First, the Breakdown, then the Breakthrough: How to Cope in Times of Despair by Desiree Future

Hi Everyone,

—–

One day, as I was parking my older car, the check engine light came on. Having an older car like mine, incidents are bound to happen. However, it wasn’t the right time as I wanted to buy a new car, not invest to my current one.

Maintaining a car is like taking care of your body. What you put in it is what you get out of it. If you provide it with good care, you’ll have a long life together. Remember the older the car gets, the more TLC it needs, just like your own body.

A few days later, I inadvertently got a virus on my computer while trying to download something that I needed. What I didn’t know was that the website looked authentic, but it was fraudulent.

Every day, I was confronted with pop-ups on my screen, and I knew I had to fix my problem. I tried numerous things, but nothing worked. Running out of time and facing more pop-ups, I scrambled to find a solution.

After unsuccessfully trying to rid my computer of the unwanted visitor, I had to factory reset it. In the process, I lost many important documents and pictures of my late parents and other relatives. Though, once my computer was brand new, I breathed a sigh of relief.

No more pop-ups or weird things happening to my laptop. However, I lost a lot because I didn’t have time to save anything. Nor did I want to store anything on a flash drive because I was unsure of what was corrupted.

I saved hundreds of dollars on purchasing a new computer. Sure, it hurt when I lost valuable documents and pictures. My old stored computer suddenly started working again after two years, and I managed to retrieve most of its lost contents.

One week after that, another bomb dropped in my lap. This time, it was sticker shock from used car prices. Who would have guessed they cost as much as brand-new vehicles?

I went to four dealerships, and each car I looked at cost over fifteen thousand dollars. Those figures were way above this single woman’s budget.

Not to mention, they all required major work since they were used. Driving off the car lot with the same car I drove, I felt defeated. Needing and wanting a modern car was simply not in the cards for me at the moment.

Retreating to my home, I prayed to God for answers because the winter was slowly coming. Living in the northeast during the snowy season is not a good time to take public transportation.

Then I remembered a few years ago when I visited my doctor for a check-up. The physician’s assistant told me my blood pressure was high. Undoubtedly, it was due to the stress of working full-time, raising my teenage son, and self-publishing my first novel.

The keyword here is teenage. If you have children, then you know what I mean. Self-publishing with the many hats you must wear was just as stressful.

The physician’s assistant said something to me that changed my mindset. She said there’s always a breakdown before your breakthrough. I felt overwhelmed with emotions, wanting to cry both then and now.
Despite everything happening so quickly, I recalled her words. It may seem rough now, but I know my breakthrough is coming. I’ve delivered all my problems to God because they are too heavy for me.

In the meantime, I will keep moving forward. Whatever God has for me is for me.

“In everything, give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”       1 Thessalonians 5:18

Desiree Future is the author of The Pastor’s Heart and It’s a New Season. She’s also a Self-improvement blogger who splits her time between writing encouraging articles and working on her next novel. https://desireefuture.com/