At the end of every month, we’ll come together to count the grace He has breathed into our lives through the lens of this month’s blessing. Join me tonight as I reflect on the gift of one who has taught me the strength of a true warrior.

I have known many warriors in my 45 years.

And while their battles may be different, the result is the same. There is a steely resolve in them lined with a tenderness that pierces the soul. An unmistakable gift, drawn only from a cost that often feels too high for those who love them.

But sometimes, the warrior tires.

A few weeks ago I saw a glimpse of this weariness in one of the best warriors I know.

Something in her countenance had shifted. Something sprang from her eyes that I recognized as she drew a deep breath and said, “Some days, it’s hard to be a warrior.”

My heart caught a bit in my throat as I heard and felt the pain she described.

A body fading. A heart weary. A bigger battle looming.

She knew what was coming and she stood ready to face it, but in that moment, it was time to admit the truth of the words she once sang over people she loved and served and led.

She needed to drop her sword and cry for a little while.

So we sat in her tearstained struggle and cried over her loss, over her broken heart. We did so knowing the grace of a good God but also the reality of the pain this world holds. And she did so with complete humility.

Friends, there is nothing more brave.

So to those who fight a battle that no one sees, who fight breath by breath, moment by moment, faceplanted at the feet of Jesus.

We see you. He sees you. And we are in awe of your courage.

The LORD is my strength and my shield; My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart exults, And with my song I shall thank Him.

Psalms 28:7

Now it’s your turn: How is He meeting you in your weary places?