About three years ago, I lost my son.
I had entered my third trimester of pregnancy with Ian, when I found out at a doctor’s appointment that his little heart was not beating.
This was hard on so many levels, but thankfully, we had a loving church community that supported us and loved us in an immense way. I delivered Ian, and a few days later, we had a memorial service, and we buried him. I hate the way that sounds, but it is true.
I never wanted something like that to happen, but it did.
As the grieving and healing process of my heart began, I started to learn about resting in God’s goodness for me.
Nobody ever wants to go through a valley, but the valleys come.
Months later, during worship time at our church, I began to cry and ask God,
“How are you going to get me through this valley? How are you going to get me through this? It hurts so much and it’s so hard.”
In my mind, I could see myself walking through a valley, with high cliffs around me, and a dusty, rocky road under my feet. But then I heard God say to my heart,
“With My might.”
That was how He would get me through this.
Then He showed me something—something changed in the picture. His large hand, bright and luminous, came behind my back. His hand stretched from the back of my neck to the back of my knees. And as his hand came to me, He began pushing me forward through the valley. With His strength and momentum pushing me, I could actually lean back into His palm in a restful posture. My heels skidded across the rocky valley floor, but not in a painful way. Dust kicked up around me as He sped me through such a difficult time – and He did it with His might and His hand. Not mine. How lovely and how restful this was to me.
There are so many times in life when what we are facing feels too hard to get through on our own—to figure out on our own—to be successful on our own. This is because we were not designed to do life alone. We were designed to have a Friend, a very good Friend who never leaves us, nor forsakes us—His name is Jesus. The sooner we realize this, the better it gets, and the richer our lives become.
Deuteronomy 31:6 (NLT) So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the LORD your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.
When we let go of trying to walk things out in our own strength and choose to surrender exactly where we are in life to God, we get to lean back into his hand.
– Bonnie Dorough
Dear Friend, may I encourage you to lean back on God because he cares for you. He knows how to get you from point A to point B. Decide to release the weightiness of your worries and cares; take a deep breath and lean back. He is there!
Psalm 23:4 (NIV) Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
God continued to comfort me, and a year and a half ago, I had my second daughter, and what a joy she is! Her middle name is “Hope” because that is exactly what God gave us. Ask Him for hope, and He will give it to you. Stay the course and hold on to your faith!
He can redeem any hardship you have been through.
Prayer: Lord, what I am going through right now feels too tough for me and things seem dark, but I know that you are God and your hand is strong and mighty to save me. Lord, I ask that you help me in this process and I choose now to rely on you – for you will never leave me or forsake me. Not only do I trust you to get me through this time, but, I thank you for the hope and the redemption that will come out of this. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
p.s. –Listening to Worship music and praising God helps to build your faith and soothes the soul. I know that you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you. Blessings to you!
