HOPE – Hold On, Pain Ends

Pain rarely comes one piece at a time. It usually arrives in waves, piling up until it feels impossible to catch a breath. It’s not just one bad day at work—it’s an argument with someone you love, a financial hit, and a phone call with terrible news, all landing at once.

A few years ago, that’s exactly how it felt. I found out I had a tumor taking up most of my chest. I needed open-heart surgery. I’d have to take time off work. It was overwhelming enough, but then, within months of my hospital stay, I discovered my husband had been having multiple affairs. Shortly after, I crashed my bike.

I barely had time to process one thing before the next hit. And each time, I was worried about slipping further. It wasn’t just fear about my physical or financial health—I was afraid for my mind. In my experience, sadness doesn’t always stay in one place. It gathers momentum, dragging me deeper. And this time, I worried it would pull me somewhere I couldn’t come back from.

I didn’t know what to do. I had no blueprint for getting through this.

So, I made small steps. I leaned on people who could see beyond what I was feeling in the moment. I looked for help, even when I didn’t know exactly what I needed. And I started collecting proof—proof that pain isn’t a permanent state.

I listened to people who had been where I was and came out the other side. I met people who had gone through worse and still built something good for themselves. Not because their stories were wrapped up in some perfect, happy ending—but because in their words, I found something to hold onto.

That’s what HOPE is. It’s not pretending things aren’t hard. It’s knowing that pain moves. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow—but it won’t stay exactly like this forever. And if I can hold on through the hardest moments, I can find my way through. I’ve done it before. I can do it again.

ACTION: If you’re in a difficult season, take a moment to collect proof that pain moves. Think of a time in your life when things felt impossible, but you made it through. If you can’t find it in your own experience, look to others—stories of people who have faced hardship and come out the other side. Let that be a reminder: pain shifts, change happens, and if you hold on, you’ll find your way forward.