No pain, no gain :-)

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(Photo credits: from my FB friend's timeline photos)

I was checking some updates from my cousins in Canada, browsing my Facebook walls and I found this. I stopped scrolling down. The message of this quote hit me. It was a very timely reminder for me personally, because at the moment I am really into something that's painful and difficult for me to bear. I couldn't help but put myself into a pity party, since last week. I feel so low and so alone, so down. But I praise God I still manage to smile and even laugh out loud whenever I find something funny, at home, at church, in the office, anywhere. Genuinely, of course, not a forced or a scripted laughter. :-)

I am thankful to God because I know He is at work in my life. I may not see His purpose why He is allowing me to go through pain for now, but I am sure He will reveal it to me when the right time comes. I am also sure that I need to undergo through this painful and long process, because it is the only way for me to heal, let go, forgive and move on. It is not hard, it is not difficult. It is actually impossible for me to bear and to be even here writing this entry. If not for His goodness and His mercy and abounding love, I wouldn't be where I am now. I wouldn't have done everything right, if it weren't for God's grace and unfailing love.

Thank You God, I may be in pain now, broken to pieces, lost everything, and couldn't hardly move, but I am still alive and still standing. I still have my life and I am still breathing the air You give. I still have my wonderful family, my relatives, my friends (online and offline), my steemit family and friends. There are still a lot of things to thank God for, countless, so to speak.

No matter how painful and how many times I fall, I lose, I break, I get hurt, I will always get up and face life stronger than ever before. I will continue to weather any storms that will come my way. Because I know God is cutting the rough edges in my life. He is carving His image in me. I know that whenever I feel pain, God is watching me closely. He is refining me each day and I need to trust His heart. And after those long, hard and painful process, I am sure, by God's grace that He will shine in my life.

Don't lose heart, my friend. Whatever your situation right now, don't give up. God is not through with any of us yet.
Well, not just yet. :-)

I am @sashley a.k.a. shirleynpenalosa, a recipient of God's love, mercy and grace. ❤️

Have a blessed Year 2018 everyone :-)❤️

I am forever grateful to God every day of my life for giving me everything that I need and praise Him all the more for not giving me everything I want. To God be all the honor, praise and glory ❤️ :-)

Thank you for your time in reading my post. God bless us all. :-)

@surpassinggoogle is such a generous person and has a very big heart for all of us here. Please support him as a witness by voting him at https://steemit.com/~witnesses and type in "steemgigs" at the first search box.

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If you want to give him witness voting decisions on your behalf, visit https://steemit.com/~witnesses again and type in "surpassinggoogle" in the second box as a proxy.

@paradise-found is a wonderful person, a very humble and generous encourager, let us also support him by voting and typing in "gratefulvibes" at the search box

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Other good witnesses to recommend:

@yabapmatt
@teamsteem
@bayanihan
@jerrybanfield
@acidyo
@blocktrades
@curie
@cloh76.witness
@rcarter.witness
@reggaemuffin
@arcange

They need our support