There have been moments this week when I’ve felt overwhelmed, vulnerable. Mostly those times come when I’m tired, spent from doing too much or not sleeping well. While I make an effort to look at life from a positive point of view, when I’m tired, that all falls apart. That was the case last Tuesday morning.

I’d had a busy Monday, arriving early at my son, Brooks’s house to drive him to work. He’d had shoulder surgery and with his arm in a sling, he needed an “Uber” driver– as he referred to me when he introduced me to his co-workers. While he was at his office, I set up my writing desk in a nearby Panera. I had a deadline by the end of the week to send out several chapters of my sequel memoir to my writing critique group. That should be doable if I worked steadily.

On Tuesday, I’d planned to sleep in and then get back to my submission. In the early morning, I heard the ting of a text — since I’d forgotten to turn off my phone. I rolled over and fell back to sleep without reading it. When I did wake up, I had no energy to get out of bed. I saw the tasks before me, the writing and household chores, as overwhelming. My first utterance was, “God, I just can’t do it.” I felt tired, like I hadn’t slept at all. The day stretching before me would require more energy and focus than I could muster. “Help me to do what I need to do.”

It reminded me of a time years before when I felt overwhelmed. I’d gone on my solo journey to Colorado Springs to the Pike’s Peak Writers’ Conference where I was scheduled to “pitch” my memoir. On that Tuesday before the conference started on Thursday, I’d taken a break to ride the Cog Rail to the top of Pike’s Peak. When the rail reach the maximum point that day of 11,500 ft (the winds were too strong to go to the summit), I became acutely ill with Altitude Sickness. I’ll save you the description of my symptoms, but know that I became very lethargic with a low-grade fever and aches.

Instead of returning to my guest house and finishing my pitch, I ended up in bed the rest of that day and the one that followed. I was totally overwhelmed by my illness and by the work I had left to do. All I could hold onto was the Bible verses from II Corinthians that “when I am weak, then I am strong because of God’s power within me.” I managed to finish my prep between naps and eating my meals in my room.

Last Tuesday, when I finally made myself get out of bed, I sat at my kitchen table and read the text that came in the early morning. My friend and former coworker, Barbara had responded to last week’s blog post. I always appreciate people reading and responding. Writing can be a lonely pursuit and it helps to hear from those who’re out there — like any conversation. She encouraged me with her words, “Your writing is a gift.”

The next part of her text spoke to my feeling of lethargy that morning, to being overwhelmed by what I needed to do.

“thank you for sharing and persisting – GOD is using you in a mighty way.”

She and I had many conversations when we saw each other at the middle school. We’d shared from our faith as Christians, during those years and after we’d both retired. Her use of the word persisting felt like she was being used to help me keep going. So many times I’ve known that persistence was key to completing my memoir, to realizing any goal.

I felt encouraged and energized by Barbara’s words. Her message to me came at just the right moment. The clouds that had been pressing in on me lifted. I worked steadily, focused on that next section of my manuscript. I was able to do the same the next day when I sat at my now familiar writing desk at Panera. Taking my son to work had the benefit of spending one-to-one time with him, that’s hard to come by in these busy days with him being a father to my two grandsons.

On Thursday, I was pleased and relieved to finish my submission and send it a day early to my critique group. Shortly after that, Brooks called with a good report from his surgeon and news that he could now drive. I would miss our uninterrupted conversation driving to his work but was happy for him to have made that progress and to simplify his life.

Now, looking back at Tuesday morning when I was overwhelmed, I see how that encouraging text from my friend turned that day, and ultimately, the week around. It reminds me that when I feel “led” to reach out to someone, to just do it; I don’t have to know why, or second guess my feeling. I think that’s how God works, how we become strong when we feel weak — through human hands and voices, timely text messages that speak love and encouragement that energize our Spirits.

Best to you in whatever area where you feel weak, that you’ll be encouraged.

Connie