Up & Down, In & Around, Upside Down & Sideways

Although this title seems like a discription of a scary ride at a theme park, I am actually talking about our life the last year.
I have been thinking about this lately due in part to some conversations I have been having with other people close to me that are dealing with their own roller coaster experiences.
I guess if we are breathing we all experience rides we would rather not take and we seem to get on these rides, not even knowing we are there until we see the track drop.
This last year it seems like we have coasted along and then out of nowhere we'd be shooting down a hill. Thankfully most of the hills have been small and it wasn't long until we were chugging up the next hill but there have been a few times that we've taken long nose dives. Those are the times that have left us screaming and holding on for dear life.
Pondering the ups and downs, I have found one constant to be there no matter what. I think you know what that constant is but as an example let me use this.
Life can be like a zig zag line. You are up and down over and over, but winding along through all the ups and downs is the constant presence of God.
What an amazing thing to know that whether you are coasting along or doing the zig zag thing, God is a constant and a constant help. The King of Kings, Lord of All, is intimately involved and wants to go on our roller coasters with us. And it's a good thing because when I'm screaming and holding on for dear life, I'm glad it's Him I'm holding on to.
Even though lately it seems as if there has been as many rocky places as smooth steps and more questions than answers most of the time, God is our hiding place and the answer to every question we could possibly come up with.
Sadly, many of our loved ones are dealing with scary or uncertain situations right now. I'm glad that I can tell them that the same constant I have, is constant for them as well.
Someone said this about suffering (I don't at all claim that what we are going through is suffering in the real sense because what we deal with is so light compared to what even people I know are dealing with, but it fits with what I'm going to say so just roll with me.)
"If we are breathing, we are going to encounter suffering because we live in a fallen and suffering world. But I'd rather trust in God and know that my suffering is being used for a greater purpose than reject God and suffer with no hope or assurance that it's not just randomly happening." In other words, we are gonna suffer whether we are christians or not, but it's a lot easier to suffer when you've got God to hold on to, and He's always there with hand reached out.
So, in closing, I know some of you (and you know who you are) are dealing with a lot and all I can say to you is, just hold on!