When I was 13, I started to battle a drastic health decline, so much so that I was practically wheelchair bound for the next 3 years. I was constantly finding myself in the hospital, but no one could really give me answers. As a child, I had been so active and now I was driving the power wheelchair that we thought I'd never need. At 15, I spent Halloween in the ER that year.
Though my family and friends were there to help and love me, inside I had felt like I was fighting the unknown all alone. The world seemed so heavy and I was so angry and confused with regards to my health, that I fell into a depression, nearly taking my life later that year. I began to doubt my worth, and whether or not I had it in me to bounce back from all this.
Amongst several acts of kindness toward me from model, Miranda Kerr, this note was the most touching:
Hey Sarah, there is so much we don't understand in life... why people get sick, why some children are born with cancer, why floods, tsunamis, earthquakes, fires occur and countless lives are needlessly lost. One thing I believe is that we are never given more than we can handle - you are stronger than you can possibly imagine - your experiences will make you stronger and you will make a difference to others (as I am sure you already are) because of what you are going through.
Lots of love to you Sarah, please email me.
Love Miranda xxx
I brought her book everywhere with me, especially to read the affirmations in it. These affirmations were all I had left at that point to keep my light shining.
Shortly after I accepted my belief in God again, Grace had done a teaching on focusing and renewing the mind to get what we desire. I thought about all the experiences I went through up until then and about how I wanted to see the light at the end of the tunnel again. Inspired by this and also Miranda's affirmations, I pulled a little lock box out of my closet and made an affirmation card deck.
Grace talked about focusing our cameras; we have to keep adjusting them until the image we want to capture is focused and clear. If we rush into taking the picture, our image is fuzzy and it's hard to hold on to it and its significance. Once we know what we want, we need to keep it in our mind and keep it focused.
I immediately went home and made list after list of my goals and dreams. Everything from what I wanted in a husband to what I wanted my Junior Year to be like, was locked away in my box. I
got very detailed with the most meaningful goals and trusted that since God already knew my heart, that He would bless, heal and prosper me as He said He would in 3 John 1:2.
My Junior Year was an incredible time of growth for me in all areas of my life, and I truly saw God at work in me. I carried a 95 average at the end of the year... Having nearly failed my Freshman and Sophomore Years. I joined a club, began speaking to audiences and started blogging; I enjoyed Junior Prom and progressed in counseling. I grew so much in my spiritual beliefs and devotion, and even wrote a letter to my future self - which is also locked away in the box.
MY TIPS FOR GETTING THE MOST OUT OF YOUR BE BLESSED BOX AND WHY:
1.) Be personal - this box is meant to hold your dreams, and is meant only for you, unless you want to share it. Spill your heart into it, while remembering to stay realistic.
2.) Keep it portable - the box should be small enough for you to easily carry. I suggest sharing it with your counselor and having them help you add to it and check things off, as this will help you see how much you've grown in your confidence.
3.) Use positive affirmations - these will help program you to think about the feeling of success. They can be written to suit any religion.
4.) Make it a time capsule - make some things in your box off limits to read - even by you - until a designated time such as a wedding. Write on the item what the subject is. Keep these items hidden under your affirmation deck.
5.) List the ways it has helped you - it is always good to look back at hard times and see how far you've come in your recovery. By doing this, you are proving to yourself just how much strength is within you and also how much God has done for you to help you heal.