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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7 comments:
Bless you for this beautiful post.
Truly God uses your pain friend. Thanks for being willing to be used in this sacrificial way.
Its amazing to see comfort at work. What a wonderful witness you have, comfort in the waiting for someone else who has yet to arrive there.
Thank you Kathryn for sharing your heart with all of us today. Your honesty in sharing your grief is truly a gift that God is using to bless others. I am praying for you and your family to have a blessed day! Hugs, Nina
You made such an important point that I forgot to mention in my IOWT post. Others watch as we go through suffering. That nurse saw something different in you. They saw Jesus. That's what I hope and pray others will see in me.
Kathryn, I've never lost a child. But I worked as a cardiac nurse for 25 years (in the past). I saw many reactions to suffering but was always amazed at how some Christians endured and loved on others as they shared (in the midst of their suffering). I think you are one of those people.
God bless you,
Debbie
You chose an amazing quote for this week. Thank you for sharing such a deeply vulnerable part of your life with us. I am certain that God uses you in ways that can be known here and now, but also is ways that might only become known in the next life. God honors your obedience through your suffering.
Thanks for sharing...
God is there with us when we suffer and in us to carry is through
Blessings
Bernice
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