Thank you for subscribing-may these words bring a quiet moment of peace and reflection to your day.

Backstory:
I was talking with my therapist recently about chronic illness and how invisible it often is to others. When someone breaks a bone or has surgery, people can usually see the injury and understand that healing is needed. But with chronic illness, pain, fatigue, and many other symptoms are often hidden beneath the surface. As we talked, I realized that emotional struggles can be just as invisible. Many people quietly carry burdens such as anxiety, depression, grief, loneliness, or family challenges that no one else can see. It made me think about how every person is walking a unique path, wearing shoes worn by miles of experiences and struggles that are often unseen by the world. 

The One Who Walks With Us Every Mile

Some injuries to the body are visible
And therefore are easily fixable.
Some people suffer from illnesses that are unseen
Inside their body but they keep going like a machine.

Some suffer from mental illness 
And deserve a caring hand in the stillness.
We are all walking battles in this life
That are unknown to others in our strife.

If we could walk a mile in someone else’s shoe
Then we would see their daily battle through their view.
We would see why their shoes are so worn out
And we would care for them more without a doubt.

But we can’t see the battles that people face every day,
As they walk the weary miles of their path along their way.
There is One who has walked every mile of our journey
Who has been there with us for every moment of stress and worry.

Jesus is always there walking with us every mile
And He is the reason that we can still wake up every day and smile.
He has felt our every pain and heartbreak we suffer through,
Because He suffered it all himself and His love for us is true.

The Takeaway: The next time we meet someone, it may help to remember that we don't know how many difficult miles they have walked or what burdens they are carrying today. A little kindness, patience, and compassion can go a long way. While we may never fully walk in another person's shoes, Jesus Christ understands every step of every journey. He knows the pain, the heartache, the fatigue, and the struggles that others cannot see. Because He has walked with us through every mile, we can turn to Him for understanding, strength, and comfort—and strive to extend that same compassion to those around us. 

Watch the YouTube short on this topic here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vdm_SRnDlJ8