Today’s Jesus Calling could not be more perfect. This sounds cliche, but it holds true for so many, and for so many who have never voiced it. Voiced their losses. Voiced their pain. Voiced their struggles:
THANK ME FOR YOUR PROBLEMS. As soon as your mind gets snagged on a difficulty, bring it to Me with thanksgiving . Then ask Me to show you My way to handle the situation. The very act of thanking Me releases your mind from its negative focus. As you turn y our attention to Me, the problem fades in significance and loses its power to trip you up . Together we can deal with the situation, either facing it head – on o r putting it aside for later consideration .
Most of the situations that entangle your mind are not today’s concerns; you have borrowed them from tomorrow. In this case, I lift the problem out of today and deposit it in the future, where it is veiled from y our eyes. In its place I give you My Peace, which flows freely from M y Presence .
Thanking God today has been a gift. Being ABLE to thank God today, is a gift. No tears, yet. Dan asked how I was doing today, and I said honestly, good. It’s choosing to look at our babies in heaven, with joy, knowing that God’s purpose for them was much grander than mine. Do I still cry sometimes? Oh yes. The missing and the pain will always be there. But it’s letting God handle our situation, with thanksgiving, has been a life changer. Our “problem” with kids, is something that we cannot control, so we try and not let it control us. So on this Mother’s Day, we live today, thanking God for motherhood. Motherhood from many different aspects.
Yesterday we spent the day with our youth group kids, putting in docks and lifts. It was hard work, but in my heart, I loved every moment of it, as we got to walk alongside these kids, as a “mother” and “father”. Even though no earthly kids dwell in our home, our Hooties and youth group kids are always in our hearts!
I was given a beautiful necklace by a dear friend, with a cross, two owls, and a heart that says “in memory of…” I hold that close to my heart, as they are part of our story. God has used our Hooties to make us who we are today and all we ask, is that God uses them for HIS glory. We know that God has used them to change our lives. We pray He uses them to change other’s lives too.
So on this Mother’s Day, thanking God for the gifts He has given us, though it has not been without pain or problems, is God’s grace pouring down. Our emotions were in a very different place a year ago. Thank you Lord, for your abounding grace and love!
If you have never told someone or if you are hurting on this day and in the days to come because of the loss of a child, please feel free to email me at kristin.sterk@gmail.com. We had the privilege of not walking this road alone, and I want you to feel that you too, do not have to walk alone.