OUCH!

With brand new running shoes, I set out for my run in the cool night air. It was late. It was dark. And I was psyched! As I sang along with my gals Gwen Stefani and Pink, my pace quickened. Then it happened. Mercilessly, the uneven sidewalk silently ambushed me. In one graceless movement, I tripped over a raised section in the sidewalk. While my left knee and ankle turned underneath me, my right leg scraped violently against the cement. Just moments before, I had been gliding effortlessly down the street. Now, every part of my body screamed, "OUCH!" as I sat wounded and crying in the middle of the dark and empty sidewalk.

Slowly, I hobbled home and pushed open our front door. How relieved I was to see my sweet husband waiting to greet me! "How was your run?" he asked playfully. As tears streamed down my cheeks, my sobs seemed to now grow louder. "Are you crying because you are hurt or are you crying because you are embarrassed?" Marty probed further. "YES!!!" I wailed indignantly.

Marty smiled, took me by the hand and led me to our bedroom where he affectionately assessed my wounds. Gently, he cleaned and dressed my scrapes and applied ice to my ankle and knee. Certainly, my husband's tenderness touched my heart deeply, and in his care, I slowly regained my perspective on all that had transpired. Yes, I was hurt, but I was going to be ok. Though the pain was searing, there was no permanent damage done. In a few days, I would be running again. A little slower, perhaps. Probably not in the dark. Yet, with a little rest, I would recuperate and be on my way.

Sometimes in life, we fall. One moment, everything seems to be going well and then out of nowhere, we stumble. It hurts. A lot. And we need help to pick ourselves up again. Truly, we must have a safe place to rest while our wounds heal. But, we must keep our Biblical perspective. Despite our pain, we are assured that God will be there, even when we stumble. In heartbreak. In trial. Regardless of how hard we fall, we must return to our Savior. His love awaits. And we will surely find comfort in His arms, for "he heals the brokenhearted and binds their wounds."(Psalm 147:3 NIV)