It was an early Sunday morning when we were awakened by the doorbell ringing. Tim went down and answered the door, both of us were thinking that Justin must have locked himself out of the house. I stood at the top of the stairs waiting […]
I have found that going to the grocery store is one of the most difficult of my tasks to complete. I try to prepare myself as I drive down the familiar road and listen to encouraging songs on the radio. I pull into a parking […]
I was in despair. My weight was completely out of control and I had no idea how in the world I was going to climb out of a very deep pit. My body physically hurt, I was exhausted, and very discouraged. One morning, I woke up feeling hopeless. I poured my heart out to the Lord and said something like. “Oh Lord, please help me, I am so stuck. I have no idea how I am ever going to change this. I have so much weight to lose. I wish someone would help me. Please help me, Lord.”
Just a few days later, our son Justin came to me and asked me if we could talk. That evening we sat down together on our living room couch. He began, “Mama… (how I miss him calling me Mama). Mama, you know how you are worried about my safety driving a motorcycle? Well, Mama, I am worried about you. I am worried about your health. Can we make a deal? If I agree not to get a motorcycle, will you agree to get healthy? I will work out with you early in the morning or late at night, whatever you need. I will help you.”
I immediately agreed to his deal and his terms. My mind was swimming as I felt completely humbled that my 20-year-old was coming to me with something in my life that was obviously so out of control. I was/am so proud of him. I told him that that was a very brave conversation to have with me and affirmed that he was growing into a man. With tears, I gave him a big hug and thanked him. I remember going upstairs to our bedroom that night with joy and thanksgiving in my heart. The Lord had heard my prayer on two accounts; Justin wasn’t getting a motorcycle and I was finally going to get healthy!
My “getting healthy journey” started that very next morning. I said goodbye cold turkey to sugar and began a lower-carb lifestyle. That night, Justin came home to his Mama eating a healthy salad and he beamed with delight and said, “Good job, Mama.”.
Just six days later, our dear Justin was in a fatal car accident and taken home to be with the Lord.
Are you stuck? Cry out to the Lord! He hears and He is a mighty Deliverer.
The Lord is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
He will not always chide,
nor will he keep his anger forever.
He does not deal with us according to our sins,
nor repay us according to our iniquities.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
as far as the east is from the west,
so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
As a father shows compassion to his children,
so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.
14 For he knows our frame;[a]
he remembers that we are dust. Psalm 103: 8-14
Today, by the grace of our great God, I am keeping my promise to Justin.
Today, I opened my journal to its first entry dated April 3, 2017. It read, “But now, O LORD, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand. (Isaiah 64:8) Please help me […]
Life can change in the blink of an eye. One minute I was telling Justin to be careful and that I loved him. The next minute (or hours later) we were being awakened by the sheriff’s office telling us something no parent ever dreams of […]
