Day 56 Difficult Days

 

2/26/2026 

My older son texted me that the world was on fire, and he's angry about the way things are going in the United States. His tech company downsized in December, a couple of days before his birthday, leaving him without a job, health insurance, and a diagnosis of cancer. He lives on the east coast where real estate is out of range, and he just bought his home, so he has a substantial mortgage payment each month, I imagine. Where does this leave him? His new home which was renovated has had two major incidents with bursting pipes, one water, the other sewage. Repairing that took a substantial chunk from his savings, if he has any. His friends are in similar dire straights with loss of job, no health insurance, and families. He can't get a job, because there are freezes and not hiring. He hasn't seen his oncologist in three months or better, and he needs further treatment or surgery. This is not pleasant, and it is well past a difficult day.

Tomorrow I attend a cousin's funeral in North Carolina, one of many I've attended since moving home. It seems trouble is all around. He was only 30 years of age, but he was wrestling with a chronic medical condition, but he lived the years to the utmost. Each day I receive prayer alerts from a few sources locally, as well as internationally. It's hard to do it all in a day, but I try. My daughter calls them A to Z prayers, because the needs are so great.

We received word from Open Doors that 70 Christians had been beheaded in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. No one is reporting it, and support is low. When our group prayed for this initially the count was 19, and here they report 70 slain. My heart grieves for my brothers and sisters in Christ.

Nigeria, as well as other nations in Africa, is high on the watch list for persecution, imprisonment in barbaric conditions and inhumane treatment. Nigeria had been on the persecution list at the White House, but it was removed a year or so ago. But this is not a new problem, and it will not be the only place with causalities. I follow Open Doors, International Christian Concern, and Voice of the Martyrs, as well as other news sources, who work with other ministries, so I receive updates daily. They each have "apps" for alerts, but I don't really need anyone to alert me to pray. I receive enough emails daily to keep up. I did have an "app" alert once, but it beep continuously. Sort of like the one for Israel for people to run to the bomb shelters. It never gets easier for Christians in remote areas of the world. But then, in the United States, we are having wave after wave of hate propaganda spewed out against Israel and our government in the form of protests. The jihads will hunt down anyone who supports our nation or Israel to push their agenda. I heard it said that Israel is known as little satan and the United States the big satan. That's unfortunate. Distressing.

Cancer has been on the rise along with young, formerly healthy people, who now have chronic medical conditions not usually seen in younger adults or teenagers. One has to wonder why? I have my theory, but no one wants to believe it, although the statistics prove I am correct. We need a miracle.

The only answer for any problem is Jesus. It is my prayer that with a new administration, making every effort to return our nation to God, that eyes will be opened, beginning with the church. These are not popular subjects, but it should be no doubt in our minds that our world is under attack. Not only in physical locations, but spiritual warfare. 

Where should our focus be? My focus will remain on Jesus Christ, and my position will be on my knees or on my face asking God for mercy. I feel that He's already given this nation another chance to get it right. I pray that we open our eyes to see it, instead of complaining and not taking the time to check out the information and validity of the source. 

In the midst of all this drama, there are innocent victims and causalities, and support is needed. The best help we can give a person is our time and a listening ear. Time to sit with someone and say nothing. Just listen. I often hear criticism again God not doing this or that when we think it should be done for us now. Perhaps if we take the time to sit at His feet, our hearts open, our mouths on mute, He will speak. Let's  give it a go, shall we?!