Pridefulness and Comparison

I sought the LORD, and He answered me and delivered me from all my fears. Psalm 34:4

Now, O LORD, deliver me from me!!

I SHALL NOT WANT

From the love of my own comfort.

From the fear of having nothing.

From a life of worldly passions.

Deliver me O God

From the need to be understood.

From the need to be accepted.

From the fear of being lonely.

Deliver me O God

Deliver me O God

And I shall not want, I shall not want

When I taste Your goodness, I shall not want.

From the fear of serving others.

From the fear of death or trial.

From the fear of humility.

Deliver me O God

Deliver me O God

And I shall not want, I shall not want

When I taste Your goodness, I shall not want.

This song was released in 2013. I first heard it several weeks ago at the camp we attended. I have sung this song almost every day. It shattered me.

How many times have the words in the verses been so true in my life?

Deliver me from me, O God!

Many pastors preach wisdom from God’s Word, but we may not know these pastors personally or the lives they live. The moment when God reaches me the most is when He magnifies a verse when I am meditating on His word, or when He speaks a profound word through someone that I know or know their life well.

Sometimes a person has spoken words to me, but I sense their discriminative motive. They are expressing those words through their own hurts, trials, and baggage.

In the last four years, two different people have blessed me with a loving, convicting word. It’s not that I haven’t heard these principles before. These two people touched me more because I knew the transparent, God-honoring lives they lead.

The first friend left me with one final life message a few months before he went to heaven.

Don’t let pride get in the way.

That phrase has become a plumb line by that I measure my actions.

“I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the plumb line;” (Isaiah 28:17a/NIV).

The other, new friend, simply said, don’t compare. How many times have I heard that?

…nonetheless…

Because she has a severe disability, has had several surgeries, has suffered significant permanent loss, and continues to have medical issues… she doesn’t compare herself to those who have had fewer trials or more trials… she just trusts God. Period.

The next time you feel you deserve more comfort because of all the trials that you have experienced…

When you yearn to be accepted and understood and feel you need to justify yourself…

When you feel like life has not been fair…

Just cry out to God. Deliver me, O God! If your heart is fully committed, those personal “me” things will no longer matter. You will genuinely taste the goodness of God.

I have seen the goodness of God so many times in my life… even in the most tragic times. It’s the reason I am writing the book so you too can see times in your life, that you may not have even noticed. God has been with you always.

Taste and see that the Lord is good;
    blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. Psalm 34:8

Do you have words of gratitude to write? How many times have words that were written years ago, decades ago, or even centuries ago, challenged you or convicted you, or brought joy to your heart? Write it down… and remember them during the tough times.

I will sing to the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.

Psalm 104:33

Just Sing

I still remember the exact setting when I realized I could no longer sing because of a disease that hindered my vocal cords. It was one of the most discouraging times. I loved to sing!

I remember as a child and throughout my teens, I would sing with the radio, with records, in church, and at school. Songs had a way of transporting me out of the situation that I was in and bringing joy to my heart. I wasn’t a professional singer, although it was always a dream to be since I was a child. I wanted to sing a song so moving to an audience that it also brought tears of joy to their eyes.

God blessed me in later years by allowing me to co-lead singles worship at our church and permitting me to sing at some friends’ weddings. I then wished I would have pursued being a Christian singer instead of wanting to be a soft rock/ballad/blues singer. I never had the confidence when I was younger though. People and situations dissuaded me.

So when God gave me the privilege of singing in church groups, I was ecstatic! But then God allowed the disease to take what I cherished away. I even tried to bribe God by promising to only sing Christian songs if He would give me my voice back. I then tried to convince God that I would only use my voice to sing praise songs to Him privately in my home!

We get desperate when we plead for what we think we need.

I basically stopped singing. It embarrassed me that my voice would begin sounding husky just after a stanza because I was stressing my vocal cords, or the tune and tone would be off. I did not stop praising God. I just did so with words and not songs.

And then one day I heard a pastor elaborate on a passage in Acts in the Bible.

“But about midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them;”(Acts 16:25).

When I read that passage before, I have always imagined them standing up, hands held high, dancing with joy, like David (2 Samuel 6:14). It honored them to suffer for God.

No! Read a few verses before!

“They were severely beaten,… So the jailer put them into the inner dungeon and clamped their feet in the stocks” (Acts 16:23a, 24b/NLT).

They were on the cold ground, in the dark, parched, and could hardly move because of the severe beating and confinement. Yet, they raised whatever whisper of voice they had to praise God.

My attitude changed, and my pride was dispelled. God does not care if I cannot sing praise in harmony. He does not look at the ability or disability. God looks at the heart (I Samuel 16:7). What did I cherish the most?

What is holding you back from giving praise to God? Is it an illness? A disability? A loss? God honors praise that comes from the heart, whether it be a whispered song, or like my son who is nonverbal… who just makes a joyful noise of praise!

Dear Lord,

We praise You with all of our presence. Give us strength when we are exhausted and don’t have an ounce of energy. Strength when we have a debilitating illness and can hardly speak. Strength when we are in despair of things happening around us. Lift us up above the circumstances and remind us of Your love and all You have done and provided for us, especially when we feel we have lost something precious to us. Nothing we cherish is as beloved as You are. No one and nothing but You is worthy of our praise.

With thanksgiving, Amen.

I will praise the LORD as long as I live. I will sing praises to my God with my dying breath.

Psalm 146:2 NLT

I won’t go into the details of why I haven’t been writing on the blog lately. The details are long, boring, and immersed in self-pity. But know this… I am back! As long as God gives me breath, I will share His faithfulness for His glory.

Remember…

Can a woman forget her nursing child

And have no compassion on the son of her womb?

Even these may forget, but I will not forget you.

Behold, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands;

Your walls are continually before Me (Isaiah 49:15-16).

This past week my son and I had an amazing, lifelong remembering, God-ordained, opportunity to attend a weeklong camp for children and adults with disabilities and their caretakers. I know it was God-ordained. Even though God provided a financial way for us to go, I almost didn’t go. Then, after the first day, I almost left. Satan tried his best to impede me from participating. He knew that my soul would be refreshed, that I would make many new godly friends who understand disabilities, and that God would encourage me to continue writing.

This was our first-ever experience at camp. Camps that we had applied to over the past four years had declined our applications because my son is older and needed one-on-one care.

People with disabilities, severe or not, long for acceptance. Sadly, not everyone accepts others unconditionally. That is why a couple started this camp. They had no experience with disability until the wife became disabled because of a medical issue. Then they learned the meaning of conditional acceptance.

At camp, while volunteers did activities with the disabled children and adults, the caretakers experienced times of worship, teachings, being loved on, and being pampered. The leaders and volunteers were the perfect examples of Jesus… they were servants to all who came tired and weary, and yes, a little hopeless.

Parents and caretakers of those with disabilities are constantly in battles. We fight for benefits, therapy services, devoted teachers with a passion, and quality medical care. The paperwork trail is endless. There are questionnaires, authorizations, interviews, and then the long waiting process for services to be given… always… the long waiting process. Then, after all of that, we still fight to get what our loved one needs because we know them better than anyone else.

As I meditated on the past week at camp the day before we left, it overwhelmed me with tears of what my son and I had experienced! There was an invisible shelter – bubble – covering – shroud over us. Nothing negative happened and everyone accepted everyone. There were smiles and encouragement and prayers for one another. I felt perfect peace and never once worried about anything happening outside of that cord of love that bonded us all together.

The first night when my son, overstimulated, acted out extremely aggressively… I wanted to coil up in embarrassment of what others would think, and discouragement and disappointment believing my son could not cope with this type of adventure. I wanted to escape to my room and then sneak out of the campground before anyone noticed. But God wouldn’t accept that escape. Instead, he sent those same loving servants to our room to support us, encourage us, and pray for us. Absolutely no condemnation! Throughout the week, others encouraged me that what had happened is common to everyone there in some form. It was okay.

As I drove away from the camp for the long journey home, that cord permanently attached as I cultivate the friendships, I knew I would be back in the present world, where I would continue to battle for my son’s services which he deserves, that I would walk into stores where people look at me strangely, and what has happened many times before, someone would ask,

Can’t you quiet him down any?!

Oh, trust me, we parents know the thoughts behind those looks.

But I remember… I don’t make eye contact with the ones whose faces look disfigured with disdain for my child. I remember to look for the angels.

• A cashier in a former state that always greeted my son when we entered the store. And if she missed seeing him, she would tell him at the register that she had heard him and was so glad that he came to see her.
• The customer that laughed when my son took the chips out of her grocery cart and shared how sad her son would be if she didn’t bring any home.
• The people who smile at my son and talk to him, knowing he cannot respond.
• The people who correct me when I’m trying to quiet my son stating they love his voice and his laughter.

There are many angels out there… keep looking for them.

I wonder… when you see someone with a disability, do you think about what happened?

Was a child born with a disability? Was there something genetic?

Did the child or adult become disabled because of a medical condition or accident?

Was the person abused or malnourished at birth?

Is it someone who went to another part of the world to fight for our freedom and came back with a missing limb? Or a mental struggle because of the atrocities they experienced?

We should never look down upon someone because they are differently abled.

The quizzical looks are exaggerated by many when some people find out that you adopted a child with a disability. Some adopt these precious children because they are professionals and know how to help the children that others may not be able to help. Some, like myself, adopt children with disabilities because no one wants them, and we know the amazing gift they will be to us from God. With our care these children will be able to use the gifts that God has given them.

The next time you meet a child with a disability, give them a smile and encourage them with your love. By doing that, you will empower the child and nourish the parent.

A couple visited a church. A disabled child was making noise. The pastor asked the child to leave. The couple left and never walked into a church again.

When I went to my sister’s funeral, my son was sitting beside me up front for the service. As the pastor spoke, my son became agitated, so I quietly helped him up to leave the room. The pastor stopped me, asked my son’s name, and told us to stay. He then spoke to everyone, “I am so happy that Josh is here with us today. If he wants to make noise, I will stop until he stops, then I will start again.” My son became amazingly quiet as tears streamed down my face.

See the difference? Remember… and do the same.

“There is no greater disability in society than the inability to see a person as more.” – Robert M. Hensel

I will never forget the faithfulness of God in providing a way for me to take my son to camp. Or God’s hand on my son during that week, giving him peace and joy. I will never forget the founders of that camp, even through their own pain, bring joy to thousands of others. I will never forget the gracious, loving leaders and volunteers who sacrificed their time and resources to provide a sanctuary for children and adults with great needs, and the weary caretakers. I will always remember this faithful blessing from God

P.S. Wednesday’s Ripples will also return beginning July 27th.

Thank you for your patience.

“Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; ⁴ perseverance, character; and character, hope. ⁵ And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us” (Romans 5:3-5).

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” John 14:27

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” Matthew 5:4

When you see the evil in the world, turn to God.

It is difficult to write today. My heart continues to break for the children and two teachers that were gunned down yesterday at an elementary school in Texas. When I read this morning that the gunman, just a child himself, only barricaded himself in one classroom, I think about the horror experienced in the hearts and minds of the children and teachers. The children didn’t have time to process it. The teachers, like myself, are precisely trained from the beginning of our education on how to protect the children in our classrooms… the best that we can.

I believe this morning, every parent around the world hugged their child a little longer before they sent them off to school. Some, like myself, hesitated in even sending their child to school. But we can’t let evil and Satan rule.

Now, more than ever, we must address the mental health issues and spiritual issues that fuel these tragedies.

There are no words that we can say to the parents and families right now. We can only pray for them. The gut-wrenching loss will take decades to cope with. Even the families who lost loved ones in previous, unimaginable shootings, will grieve anew again.

But in all tragedies, we can turn to the Lord for hope and peace. I know from the tragedies in my own life that only the comfort of God can give peace in the middle of substantial loss. It is a peace that surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:7). It is the peace that gives you courage to take another step, to keep going on when all seems lost.

This unsurpassed peace… it is possible… it is paramount… it is Providential.

To all parents that have lost children… prodigal children, death because of illness, death because of evil… hold on, hope on, Jesus is coming soon.

Dear God,

We cry out to you from the innermost parts of our soul. The evil that happens around the world is sometimes too much to fathom. You understand. You too lost a child. Unspeakable evil happened to Him. Yet, because of His resurrection, we too can have hope as we will see our precious loved ones again. In the meantime, Lord, fill us with Your perfect peace. Comfort those who are mourning deeply. Convict the hearts of the authorities who can correct the laws that we have. Convict the churches, Lord, to reach out – not shame, those who are mentally and emotionally struggling.

We asked this in the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen

Two times Hagar was mistreated. First, she was mistreated and ran away on her own choice. But when the angel of the LORD found her, she called Him, EL ROI – the God who sees. The second time she was mistreated she was sent away. She felt hopeless and believed that she and her son would die in the desert. The angel of the LORD visited again, because God  “heard the voice” of her son. Have you ever been wrongly mistreated? One time? Two times? Too many times to count? Hagar and many others around the world understand. But Hagar realized in both visits that not only does God see what is going on in her life, and your life, God also hears your prayers, your whispers, your cries, and the moments when you have no words to speak.

I am a visual learner so I like to post notes around my home as daily reminders. I’ve put in several places signs that say, “EL ROI -YOU ARE THE GOD WHO SEES ME.” As I pondered on those words, my heart was gratefully encouraged. I don’t have to tell God every bad thing that happened to me. He knows. His heart breaks when His children are mistreated or suffering. However, I was convicted that God sees the wrong that I do… neglecting or ignoring the needs of others, speaking an unkind word, showing disapproval with my negative body language, giving a disdainful look, or just failing to show empathy to those I meet. God is not a dictator who points His finger at you and shames you when you do something wrong. God brings those things to your mind, so that He can lovingly change you to be Christlike.

I know that you are thinking, If God knows that I am being mistreated or suffering, why doesn’t He do anything about it?

I hear your pain. I don’t have all of the answers. I only know that some things happen because of sin in the world, some things happen because of previous choices that I have made. I do know this…  I have years of experience of suffering. I can honestly look back and see where God has brought comfort to me when I turned to Him, or used what I learned to help others find hope.

Be encouraged my friend. God sees you, God hears you, God loves you.

Dear Lord,

It brings me peace and joy to be reminded that You see all things and You know all things. Remind me of Your love when I doubt Your presence. Show me how to rise above my circumstances. When the physcial or emotional pain seems umbearable help me to find comfort in Your Word. And Lord, as You see and hear me, give me eyes and ears for others, so that I can share the comfort and healing that You have given me. In the mighty name of Jesus, Amen.

Find comfort in these verses:

I Samuel 16:7, 2 Chronicles 16:9, Psalm 30:11-12

What is so special about Wednesday? According to the famous children’s poem, “Wednesday’s child is full of woe.” Many people covet Wednesdays. For the workforce that works Monday through Friday, they sometimes refer to Wednesday as hump day. The anticipation is like opening an unknown bonus check. According to Merriam-Webster, hump day was first used in 1959. That is the year I was born, and I was born on a Wednesday!

However, in reality, most weekends seem like a continuation of work, cleaning a house, yard work, running errands, or taking your children to sports events. Possibly, Sundays are more restful, or should be, God said,

“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God…” (Exodus 20:8).

Other than the blog and writing the book, I wanted to add something else. I wanted to add a splash of encouragement for the middle of the week. I am introducing Wednesday’s Ripples beginning Wednesday, May 18th.

Mental health issues have accelerated. The only person and truth you can rely on one hundred percent is God. Discouraged, depressed, disconnected, distracted, debilitated is how a large percentage of America is walking through each day.

I want to infuse hope in you. No matter what you are going through, earth-shaking as it may be, as long as you have breath, you have hope.

I love this photo that I found and use on the main page of the blog. To me, it is the perfect image of how to turn adversity, waves of trials, into waves of gratitude.

According to Wikipedia, Rogue waves (also known as freak waves, monster waves, episodic waves, killer waves, extreme waves, and abnormal waves) are unusually large, unpredictable and suddenly appearing surface that can be extremely dangerous.

Does that sound like something going on in your life?

Unusually large… unpredictable… suddenly appearing… possibly life threatening?

I’ve been there. I’m there right now.

However, look at the wave in the photo, when the wave hits the rock… it bursts upward.

A rock can be negative… hitting a wall, nowhere to turn, landing on the bottom hard…

Or… on the positive side,  you can look to the ROCK.

“I Love You, O LORD, my strength. The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer. My God, my rock in whom I take refuge;…” (Psalm 18:1-2a).

“Be my rock of refuge, to which I can always go; give the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress” (Psalm 71:3).

“He only is my rock and my salvation, My stronghold; I shall not be shaken” (Psalm 62:6).

“Incline Your ear to me, rescue me quickly; Be to me a rock of strength, a stronghold to save me” (Psalm 31:2).

“There is no one holy like the LORD. Indeed, there is no one besides You. Nor is there any rock like our God” (1Samuel 2:2).

If you turn to the LORD in the moment of your need, heartbreak, disappointment, or grief, He will be with you. You can turn your devastation into praise and watch how God will work through you, and give you joy amid the loss.

I want to encourage you. Like a ripple, breath in and out, be calm among the tumultuous waves. You can have peace through the chaos. God said, “The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, because he trust in You. Trust in the LORD forever, for in God the LORD, we have an everlasting Rock”.

Ashley Judd recently shared about dealing with grief over the death of her mother. She said, “There’s a miracle, but there’s footwork. I’m in the footwork department. God is in the results department.”

When tragedy hits you, you won’t find lasting peace in your own will. Give it to someone stronger and higher than you.

I hope to give you a ripple of encouragement from God’s Word. Something to meditate on, ask yourself questions about, breath in and out. God’s Word always turns the worst to worship. Then watch the wave of your peace ripple into your family, your friends, your world, and your life.

God whispers…

He whispered to me this morning.

I have been meditating frequently regarding the recent death of a singer. Years ago, this singer experienced an illness that kept her from performing. She was severely depressed because what brought her joy was singing and bringing joy to others.

I understand her feelings more now than ever.

When I was in Asia, it brought me great joy to orchestrate and complete outreaches and special programs for children in the villages. I also loved planning educational services for children with special needs, and for their parents, who desperately needed help. I don’t know which brought me more joy, the children’s reactions or the revelation of the teachers and other professionals that I trained.

I loved planning, training, and teaching. Each successful event, by the grace of God, fueled me, and the flames grew for me to continue.

Like opening the windows in an old abandoned cabin, confidence and understanding in the children infused the room full of radiance, smiles, and joy both from the children and their teachers.

I equally loved working in the horrific Red-Light district. Women and children learned that someone really cared about them.

Interlaced through that, I would plan and present seminars educating churches in Asia concerning special needs children that were neglected, and ways the audience could be involved in advocacy against human trafficking, even being involved in intervention of human trafficking.

I then did the same in churches and in seminar venues in the U.S. and Canada.

The ministry is something I miss a lot. Not being able to reach out to children in poor villages makes me sad. I miss traveling and speaking and training others. Bringing joy to others would bring joy to me.

Living back in the U.S. for three and a half years, I no longer get to do those ministries for various reasons. I feel the singer’s sadness and loss.

On top of the loss of ministry, I lost three people very close to me…

A counselor and dear friend.

A mentor, advisor, and dear friend.

A sister.

Now, I am a single mom with a special needs son. I have been having major health issues the past couple of years… add to that the accident almost two months ago now that has still left me dealing with the results of the concussion and physical injuries.

This morning as I was thinking about the singer’s death and praying for her family, I started thinking about something I have known for years, but haven’t focused on or practiced daily since my return to this side of the world.

We do not find genuine joy in who we are and what we do. We find authentic, everlasting joy from having salvation and fellowship with Jesus.

We can lose everything and still have everything with Jesus.

Job said, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.
Even so, I will defend my own ways before Him” (Job 13:15/NKJV).

Habakkuk believed,

“Though the fig tree may not blossom,
Nor fruit be on the vines;
Though the labor of the olive may fail,
And the fields yield no food;

Though the flock may be cut off from the fold,
And there be no herd in the stalls—
Yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
I will joy in the God of my salvation.

The Lord God is my strength;
He will make my feet like deer’s feet,
And He will make me walk on my high hills” (Habakkuk 3:17-19/NKJV).

Even though I am not doing all that I wish, I am content as I am where I am because it is God’s perfect plan for this season of my life. So I hold on to Jesus, regardless of the pain, loss, and tears. I hope to continue to write not only for this blog but also the book, bringing hope and healing to those who feel there is no hope, and nowhere to turn.

When I think of how the Lord has been with me and all that God has provided for me and my son for the past three and a half years… I trust Him and hold on.

You too should trust Him. Amid heartache, health issues, loss, confusion, unanswered questions, and having to wait, and wait, and wait…

Hold on… Jesus is holding you, no matter what you are experiencing.

Hold on to Jesus amid the storms.

Hold on to Jesus even in the losses.

Hold on to Jesus when the waves come crashing down upon you.

Lift those waves of heartbreak into waves of praise.

And then listen… God is whispering to you too.

P.S. A dear friend shared a special song with me the other day. Here are a couple of versions.

I haven’t written for over two months… for good reason.

Weather forecasters can give us weather updates daily and alert us when potential storms are coming in. Not so with real life storms that hit us without warning.

One of my sisters has had some serious health issues over the past several years. She has had good days. But within one 24-hour period, several weeks ago, her vitals dropped dramatically, and she was gone to heaven. In the blink of an eye, she was gone.

I could not see her. We were trying hard to work our schedules together but fell short of making it happen. I remember weeping intensly. Out of the five siblings, we had always been the closest. I was told years ago that she raised me for the first five years of my life. My mother lived in a black hole in clinical depression and suicidal attempts. I do not remember this sister being with me much at home. She was nine years older and left home when she was fifteen. I vaguely remember her occasional visits. I must have loved her deeply as a small child, because I remember weeping lavishly and clinging to her when her visits ended.

After high school graduation, I hastened to the big city to be near her. We felt blessed with ten years of close communion, having long talks, and sharing laughs and serious conversations. I not only had time with her, but with her precious girls as well. I watched the girls at home frequently.

After I was married, our conversations came through phone calls and emails. We could have only a few brief, in-person visits.

Now, there will be no more conversations on this side of heaven.

My son and I traveled 800 miles to attend her funeral. We spent a couple of days with the family and then loaded up the car for our trip home. Only thirty minutes into our trip, on a five-lane highway in morning-busy traffic, a driver lost control of their car and smashed into us.

From the corner of my eye, I saw the car coming across the highway sideways. Something or SOMEONE urged me to turn a little left. The sound of crunching metal made me realize the driver had hit us. That, and the scream of my son in the back seat. I thought it was only a second, but it must have been a few minutes when the officer came to my side window. I immediately looked in the back seat to see my special needs son, gratefully, sitting upright, and not crying. A quick view of us both comforted me we had no broken bones or lacerations. Adrenaline and mother mode kicked in and the officers and I quickly planned how to get my autistic son from our totaled car into a police car, on the busy highway, without him going into shock or him screaming and running into the traffic.

Many thought it was a horrible thing for God to allow us to be involved in this accident just briefly after we had said goodbye to my sister. But God was taking care of us!

Miraculously, we walked from a totaled car with no broken bones or lacerations!

If I hadn’t slowed down and given a slight turn to the left towards the medium, the car could have hit my side or could have hit the back side where my son sat. God also gave me the strength to drive the 800 miles home while feeling effects of the accident, because I knew if my son needed medical care, his doctors at home would be best.

Now, four weeks after the accident, my son has recovered from the bangs and bruises he experienced. I am still seeing a concussion therapist and physical therapist weekly.

My son and I have experienced many losses, disappointments, health issues, and frustrations over the past three years since returning to the U.S. Most would see the accident as one trial too many. But I look at things differently because of God’s faithfulness over my lifetime.

So, what do you do when you are a single mom, with a special needs son living in a new area with no child care, and experiencing daily severe pain, while also helping your son recover from injuries and trauma? What do you do when the car that was totaled was so old that you knew the money wouldn’t replace it, and you had no means to buy another car? You pray, and you trust a faithful Father who has met your needs without fail. Granted, there are many things that we have been without, and many times we have struggled, but God has never abandoned us.

And God did just what I believed He would do…

Go back with me to the week after my sister died.

I was desperately looking for someone to care for our two-year-old ESA lab. She had been with us since she was four months old and never boarded. I checked out a few kennels, but knowing her attachment to my son, I imagined she would be miserable in a kennel. I received a referral concerning a couple that boarded dogs at their home. Even though I didn’t know them, I checked a reference, prayed, and dropped her off on our way out of state. I didn’t have any choice.

The care given to our lab while we were gone was the greatest. I even received photos of how happy she was. The pet sitter and I had connected because we had similar things in common, like adoption and special needs children.

A couple of days later, when we returned home in our rental car, the wife texted me and said that she and her husband had decided on donating their older minivan to us. Only God could have orchestrated us meeting them!

The more I have had significant losses or trials, the clearer I have seen God’s hand in my life. Many people, at the beginning of each new year, ask God to give them one word to meditate on and live by for the year. I felt God gave me two words and have meditated on them both:

Boldly – confidently and courageously show a willingness to take risks.

Prevailed – Be victorious!

A friend recently shared that she had prayed that God would give her courage to stay the course. We all need to pray that prayer hourly! In a Bible verse she shined light on a word I hadn’t noticed before.

“As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem” (Luke 9:51/NIV). In another version it says: He was determined. Don’t you want to be determined about who you are in Christ in your character, your actions, and your ideas and beliefs? I do!

Recently, we had a tornado warning in our area. My son was at school and had to join his classmates in a shelter. In danger, we run for safety. In the same way, when we are experiencing a life storm, we want to run and hide. It is easy to put on a headset, turn on our computers, and browse through social media, or imagine ourselves in scenes of a movie, trying to not think of what is happening in our lives.

I have seen more of God’s hand at work in my life in the heartbreaking death of my sister and more of His provision and loving care in the accident and what has followed. Yes, I miss my sister, but I WILL see her again. Yes, I am in pain, and yes, I cannot work right now. This, too, shall pass. But what I have experienced in seeing God through all of this has brought me joy-even in the storm.

“Mightier than the thunder of the great waters, mightier than the breakers of the sea—
 the Lord on high is mighty”(Psalm 93:4/NIV).Stronger than the waves that you feel are crashing down upon you. The LORD is mightier, and He will never leave you or forsake you.

I believe the Lord allows trials to pile up on us so that we can grieve and empty ourselves so He can fill us with Himself.

Marshall Segal, of Desiring God, said this, “Do the promises that Christ will come again ever feel sweeter than when life on earth feels harsh and unyielding?”

Amen! Come, Lord Jesus, come!

Someone in my previous generation prayed for me.

Have you contemplated the same thought? Is it amazing to you how you survived some of life’s obstacles and tragedies? Have you experienced adventures you never would have dreamed of?

Faithful pray from the previous generation is the only way I can explain how I survived coming from a legacy of alcoholism, clinical depression, and poverty. It is only possible through the efficacy of prayer and the grace of God that a little girl, rejected, and thought of as stupid and worthless, decades later, would become a teacher, travel the world alone, have public speaking opportunities, train others in education and trauma, excel in higher studies, and given the blessed prividedge of raising an abandoned special-needs child.

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning” (emphasis added, James 1:17).

Only through prayer and the grace and power of God.

I believe I know my prayer warrior… my great-great grandmother, Priscilla.

In 2014, one of my assignments for a psychology class was to discuss my family heritage and the generational effect on me.

Let’s see…. my mom… and my dad… and… finished! I possessed limited knowledge of our history. My grandparents died before I was born. I never knew them. My mother was undescriptive about her father and mother. My father never mentioned his parents… let alone his grandparents.

There were sometimes rumors about having an Indian or Irish heritage, but with no validation.

My professor encouraged me to try one of the many genealogy sites. That assignment inspired my life. I joined a “search your family tree” site, and with hopeful anticipation, typed in the search bar with what diminutive information I knew.

The same astonishing excitement as when my foster child became my son came rippling up inside of me. I shrieked, tears flowing down my face.

I HAVE A HISTORY!!!

Another sojourner who was in search of family truth, next to the line, had already discovered some treasured gold. There, before my eyes… names, a place, a heritage!

Endearingly granted, I know that my real heritage lies in Christ.

“And if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him” (Romans 8:17).

But here on earth, treading the path before me, were my great-great grandparents, William and Priscilla, from… somewhere near Belfast, Ireland! I have searched periodically to find pieces of the puzzle. Only known, they arrived in America in 1866. Where they came from, where they came to, I do not know… but somehow, over time, weaved their way to southern Indiana.

Priscilla bravely survived the Great Irish Famine, boldly endured the coffin ship with three small children, and she would have four more children in America. She somehow extraordinarily overcame rejection and poverty, loss of her homeland, and everything which was once familiar and dear to her. Yet, she miraculously persevered until she was 81.

I had the blessed opportunity to visit the area where the family lived in southern Indiana; I walked the same streets they did, walked past the wool factory the family worked at (now a high school), and visited the church Priscilla was a member of, although this church had burned to the ground three times! My heart rejoiced in discovering the headstone of Priscilla and William. As I sat there and prayed and reflected on their life, I felt God’s presence.

Something happened though… somewhere along the generation, the family forgot about God. It was my eldest sister, though, who convinced my mom to attend a church when I was approximately five years old. I accepted Jesus in my life when I was eight. That decision was the secure foundation that would protect and hold me together through decades of abuse and loss.

I strongly believe that Priscilla’s bold faith in an omniscient God sustained her for her lifetime. I know my faith, wavering occasionally, has taken me on journeys I would never have dreamed of in my younger days of poverty and heartbreak.

If you read through Exodus in the Bible, you will find how God miraculously saved the Israelites and provided for them continually. Yet, they would forget multiple times and complain to God. I can never forget how God not only saved me eternally, but saved my physical life, not once, but three times, if not more, times that I am unaware of. Still, I am not perfect. I have had my inconstant share of doubt.

These are the reasons God says to record what He has done. Write it down! Tell others! Our memories are unnerving!

In Deuteronomy, Moses taught the commandments of God to the people and reminded them, “You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates” (6:7, 9).

Lest you forget.

It is essential to instruct our children on the commands and promises of God, modeling them in our everyday life.

Lest they forget.

It is of paramount importance to record and share the faithful stories of God in our lives.

Lest we forget.

Most significantly, we must fervently pray for our children, grandchildren, nieces, and nephews, neighborhood children, and those not even born yet.

My devotion is to continue a beautiful legacy of praying for generations to come.

Father God,

We entrust our children in dedicated prayer to You. This generation, and the generation yet to come.

Save Your children by Your grace.

Draw them closely to You.

Safeguard them.

Illuminate their path.

If they should wander from the chosen path, realign their steps.

If they lean toward sinful choices, convict their hearts.

Help them to be disciplined, persistent, and run the race with endurance.

Help them to live with a grateful heart, rejoicing always.

Help them to love You with all of their heart, soul, and mind, and love others above themselves.

Help them to be pure and holy, as You are holy.

Guide them in Your word, in prayer time with You, listening for the calling that You have for them.

Advance them in kingdom work.

Magnify Your name in them.

Amen

May we all leave a legacy of faithfulness.