To be honest, I'm not quite sure where to start with this quote. Except that I KNOW it to be true. I have been on both sides of this coin, sometimes both sides at the same time! When Seth was dying, my co-worker, Cathey, and her husband, Keith, just came along side us. (JUST!). They had lost a son 20 years ago, at 18 months of age. I remember that I looked forward to Cathey coming up to the hospital because she GOT it. I could literally tell Cathey ANYTHING and often did in a walk around the hospital grounds. In my suffering and brokenness, Cathey came alongside and shared from HER heart and her previous suffering. God used HER as an ambassador to meet my needs.
More recently, I was given the opportunity to minister to someone. (Except of course, as God would have it, it was again a mutual ministering). Awhile back, I heard of a baby born at Sacred Heart with a very severe congenital heart defect. I'm not even sure how it happened at this point but the mom and I friended each other on FaceBook and eventually I went up and met Tracy and Jethro at the hospital. And here's the "God thing". Tracy lost a baby. I lost a cardiac baby. We have suffered and are able to lend each other a hand up. I LOVE how God orchestrates us as His ambassadors!
Here's the thing as I see it. It's VERY hard to live out of suffering and brokenness. Most days, I miss Seth so much that I just want to pretend I"m okay. I certainly don't want to show you my pain. A friend of ours is an acquaintance of one of Seth's nurses. A few weeks after Seth went to Heaven, my friend and this nurse met up in the super market. The nurse said that she wanted what we had. What WE had. We had a lot of pain and sorrow. But we also had GOD. Leland and I clung to God because there was nothing else we can do. And we didn't try to hide it from those around us, nurses, friends, doctors, etc, because there just wasn't any point.
I am a messy, wimpy person. I don't know what God's plan for me is, how he intends to use my life to bring Glory to Him. I am just extremely grateful to be along for the ride!
Please link up below to share YOUR take on this meaty quote! (I know I didn't do it justice and I can't wait to see what others have to say!)
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