I saw a patient in the office last week that came for help, suffering from assault and battery. It wasn’t the first time her ex-husband or one of his thug relatives provided the horrible bruises on her arms and legs or the abrasions on her face as I saw again this time. It wasn’t the first time that I listened to her accept partial blame for coming into contact with them. It wasn’t the first time I sent her home with pain medicines to help soothe the healing process.

And it probably won’t be the last time the above senerio repeats itself. We live in a fallen world and this patient visit reminded me that unfortunately, we all don’t go home to sleep in the same safe environment.

So I ask for you to pray for her and pray for yourself. Pray for her protection. She is a wonderful person who happens to live in an environment much different from yours or mine. And pray for yourself. First for thanksgiving that you aren’t living in the same hole that she is. And then a prayer of hope that you and I can make a difference in the lives of others less fortunate than ourselves.