Prayers for Hard Times. Becca Anderson

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      Prayers

      for Hard Times

      Reflections, Meditations, and Inspirations of Hope and Comfort

      Becca Anderson

      Copyright © 2017 Becca Anderson.

      Published by Mango Publishing Group, a division of Mango Media Inc.

      Cover Design: Elina Diaz

      Layout & Design: Roberto Nunez

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      Prayers for Hard Times: Reflections, Meditations and Inspirations of Hope and Comfort

      Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication number: 2017960351

      ISBN: (paperback) 978-1-63353-529-9, (ebook) 978-1-63353-653-1

      BISAC category code: REL036000 RELIGION / Inspirational

      Printed in the United States of America

      Table of Contents

       Introduction

       Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled

       January

       When Everything is New Again

       February

The Season of the Heart

March

       A Season of Change

       April

       Blossoming Into Being

       May

       When Hope Springs Eternal

       June

       The Shared Warmth of Love

       July

       The Bounty and Beauty of This World

       August

       Shining Your Light for All to See

       September

       Harvesting Your Blessings

       October

       Gather Together with Friends and Family

       November

       Count Your Blessings and Be Thankful

       December

       Life is a Gift and Love is the Key

       Conclusion

       Let’s Be Grateful For Each Other and Be Grateful Together: Prayer Circles

       Index

       Introduction

       Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled

      Dear Reader,

      The paths of our lives take many twists and turns and just as many ups and downs. I firmly agree with those who say you can’t recognize the good times if you haven’t experienced the opposite. I also believe that going through difficulties builds character and makes us more resilient. But why, oh why do the tough times have to be so hard? I had the idea for this book ten years ago when a loved one, my fiancé, was diagnosed with stage IV cancer with very few options. I was his primary caretaker, and I did my best to paste on a smile, speak about a positive future, and above all, stay upbeat for him. He was unable to work, so I was also the breadwinner; I arranged a steady stream of meal deliveries and friendly visitors while I worked my very long days. One day I was at a business lunch with an author who asked me how I was handling this. Suddenly, I was gasping for breath and had to run outside. I had to go home; after a couple more episodes, I went to the emergency room. I was diagnosed with stress-induced asthma and prescribed heavy-duty medications and ordered to rest. But I knew I couldn’t sleep this off. The medications took effect after a couple of days, but the feeling that I was being suffocated by stress did not dissipate at all. To add to the load, I felt like I needed to be strong for someone else and that I was going to fail him. He passed very quickly, which somehow compounded the grief. We had barely had time to adjust to the severity of his illness when he died. One of the blessings to come from this was that his family and friends became a very close-knit group and have remained so, sharing memories and making new ones.

      When the vicissitudes of life remind me that the only constant is change, I think back to those dark days and reflect on how it felt, oftentimes hopeless with a depthless sadness. The only thing that helped me was praying and reading the wisdom of others. I remembered wishing I had a book that I could carry with me at all times just so I could turn to it when I felt I just could not go on. I know you, dear reader, have also faced circumstances that seemed insurmountable. My sincere