Man, this
week has just been a crazy one! My emotions have been all over the place (that
may be due to the fact I am 31 weeks preggo), but not just about our nation,
but also personally. This week my daughter has been fighting off the sickness,
hand/foot and mouth which is as not fun as the name sounds. So we are on day 4
of sleep deprivation and cartoons. But it was yesterday while I was talking my
first shower of the week (thank you Mom life and to my awesome husband for
staying home to help out) that I was praying about this nation and my family
and asking God to just show up and comfort. I had read so many statuses and
updates from people on Wednesday morning that they were afraid and uncertain of
the future of America and my heart was broken for these people. This post is
not at all about politics or who is right/wrong, but it’s about this epidemic
that our country is facing-this sense of feeling afraid, uncertain, broken, and
full of pain and hate. So as I was thinking about this, it reminded me of what
our family had been dealing with personally the last few days.
So this
sickness that Olive is dealing with develops first as a fever that could spike
as high as 103. All day on Monday, Olive had a fever and didn’t have much
energy. We spent the day cuddling and napping and watching cartoons. Then what
happens is that sores develop in and around the mouth, hands and feet. We took
Olive into the doctor on Tuesday to find out that her throat was covered in
little white sores which explained why she didn’t want to eat or drink much
since she was in so much pain. The problem-there is no medication to help with
this sickness. It is just pain management and time. I think that is the worst
answer you get from doctors because as a parent you want to be able to take
away the pain and sickness from your child as soon as possible.
So for the
last few days, Olive would wake up just crying in pain because her throat hurt
so bad and all my husband and I could do was try to calm her down, rock her,
snuggle her, tell her that she was safe
and that we were there for her. It was so hard to watch my daughter deal
with that pain, but I knew that is was going to pass soon and that I was doing
exactly what I could do at that moment for her.
As I was
thinking about this, I realized that this is how God loves us. He tells us in
His word that in this world we will have troubles, and pain and things will not
go the way we want them too-we do in fact live in a fallen world-but TAKE
HEART! God has overcome this world. I just pictured God holding his crying children,
just like we held Olive, and holding them tight, whispering ‘It’s gonna be
okay, I have you, you are safe and I am always here.’
33 “I have
told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you
will have trouble. But take heart! I [God] have overcome the world.” John 16:33
Sometimes it
feels like when we follow Christ, we should be able to avoid all bad things,
but in fact we are not immune to those things, we do live on earth and this
earth is broken, BUT when we surrender to our God, we are given access to
heaven and in heaven there will be no more pain, no more sorrow, no more hurt.
“He will wipe every
tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or
pain. All these things are gone forever." Rev. 21:4
So my prayer
for you, especially those of you that are fearful, uncertain, broken and
afraid-God has this. We have to learn to put our trust in Him, not this world.
This world is going to be full of disappointment, brokenness, and pain. I am
not saying that trusting God will take away all of that, but when we are able
to give over to God our fear and anxiety; He is able then to replace that with peace.
“Do not put your
trust in princes, in human beings, who cannot save.” Psalm 146:3
“It is better to take refuge in the
LORD than to trust in humans.” Psalm 118:8
Now I am
fully aware that there are many people out there that have some pretty big
fears about their future, and I am by no means trying to down play that
reality, but what I am saying is that there is NO fear that is bigger than our
God. That when we are living life with Him, He will show up in those fears. So
for those of you that may be experiencing fear and uncertainty, my home is open
to you. It is open to have a conversation about those fears and how God can
encounter you. This isn’t just a figurative invitation, this is real. If you
need to talk about this, come over, let’s do coffee, let’s have a facebook
convo over messenger. God has given us this opportunity as Christians to reach
those that need love and kindness. And I know a God that overflows with those
qualities.
“7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has
been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because
God is love. 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent
his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.” 1 John 4:7-9
My prayer is
that you can find peace in this ever so fear-filled world. That when you
experience pain, you can find comfort in the arms of your Heavenly Father,
holding you tight, telling you ‘It’s going to be okay, I am here, you are safe.’
And if you need a physical hug and someone physically telling you that, I will
do that, because I can say with full confidence, that because of my faith in
God-‘It’s going to be okay, God is here and we are safe.’
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