May 4, 2026

After The Story | Episode 46

After the Story - Choices Like Rivers - Episode 46

This podcast discusses each chapter of Choices Like Rivers and each episode is posted directly after the book episode. This corresponds to Chapter 16 Section 3.

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Everyone can see the pain that Sharon is suffering. They love her and are long suffering. They too are hurting from the pain of losing Molly Sue. It is a shared tragedy.

They have been caring for Sharon for a full week even though she herself doesn’t want it, nor has she asked for it.

Have you ever felt that kind of deep despair where you truly don’t feel you can force your body to move, even if you wanted to? I have. It is amazing to me how emotions, something we can’t touch or see, can pull us into so much physical pain. Our emotions can put a lock and key on our entire being and keep us locked down.

That is where Sharon was. So, what is the answer to this type of situation? We can’t stay locked down. There needs to be a sudden change to alter the depressed state and get moving forward again.

For Sharon, Leslie was the catalyst. She had deep compassion for Sharon, and I believe her frustration was birthed out of that compassion. She knew Sharon had to get up and get moving forward again or she would just lay there and die.

If we experience times like this we need a Leslie in our life. If we have friends that are going through something like this, we may need to be the Leslie for them.

There is a balance there. Be compassionate, but steady and firm. I hope I wrote Leslie’s character in such a way that would inspire us to help someone in our life in just that manner.

Again let me touch on the fact that Sharon had nothing to anchor herself to. She had no faith. No one to pray to. Nothing to inspire her forward.

God is always there waiting for all of us. His compassionate heart yearns to be called upon for help. In Psalm 34:18 it says…

Psalm 34:18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted
And saves those who are crushed in spirit.

But, He leaves it up to us to call out to Him. Sharon did not know God much less believe in Him. Leslie did and knew that Sharon could be better. She knew she could help her friend and I believe was praying the entire time for God to help her friend.

Often even when we know God we delay calling out to Him. I believe we are concerned that He will reject us. I often think we feel that the pain we are feeling may have come from our own stupid actions and we will only be scolded if we go to Him. Let me tell you from experience that has never been the case for me.

There have been times in my life where I did the most stupid things, things I knew I shouldn’t be doing and then had to cry out to God to heal the pain I had caused myself, and often to get me out of the mess I had created. He never scolded, and he always was there immediately for me.

The thing is. He knows that we already know what we have done wrong and are writhing in self condemnation of that fact. He won’t heap condemnation on us.

If you are suffering from pain today, call out to God. It doesn’t matter where you are in life. He is right there waiting for you.