By Cindy Walker Burton

It was a sultry summer evening in Destin, Florida, in the year 2013. Back then, I was a perpetually tan beach fan and longtime resident of that gorgeous Gulf coast tourist destination. After a stressful day at work, I had relaxed at the beach, then gone to Dollar General for some items. I was a regular patron at this particular DG which was close to my townhome. The friendly employees and I were on a first name basis, and often shared stories about work, family, and church.

Upon entering DG, I looked to the see who was at the cash register. Her back was turned to me, but I knew it was A. because her long, pretty braids were a give away. I called out cheerily, “Hey, A.!” She turned around slowly, wiping tears from her face. I immediately walked over to the counter. Thankfully, there were no customers in line.

I asked A. what was wrong. Crying softly with a trembling voice, she said there were problems at home. I did not pry her for details, because her face spoke volumes. From our frequent talks, I knew A. was 22 years old, pursuing a business degree, lived with her mother and siblings, and was helping to pay the bills. She was a determined, hard working Christian woman with a sparkling personality and natural business acumen.

I asked A. if I could pray with her. We then quietly prayed to our Father. Her tears subsided and we hugged. I bought a card for her and simply wrote, “Jesus loves you, I love you.” I gave the card to A. and left the store with her heavy on my mind and foremost in my prayers.

The next day, I popped back in to DG after work, hoping A. would be there. I was relieved to hear her laughter upon entering the store. She saw me and said, “Miss Cynthia! I have to talk to you, girl!” We quickly stepped outside for privacy.

A. took my hands in hers and looked me straight in the eye. She confessed she had been crying last night because her estranged father had shown up and unleashed his wrath on her and her mother. She had to call 911. Fighting back tears, A. told me that the years of relentless stress, financial strain, and her father’s physical abuse had finally led her to the precipice of suicide.

A. said after we prayed in the store last night, and after she read my card (“Jesus loves you. I love you.”), she did NOT want to commit suicide. I told her Jesus’ almighty hand was upon her, and I gently made her promise to call her pastor for counseling (she agreed). A. and I stay in touch to this very day. She earned her MBA and with Christ’s grace, conquered her battles.

I was oblivious to A.’s battle with suicidal thoughts and the burdens she battled daily. Know this: Everyone is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Unseen battles are fought in the heart, mind, and soul. They are invisible, imperceptible, and indiscernible. My fellow soldiers, what battles are you fighting?

Troops, let’s rally and fight these battles with a surefire weapon in our Virtues Arsenal: KINDNESS. It’s been said that God gives his hardest battles to his strongest soldiers. Deploy kindness. Kindness conquers.