I was once told that we should live for today, forget yesterday, and live like there will never be a tomorrow. Yesterday is gone and can never be returned. Tomorrow is not a given for we cannot know when something in our lives will prevent us from seeing the sunrise. For years, my past haunted me because I had no closure. I had so many things I felt like I had to do before I could close the door on yesterday, and because of that, I was stuck in the past and had no hope for anything more. All of the dreams I had growing up placed me in a world full of wonder and joy and fulfillment, but in reality, those things were far beyond my reach. The ghosts of my past held me in chains and darkness. Because of my deep need to find relief from the pain, I turned to the world around me and indulged myself in things that were unbecoming to ANY person and were dangerous to my health. I was so desparate to find something better, that I took any opportunity to escape, no matter what the consequences would be. It wasn't until many many years later, I found the peace I had been searching for. After searching for myself on a long, painful, tiring journey through the best and worst the world had to offer, I found and became the person that I had only dreamed I could be. I found a Friend like no other who was there for me through the ups and downs in my life, even when I felt truly alone and abandoned. This Friend gave me hope and peace and love that I had forgotten could exist. There were, of course, times when I neglected my Friend and days, even weeks, would pass when I never even thought of Him. But no matter how long I took to come back, He was always there with open, loving arms to gather me in and reassure me that He would always be there. His name? Jesus the Christ, my Savior, my Redeemer, my Love, my Friend.
