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I'm an emotional dumpster. I feel like every person I know,and even people I don't know,like to pour out their lives to me. I really don't have a problem with it at all. I love listening. I love hearing about how poorly people think they have it and those who actually do. But what I really like and appreciate,is what people have done about it.

I was having a heart to heart last night with a new friend,and they told me the epic story of their childhood up until their current adult life. I was pretty much in tears the whole time hearing one awful thing after another,but what really got me is how they saw it. How they took so much bad,and used it for good. This person is such a huge blessing and they don't even know it yet. It makes me realize how God works. We know that He works everything for good,somehow;but it's so cool to see the outcome.

It's like 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 "We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair;persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed." God loads us up and beats us down with events in our lives...but He doesn't kill us. He pushes us to a fraction short of our breaking points,but never over the edge. In doing so,He builds up our faith,our strength,our hearts and genuine compassion for those who are in similar dark places that we've been in. James 1:2-3 says it best,"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,[a] whenever you face trials of many kinds,because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance."

The next time you find yourself in this place,remember that it's not for bad. God only has the best plans for you and I've seen proof of that each time I hear a story like this.