This was my dad’s who passed in 1979 favorite saying, “It could be better, but it could be worse.”  Are you facing some challenges right now and wondering how you will survive?  It’s amazing what we can endure when we have to.  Once after a talk, a lady came up to me and said, “I thought I was drowning in a thimble, but after hearing your words I realize that others are drowning in an ocean.”   What she meant was that her problems were so minuscule (thimble) in comparison.

I feel the same way after hearing the prison account of a young girl imprisoned in Iran for being a Baha’i in a Muslim controlled country where religious freedom is not the right for all.  She shares her experience in Raha’s Letter.  What a wonderful message of faith, patience, radiant acquiescence, and service.  Many of us think we have a reason to complain, but when we hear a story about a young girl imprisoned for four years simply because she was trying to teach the youth virtuous qualities, all of our problems seem to pale by comparison. She was only able to get 30 minutes of sunlight a day and lived in isolation, no refrigerator, no mirror, no one to talk to.  And yet her account was filled with gratitude.

Face Each Day Prayerfully

She faced each day prayerfully, reciting “Is their any remover of difficulties save God…” over 1000  times a day!   And, the brief time she was out of prison, she was comforting families of the imprisoned, typing her notes so that she could share her prison accounts,  and getting books so that she could continue to learn.  All I can say is, “What a jewel.”  I pray that God continues to protect and bless her and keep her strong.