Isiah 41:13 "For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying to thee, Fear not; I will help thee."
When I close my eyes and the emotions and visions of the darkest moments of my life's journey and six deployment come through, I see myself walking on the left of God while he holds my right hand. I vividly have this image when I remember the most trying times in Afghanistan, or when an interaction with a person who has nothing more to offer than anger and aggression, or when I wonder how will I continue to find the energy to put my best foot forward while feeding my soul's need for integrity and empowerment.
In this image, I am small and innocent and scared but I feel that God is walking me through the trial with his guidance, his knowledge, and his gentle, loving support for just me. I am confident that he is sure everything will work out and the dark, tall mountains on both sides of us under the paralyzing thunderstorms, are just for this season. God knows that this is part of his growth for me. And I somehow know that holding his hand will get me through it.
Then, when I open my eyes back to the world's current challenge or frustration, I feel soft peace, calm, and content.
God walks us all through the trials and tribulations we are wading. It is when we place specific intention into squeezing his hand in return... that we find our peaceful calm.