The Love I Found In Christ

From an existentialist perspective, jealousy protects us from the truly existential threat of losing our loved one’s affirmation of our being. it’s bad faith / self deceptive because it relieves us of the work it takes to actually build and strive for meaning and value and instead we simply want it to be bestowed upon us. Jealousy in women is endemic because we live in a culture which has taught us from a young age that our worth and meaning is contingent on man’s ability to perceive it within us. It places us in a perpetual state of dependency on men and in a constant state of rivalry and competition with other women.

From a Marxist perspective, jealousy is a product of bourgeois love morality — it’s about having a proprietary attitude towards our loved ones. Under capitalism, we come to view other people’s entire being as property and possession. We feel we are owed our beloved’s complete interiority.

Because stroke doesn’t wait—and neither should we. They won’t always clutch their chest. There won’t always be shouting or collapsing. Sometimes, a stroke arrives quietly. A little slurred word. A drifting hand. A moment of confusion that passes like mist. And yet—in those seconds, the brain is pleading for help. As a stroke nurse, I’ve witnessed time become both the hero and the…

Let’s start with this… Every day I realize that I belong to the lucky few who lead a reasonably normal life after suffering a massive stroke. I can’t explain how or why I got so lucky, and neither can my doctors. All I can do is make the most of my days, gratefully sharing what I have to give, which is one of the reasons I am writing this series of blog posts. As a reminder: I am only speaking…

With Clinical Insight, Emotional Wisdom, and Evidence for Whole-Person Stroke Care There are wounds that don’t bleed. In stroke, one of the most invisible—and yet most life-altering—is the loss of communication. Imagine waking in your own body, in your own bed, in a ward that is supposed to be your place of recovery… and realising you cannot say your name. You cannot ask for water. You cannot…

You were the victim, and it wasn’t fair, but it’s over now. Nobody came to save you, and I’m sorry, but it’s too late for anyone to go back and do it different.

You’re suffering over something that cannot be resolved. You’re allowed to feel angry, or outraged, or betrayed, but there will eventually come a time that you don’t feel that so violently anymore, and you’re going to want to have something good left to go back to.

You can’t make anyone love you the way you need to be loved. That’s how a lot of good things end. Not with a clear sign, something blocking the road that says “do not proceed”, just a splitting of the path that’s still moving somewhat in the same direction.

You can’t fix them. Nothing you can do will fix them. And if they fix themselves, they can’t do it for you- they have to do it for themselves as well, because otherwise a day may come when they’re alone, and as long as they live, they are their only true constant. So you can support, and you can encourage, but the hardest part is up to them. And sometimes they can’t do it even with your help.

Sometimes letting go of someone feels like mourning at their funeral before they’ve died, and every time you see them after it’s like talking to a ghost that doesn’t know it’s dead. Sometimes that happens. You’ll both still wake up tomorrow anyways.

I understand that you’re afraid, and that you’re afraid for good reasons. And I understand that being brave isn’t as easy as just turning that fear off, and you would if you could in a heartbeat. But the thing is, as long as that fear is able to dictate your choices, it will have power over you. If you don’t believe you can try to fight it, if you accept that it will always be in charge, you let the frightening thing stay present in your life. It will exist as long as you stay paralyzed. And that sounds cruel, but it isn’t something anyone can fix for you.

The person you may let yourself become after experiencing the terrible thing may very well grow into a much bigger, much more terrible thing, and someday it will swallow the first terrible thing whole. And all that will be left is something far worse for someone else. And you will not be able to shrink it down by explaining where it came from, because terrible things that are dead and gone are never as terrible as terrible things that are alive right now in front of you.

I wake up next to you in the bed we now share.

Every day,

You never fail to make me smile.

Every day,

I keep plunging into the sea of your eyes,

And I can’t help but notice how blue they are.

I can’t help but notice you look at me with such affection.

The way you say my name, how the syllables float from your mouth.

Mundane things have never been so fun.

I want to experience everything with you.

Every day,

We get a little closer to the future.

And for the first time in a long time,

I can actually picture a future.

A future together,

Working hard to be together.

Every day I will work for you.

I will put the effort in and make you feel exactly how I feel.

Every day,

I find another reason to keep going.

The other day, I asked God a silly prayer to show me a sign that He loves me and He sees me. I usually don't ask for signs because my faith in God isn't based on my feelings and circumstances. Yet, I still lifted a silly prayer to confirm if He really saw me amid my sufferings. I said,

" God if You really hear me, if you really love me, and see what I'm going through, can You give me a sign and send me a butterfly?".

Days went by, and I didn't see one. I laughed it off because it was a silly prayer. After all, I haven't seen a butterfly in years — as if they have disappeared and become as rare as a rainbow in my city. A part of me felt let down by my unanswered prayer, but I simply moved on and kept praying.

I was wrong. Indeed, God hears every prayer, no matter how silly it is. It is true that He hears and cares. On the afternoon of July 3, I went out to feed the stray cats and my dog, Percy, when a black and white butterfly flew right past me! It rested for a minute or two near our garden. I stand frozen with my mouth open for a long time still processing if what I'm seeing is a butterfly or just my imagination. But it was really a butterfly! I was pleasantly surprised and elated because I hadn't seen a butterfly in a long time, I asked God a few days ago if He could send me a butterfly so I'd know He hears me, and I got it! My silly little prayer was heard.

It was such a happy moment for me. It left me in tears when I realized I was never alone all this time. I really needed that confirmation, it feels so personal. God is personal. Amid my trials, my Father was with me and was comforting me. It wasn't just in my head, but He keeps His promises that He'll be there yesterday, today, and forever. My prayers were never wasted, even when I have a long list of unanswered prayers, He still hears me! When He says that He keeps records of your tears, He really does it. My tears were never wasted. God knows what's going on. I may feel alone, but it's not the truth. In my battles, He was with me. Now every time I ask for a sign or see a butterfly, I know it's God telling me that He sees me and that He loves me.

Father, thank You for not forsaking me. Despite being undeserving of Your love and grace due to my sins, You gave me a forgiving love because that is who You are. You are Love. Thank You for loving me, that in my darkest times, Your light shined the brightest. You reminded me through a butterfly, that I was never all alone, You reminded me to not be frightened and not be dismayed for You will be with me wherever I go. You're always moving, always leading me, always hearing me, and always loving me.

Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)

Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. (James 1:12)

They are supposed to function as care centers for people who are disabled.

So why is it our culture thinks its a joke to say "shape up or you'll be sent to a nursing home". Families are not trained medical staff. It is a luxury to stay in your home as your care needs increase. You can need a nursing home or similar level of care at any age.

Yes, I agree. It's not just about believing in Christ as a concept or idea—it’s about having a real, personal relationship with Him. A relationship means more than just knowing He exists; it’s about seeking Him, trusting Him, and allowing Him to guide and shape your life.

But don’t forget: salvation is not something you 'earn' by being perfect or always consistent. It’s a gift of grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9). God knows your struggles, your doubts, and your heart, and His love for you doesn’t change based on how 'close' you feel to Him. Even when you feel distant, He’s never far.