Opening Hearts and Hands

How Alyssa Found Hope and Help in Her Darkest Hours

Sometimes, life brings us to our knees, not just to pray, but to force us to look upwards—towards hope, community, and God. “I was not good at receiving help, and to this day, I’m not great at it,” Alyssa confesses, recounting the overwhelming days following her husband’s cancer diagnosis in August 2017.

Watch Alyssa’s story.

Embracing Help in Times of Need

Alyssa’s initial resistance to accepting help during her husband’s cancer battle is something many of us can relate to. It’s often easier to give than to receive. “I was very prideful and said, “I don’t need your money. I don’t need your help. I don’t need your support,” Alyssa recalls. But when friends organized a GoFundMe after her husband’s death, she realized the true value of community support.

Perhaps you’ve experienced moments in your life when accepting help seemed more like defeat than a doorway to answered prayer. Alyssa discovers the strength that lies in community, the power of positivity, and the grace that flows when we open our hearts to give and receive help.

In Corinthians 12:26, Paul reminds us, “If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it” (NIV). We are called to bear each other’s burdens and celebrate each other’s joys. If you find it hard to accept help, remember that allowing others to serve you can be as much a blessing to them as their assistance is to you.

The Power of Positivity and Defined Roles

From one of the most challenging phases of her life, Alyssa shares, “The first two doctors that we met became his oncologist, and were for sure, if nothing else, lifesaving to me. Doctor Mugabe, the very first thing he said to me was ‘paper, pencil. And your job is to be positive. My job is to be medical and treat the cancer. You have to take this man home. You have to go home to these three children. You have to stay in this lane, and that’s your job. And I’m going to handle everything else.’”

This clear delineation of roles can be a vital strategy in managing life’s trials. Focusing on maintaining a positive outlook can sometimes be the best support you can offer a loved one facing health challenges.

Jesus Himself showed us the importance of remaining steadfast in faith through trials. In John 16:33, He assures us, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (NIV).

You can choose to focus on the role you’re best equipped to play, trusting God—and those He places in your path—to manage the rest.
Lessons in Community and Ongoing Support

“Within that whole cancer journey,” Alyssa continues, “my family has been very fortunate to retain about 97% of the people that were there for us through all those years of struggling. Through all those years of sick, I have been beyond blessed to be rallied around and for the five years since my husband has passed.”

Alyssa deeply appreciates the continued support from her community, describing small yet significant gestures: “[My husband] had women that worked for him that to this day will send me flowers on my birthday because that’s what they knew he did.”

These acts of kindness aren’t just thoughtful; they’re lifelines during moments of grief and reminders of a supportive community.

These gestures echo the biblical call to “carry each other’s burdens, and in this way, you will fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2 NIV). Whether it’s sending flowers, dropping off cookies, or simply being there, these actions weave a safety net of love and support.

What small act of kindness could you perform today to lighten someone’s burden?

Transforming Independence to Interdependence

Alyssa’s journey from independence to interdependence shows her growth. She reflects, “And a big wake-up call for me that says you can’t do everything by yourself. You have to depend on your people.” Learning to lean on others is not just practical; it’s a spiritual discipline of humility and trust.

As followers of Christ, we know that “two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 NIV).

The Gift of Giving Back

Through her pain, Alyssa found purpose in helping others, turning her grief into a path to service. “This is what has come to me because of what happened to my husband, and now I can be this person for someone else who hopefully is more open to help than I would have been.” Her transformation shows that even our deepest wounds can bring about healing for others.

This is the essence of the Christian journey—the Holy Spirit at work in each of us, transforming our trials into testimonies that encourage and uplift others. Just as Christ turned His suffering into our salvation, we are called to use our experiences to help others navigate their paths.

Igniting Hearts through Stories of Hope

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