My Hope

Read 1 Peter 5:6-10

May our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and through grace gave us eternal comfort and good hope, comfort your hearts.
-2 Thessalonians 2:16-17 (NRSV)

MY life has been filled with hard trials. When I was just two or three days old, I almost died because of the midwife's carelessness. Ever since then, I have suffered from various illnesses. Then, when I was a teenager, I had a kidney operation that left me unable to have children.

When I got married, I decided to adopt a child, Iva. Although I loved her unconditionally, I was upset because she too was ill. I struggled alone with her illnesses, without the support of my husband, an alcoholic. While I was taking care of Iva, my mother-in-law tried to take her away from me. Eventually, Iva died in my arms at the age of 13. I felt absolutely helpless but managed to find strength for the next trial -- my husband divorcing me.

I wouldn't be alive right now if I didn't know Christ. Fortunately, during all those long years of suffering I was a Christian. When my daughter died and I couldn't see a direction in my life, God showed me the right way and gave me a message of comfort. Through my struggles I learned an important lesson: We cannot blame God when we suffer. We live in a sinful world filled with imperfect people, but God is perfect and merciful. God is our hope.

by Anna Georgieva Georgieva (Pleven, Bulgaria)