Joanne faced a difficult task...
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Joanne faced a difficult task. Several years earlier, Joanne had convinced her father and
two brothers to lend her money for a project she was working on. Joanne, who lived and
worked on the east coast, took the money from her family, who lived and worked in the
Pacific northwest, and set to work. At first things went well; her idea took shape and
buyers were in place. Then the particular niche she was aiming to fill suddenly clogged
up with competitors' products, many backed by large companies with deep pockets. As
suddenly as it started, it was over.
Now Joanne struggled. How did she tell her mother (her father had died the previous year) and her brothers that she had lost their investment money? Must she? And how could she ever repay their trust, let alone their money? As she discussed this with her pastor, they explored Jesus' words together: "If at all possible, let this cup pass from me." Joanne concluded she must indeed tell her family just as Jesus must face the cross. She left the session with an upbeat comment: just as Jesus found new life through the cross, so would she. (She just didn't know how.)
Now Joanne struggled. How did she tell her mother (her father had died the previous year) and her brothers that she had lost their investment money? Must she? And how could she ever repay their trust, let alone their money? As she discussed this with her pastor, they explored Jesus' words together: "If at all possible, let this cup pass from me." Joanne concluded she must indeed tell her family just as Jesus must face the cross. She left the session with an upbeat comment: just as Jesus found new life through the cross, so would she. (She just didn't know how.)
