Picture This & Pull Through Your Darkest Moments
A story Caroline Rose shared morphed into an powerful image in my mind which gives me hope in my darkest moments.
Episode Talking Points
Caroline's story of saying "no" to chemo and then changing her mind when nurse Jan told her what to focus on.
What did Jesus focus on when he suffered in Gethsemane and on Golgotha?
Did He look down through the ages to see you and me?
Did His love for us pull Him forward?
Bible Verses which teach and confirm God's love and understanding
3 lessons I can take from this and remember in my darkest times.
Picturing Jesus lovingly thinking of me or you in His moment of greatest trial helps me realize that I can focus back on Him and lean on Him in my personal Gethsemane.
#tamarakanderson #storiesofhopeinhardtimes #podcast #hope #God #hardtimes #darktimes #focus #JesusChrist #Golgotha #Gethsemane #Bibleverse #love #understanding
Transcription
0:02
Have you ever wondered where you should focus when things get the darkest? Today, we look back at one image that our guests last week, Caroline Rose, portrayed from her story struggling through chemo. And what she focused on and what it has prompted me to start thinking about this week that I wanted to share with you because I think it can help all of us in our deepest darkest struggles. Stay tuned.
0:34
Welcome to Stories of Hope in Hard Times, the show that explores how people endure and even thrive in difficult times, all with God's help. I'm your host Tamara K. Anderson. Join me on a journey to find inspiring stories of hope and wisdom learned in life's hardest moments.
1:00
Hello, and welcome to another episode of Tamara's Takeaways on the Stories of Hope in Hard Time podcast. I'm your host, Tamara K. Anderson. And today I want to talk about one image that has kind of been rolling around in my mind from this past week's podcast with Caroline Rose. And for those of you who missed that episode, Caroline struggled with non Hodgkins lymphoma. And the third time it came back she was in the hospital doing chemotherapy. And a nurse came in at 4:30 in the morning to give her her next dose. And she just talked about how she was physically exhausted, she'd given all she could give, she was bleeding in her esophagus she was just not doing well physically. Nor was she doing well emotionally. And she looked up at the nurse and told her that she didn't want to do it anymore. She was done.
2:02
And this sweet nurse pointed her to the picture she had on her wall of her two children and told her that she needed to keep fighting for them.
2:21
And as Caroline looked at those pictures of her children, and held the nurse’s hand, she squoze her hand to let her know, she would indeed keep fighting for them. Because she loved them so much.
2:41
And as I've pondered that scene in my brain, it's just kind of run a loop over and over and over. And I suddenly could see a different scene in my brain merging with Caroline's.
3:00
And it was the scene of Jesus Christ, suffering for all of our sins on Gethsemane, and on Golgotha. And all of a sudden I could see Him in utter anguish. And wishing He didn't have to go any farther wishing that he could not drink of the bitter cup.
3:29
And as I thought of that, and the poignant words that he said, In Matthew 26:38, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even unto death. And then He went and prayed, Oh my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me. Nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt.”
3:56
As I've thought of those words, and pictured the Savior in my mind, I'm wondering who he focused on—who he looked down and saw images of that spurred him onward. Certainly his Father was one he looked to.
4:20
But I've also started wondering if Jesus Christ didn't look down through the ages, and see you struggling and see me in my hardest moments struggling. And his love for us, pulled him forward and through one of the hardest times ever, that any human being has ever gone through.
4:54
And so I have started looking at Jesus Christ. And what he did for us in a totally different way. Because I've started thinking of Him, thinking of us when he went through what he did. I love how in the book of Mark, it's recorded, that Jesus Christ said, “Abba (Father kind of means Daddy), “All things are possible and to thee. Takeaway, this cup from me, nevertheless, not what I will, but what thou wilt.
Well, what sorrow and agony he went through for you. And for me.
5:41
It's recorded in Luke. “And being in an agony, he prayed more earnestly and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.”
5:53
From this, I take three great lessons.
First, Jesus Christ loves you. He loves you so much that he suffered, everything you have ever suffered every sorrow, every grief, every pain, because he loves you. He looked down from Gethsemane and Golgotha, through the ages, and he saw you, in your own Gethsemane, wherever that is.
6:29
And He kept going, because He loves you. And He didn't want you to be alone. And that brings me such great joy and hope to know that I'm not alone when I struggle, and that He loves me enough to come and strengthen and help so that I'm truly not alone, in my darkest hour.
7:05
The second thing I take from this is that Jesus Christ understands me in my struggles. He knows how my heart was broken when my son Nathan was diagnosed with autism. And he also knows that it was broken once again when my son Jacob was also diagnosed with autism. He was there with me, as I wept and grieved and cried.
7:39
He's been there with me in the hospital room When I was struggling to breathe, because I had a punctured lung. He's been with me on my sickbeds. He's been with me when I had COVID. This past year.
7:58
He's been with me when I've grieved for family members, and loved ones who have passed.
8:07
And I'm thankful to know that he understands the depth of my grief. Because sometimes when we're grieving, we feel like no one else understands. But as I picture Jesus, looking at me, and enduring what he endured, I realize—He gets it, He understands.
8:32
The third thing I take from this is the importance of us, looking back and focusing on Him in our times of greatest sorrow, in our times of greatest need. If looking at pictures of her children could pull Caroline Rose through one of the most agonizing treatments of her life.
9:00
Surely us, focusing on the Savior, and him focusing back on us through the ages, even now can help us get through whatever struggle we are going through.
9:18
I think of the prophet Job in the Old Testament, and the amazing anguish and grief and sorrow that he passed through, you know, not only losing his children, but his land, his property, being covered in boils. The desertion of his friends, basically telling him to curse God and die.
9:44
And yet, what did he focus on? “I know that my Redeemer lives.” What a powerful thing to focus on When we're in anguish, when we're grieving—and focusing on Jesus Christ pulled Job through.
10:06
And focusing on Jesus Christ has pulled me through my hardest moments. And so I love the idea looking with love towards someone when we are sorrowing. I love the idea that that can pull us through, especially when it is rooted in faith, faith in Jesus Christ.
I love the promise of Jesus Christ, before he left his disciples, “I will not leave you comfortless.”
10:47
Just as he promised them that ,he so promises that to us today, tomorrow and always, because of what He suffered, He will not leave us comfortless.
11:01
I felt his comfort in my darkest moments. And I'm so thankful for him.
11:09
And so, my friends, I leave you with that And those three points. First of all, know, Jesus Christ loves you, that He focused on you when He suffered an agony. Second, He understands your every pain. And third, that you can focus back on Him when you need help, when you need strength, when you need comfort, and He will be there.
11:43
I'd like to close with a beautiful verse from Isaiah 49 verse 15. “Can a woman forget her suckling child that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget. Yet I will not forget thee. Behold I have graven the upon the palms of my hands. Thy walls are continually before me.”
Others may forget you and your suffering, but He never will. Focus on Him, just as He focused on you.
12:18
Hope on my friends.
Hi, this is Tamara K. Anderson, and I want to share something special with you. When our son Nathan was diagnosed with autism, I felt like the life we had expected for him was ripped away and with it, my own heart shattered as well. It's very common for families to feel anger, pain, confusion and anxiety when a child is diagnosed. This is where my book normal for me comes into play. It shares my story of learning to replace my pain, with acceptance, peace, joy, and hope. normal for me has helped change many lives. And I'd like to give this book to as many families as possible. We put together something I think is really special. My friends and listeners can order copies of my book and significantly discounted price. And we will send them to families who have just had a child diagnosed with autism or another special needs diagnosis. We will put your name inside the cover so they will know someone out there loves them and wants to help. I will also sign each copy.
13:29
You can order as little as one or as many as hundreds to be shared with others. So go to my website Tamarakanderson.com, and visit the store section for more information and to place your order. You can bless the lives of many families by sending them hope, love and peace. Check it out today at Tamarakanderson.com and help me spread hope to the world.
13:55
Hey, thanks so much for listening to today's show. If you like what you heard, subscribe so you can get your weekly dose of powerful stories of hope. I know there are many of you out there who are going through a hard time and I hope you found useful things that you can apply to your own life in today's podcast. If you would like to access the show notes of today's show, please visit my website storiesofhopepodcast.com. There you will find a summary of today's show the transcript and one of my favorite takeaways. You know, if someone kept coming to mind during today's episode, perhaps that means that you should share this episode with them. Maybe there was a story shared or quote or a scripture verse that they really really need to hear. So go ahead and share this podcast.
14:47
May God bless you, especially if you are struggling with hope to carry on and with the strength keep going. When things get tough. Remember to walk with Christ and He will help you bear The burden and above all else, remember God loves you.