark place. As a human, we desire to be seen and understood. To have our feelings and actions validated by others. When we encounter another person that has endured the darkness we are currently living in, it sparks a little light of hope inside of us.
“Me too” can mean that I am not alone, that I am understood, and I am heard. As I finally opened my own heart and lowered those sky-high walls around my heart, I too, started to hear those two words that helped begin my process of healing. God never intended for us to do life alone. He created us to be social, to have community, and to be supported.
So, to my dear sisters in Christ, if you are feeling alone, misunderstood, and insignificant….me too. So let us lean on each other as daughters of God and lift each other up! Find comfort in those two words and know that you are NOT alone. You are heard, and you are loved.
Today’s Truth:
“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Hebrews 10:24-25
Today’s Prayer:
“God, give us the strength to reach out to others in our times of need and during those dark times. You meant for us to be in community for the support that is provided. Provide that community for us Lord.”
Today’s Challenge/Response:
If you find yourself in a dark place, reach out to someone today for some support. If you see that there is someone else in a dark place, reach out to them and let them know you are willing to help.
Meet Today’s Writer: “Hello! My name is Bekah. I have been married to my wonderful husband for 10 years and we have 3 beautiful children. I am a school nurse in an elementary building and love being surrounded by Godly people. I was raised in a home where my mother was a believer, but my father was not. I chose to do life my way for most of my young adult life, but have come back to God about 5 years ago. I am restoring that relationship with my Heavenly Father and have the heart to help others find their way back to Him too!” Bekah invites you to connect with her at rcschroeder1986@gmail.com
