Well HELLO 2011!

Wow...where have I been?! Not a question I really want to answer. (Not yet anyway)

So I have lots of posts in my mind and feel that 2011 holds many changes for me and my household, but for starts I wanted to share a devotion I wrote for my church.

Every week my church hands out a daily devotion for your week ahead and I plus other families were asked to write and share how God's grace has been lived out in our lives. I had to majorly condense this for our scroll, but I think w/out all the details I would normally provide it still has impact. I hope you are touched.

Isaiah 43; 1-4

1 But now, this is what the LORD says—
he who created you, Jacob,
he who formed you, Israel:
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
2 When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.
3 For I am the LORD your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;
I give Egypt for your ransom,
Cush[a] and Seba in your stead.
4 Since you are precious and honored in my sight,
and because I love you,
I will give people in exchange for you,
nations in exchange for your life.

What jilts us to the bones, and stabs us deep in our hearts, quicker than unknown tragedy?

Over the last year and a half my family has faced this over and over again. From September to December we experienced, two near death accidents, one serious ICU stay, and another near death event.

When these things happened my immediate prayer was Lord bring them healing, don’t take them away for we need them here.

Since then my prayer has changed.

The weekend before Thanksgiving I was holding my son when he started having seizures. A couple minutes later I was watching him continue to seize in the back of an ambulance. I was racked with fear. I could do nothing. I spoke to God the entire way to the hospital.

I said, “Lord, my son is YOURS, may you be glorified and your will be done in this moment.”

God’s grace sustained me, and gave me the strength I needed to give my son to him no matter what the cost to me.

My family relationships are vital, but we all belong to the Lord, and his grace has taught us to have joy even in suffering.