Having a hard day... some days are just like that. God and Jeremy granted me some extra sunshine today just when I needed it most. It NEVER ceases to amaze me.
Several phone calls/e-mails to check in... some people just have a feeling when it is one of those days.
coffee and fun with my SIL and niece
smiling toddlers who are just delighted when their sibling returns from school
manicures with my daughter
snuggle time with little ones
watching my oldest son so excited about his choice of extra curricular activities
and then the above photos show you some of the things that randomly showed up this afternoon... coincidence???? Don't think so. While coloring with my daughter, I happened to notice the shade name on the yellow crayon. A sweet note from a friend arrived in the mail filled with warm thoughts, and then I picked up a catalog and found that quilt... Hmmm I love you too Jeremy! Thanks for sending our Prayer Warriors into action, thank you Prayer Warriors for following your heart.
1 comment:
What great rays of sunshine! Some days are just like that, aren't they? When you need just a little more pick me up and encouragement than usual. Well, I wanted you to know that you were able to provide a little of that for me this week.
A family friend was recently diagnosed with a rare cancer that began in her appendix and quickly spread throughout her entire abdomen. I have been tutoring her daughter, Grace, for the past 5 years, and have thus developed a close relationship with her. At the age of 16, Grace is dealing with so many emotions already, thus dealing with her mother's cancer for the past 4 months has created all sorts of new emotions and challenges. God has blessed us with the type of friendship where she feels she can tell me things she doesn't share with anyone else. For that reason, I have become a daily part of her life, calling, visiting, and texting as 16 year olds love to do! As you can imagine, it is so heartwrenching some days to see the pain she has to endure as a result of watching her mother recover from a very invasive surgery, chemo treatment, and related infections. The biggest heart break for me has been helping her work through her anger with God. I, too, have had those times in my life when things were so dark I questioned whether or not He really cared for me. Feeling abandoned by God goes far beyond any other emotion that life can bring. For that reason, there isn't a day that goes by that I don't think of Grace, her mom, and her family in all they have to struggle through right now. As I pulled up your blog this morning and read through your latest post, I was reminded what a daily battle it is to believe in God's faithfulness to us. Every day we face the challenge of choosing to believe He cares for us, loves us, and wants the best for us. Even with days where I feel His presence so strongly, the next day could hold a challenge that leaves me on my knees, longing for the comfort only He can bring. Knowing that Grace is so far from seeking out or even wanting any interaction with God, I struggled to know how I could possibly be of any help in her current situation. By no coincidence, the song that began to play as I read your post was "Love them Like Jesus". Funny thing is, even with the number of times I have read your blog posts and heard the music accompanying it, this one had NEVER played for me before. I had never even heard the song! I left the blog window open while I made my daughter her eggs so I could continue to enjoy the song. What followed amazed me even more...the songs on your list play in a so called "random" order..though nothing to me is random! As I cooked, these three songs played.."I still believe", "You Alone", and "Never Let Go". In those few short minutes, God had used your blog to bring me back to the knowledge that no matter what transpires in life, He never changes! He is always there, always holding us, and only requires that we continue to choose to believe in His faithfulness. He is so much bigger than any problems we can face and He always places our feet on higher ground in the end. As for my role in Grace's life, thank you for helping to remind me that I need only to love her like Jesus does, since she is having such a hard time believing in Him at all. I know what a difference that has made in my life when people have shown me His love....I can only pray that Grace will feel that as well.
So, again, thank you for your words of honesty, your open heart, and sharing your difficult journey with those of us you don't even know. You touch lives with your huge faith in God, even when you don't know it! All you thought you were doing was sharing some of your favorite songs...who knew they could minister so loudly to others!
May He bless your day and continue to shine down His love on you through the clouds. You are such a strong and courageous servant of the Lord...I praise Him for you and your witness.
In Christ,
Julie in Catonsville
(on a side note, I apologize for being so lengthy...God has not blessed me with the ability to be brief! If it is easier for me to send email directly to you instead of on your post, please let me know...and send me your email address. I don't know how these blogs work and don't want you to have to post everything if you don't want to! My email address is helpmelearntutoring@gmail.com Thanks!)
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