Feeling Heavy-Hearted?

Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Matthew 11:28

Avery’s shoes squeaked as she moved through the crowded hall. She slipped into the school bathroom, the one place she could cry without an audience. She checked the stalls—empty. Good.

She was exhausted. Between keeping up her grades, trying to fit in, and laughing away the hurt, she had spent years convincing everyone she was fine. But today was too much, so she let the tears fall.

That evening, she threw her backpack on the bed and collapsed beside it. Out of habit, she turned on the radio. She expected music to fill the room, but instead, she heard a woman’s voice. It wasn’t polished or scripted; it was raw and real.

The woman spoke about battling anxiety and feeling unworthy of love. Avery could not believe it. It felt like someone was peeling back her own heart and reading it out loud. Yet, the woman’s story didn’t end in despair. It ended in hope. She talked about a God who met her in her pain, who saw her and loved her right there.

For weeks, Avery listened. She clung to each story, letting their vulnerability chip away at her own defenses. And one night, as she stared at the ceiling, she dared to hope that maybe, just maybe, this love wasn’t out of reach for her.

That night, she stopped hiding. Alone in her room, she spoke her fears out loud and prayed for the first time in years. For the first time, she felt free—not because her struggles were over, but because she wasn’t carrying them alone.

Today, friend, if life feels too heavy or if you are having to hide your pain, I want you to know the same love Avery found is available to you. Jesus meets you in your pain, sees you as you are, and loves you completely. His love is constant, restoring, and life-giving. just reach out and let Him carry you.