Completely Overwhelmed

Have you ever felt overwhelmed with life?

For me, this week has been completely hectic. Each stressful circumstance has piled up one on top of another leaving me feeling anxious and stressed.  Can anyone relate?

It is easy to feel alone when everything seems to be falling apart. 

I honestly felt that way this week.   My dog began throwing up profusely on Wednesday morning while I was trying to write my post last week. I knew something was seriously wrong after going through 2 rolls of paper towels to clean it all up.  I took him to the vet, and they found a blockage in his intestines.   He was off to emergency surgery which revealed that he had swallowed a cupcake topper.  Yes, a plastic pumpkin one to be exact- not sure how long that has been sitting in his stomach.

The good news is that emergency surgery saved his life.  The bad news is that emergency surgery costs the price of a nice family vacation.  Thank you God for savings accounts! 

Things started to look brighter as our huge black lab seemed to be recovering well.  I think this is the hardest part: you think you are through the worst of it and then another curve ball knocks you down. 

We planned to watch church online on Sunday, so we could keep an eye on our furry patient.  The day took a turn for the worst when we saw drops of light red liquid on the floor.  I think Sunday is the most stressful day to discover an emergency because all doctor and vet offices are closed. Panicked and frantic, we traced the drops to our sweet Shadow.  Sadly, our dog’s sutures were leaking.  With little sleep over the past couple days, I was not in a good place to handle this news.  I began to cry.

There are times when our days spin out of control and become too much to handle on our own.  After my melt down, I knew that I needed help.  In the middle of my tears, I cried out to God for wisdom on what to do, and I called a friend who knew lots about dogs and could help. 

Even though my circumstances did not change, I was no longer facing them alone. 

I just recently saw this quote and it brought me encouragement especially during my difficult week. “When you feel like you’re drowning in life, don’t worry… your Lifeguard walks on water.”   

I love that even during our hard circumstances, we are not alone.  God is with us!   

Sometimes God is walking beside us, giving us strength to endure.  Other times, God is carrying us when we are too weak or overwhelmed to move forward.  He picks us up and helps us move through the disappointment and difficulties. 

After a trip to the urgent care and again to the vet in the morning, the doctors once again helped Shadow.  Good news, he is now recovering well once again.  This picture of him in the cone of shame says it all.

In the middle of your overwhelming circumstances, I want to encourage you to look up.  Look to the One who can give you strength and peace in the middle of stressful times.  God is faithful!

Love, Jodi