The month of July of evokes an abundance of memories. This past July was the 10th anniversary of some heavy times for our family. As we move about our summer enjoying the carefree days there is always an undercurrent of recollection. This is the day there was no heartbeat. These are the days we disregarded the doctor’s words and prayed hard for our little girl. This is the day I went into labor and held her tiny form in my hand — which ran concurrently with the day I was about 20 minutes from leaving this earth. But through it all I can say with confidence; He is faithful.
How can I say that, you ask? I grew up hearing my grandfather say, “God is not a man that He should lie. His word is settled. His promises do not fail. If there’s any fault, it lies with me.” Do I take the blame for what happened? No. Did God cause it? Absolutely not! He didn’t even “allow it to happen.” We live in a fallen world where we have an enemy that seeks to steal, to kill, and to destroy. (John 10:10) Sometimes bad things just happen. It’s how we respond to those times that determines our future.
It’s during the spring and summer that all my Facebook memories start popping up. Pregnancy announcements and updates like the one above. You might wonder why I don’t delete them. Why do I keep them them if they just remind me of painful memories? Well, I’ll tell you. Interwoven through these echoes of heartache are reminders of His faithfulness. He carried us through. Was it always easy? No. Did I always respond with faith? No. But I can tell you, looking back from the span of 10 years, He is constant and unwavering. He does not fail and He will never leave you. If you’ve had times like these. Times where you are inundated with things that should not be. I encourage you, tear your gaze away from the grief and turmoil and look for His hand. I assure you, it’s there.
Things Pondered 