The compassion of a stranger

It has been going on for a while.

Anne has been expressing discomfort all year, but it’s stepped up a notch this summer.

I struggle with not feeling like I should have caught it sooner.

Infact when she was in fifth grade we had her into a specialist.

The diagnosis was migraines.

So we’ve watched Anne more carefully since then.

She even fainted twice at school one year, but we thought it was low blood sugar.

This basketball season her complaint seemed to form more frequently.

With the Spring her allergies were definitely angry and I mistakenly thought she was struggling with just the affects of that.

It was early Summer when I saw her grab her chest the same way I do when my chest is hurting.

It was like a bell rang in my brain.

I called the doctor’s office and spoke with a nurse.

She said I’d need to write down the symptoms and call back in a week.

Which I did.

I spoke with our doctor this time and she agreed that Anne should be seen.

In the meantime the chest pains had become so painful that Anne has actually been unable to function at times.

My anticipation for her to see the doctor was increasing as she struggled with not feeling well.

Then I realized I wouldn’t be able to attend the appointment.

Thankfully my husband was able to.

Our doctor agreed that she most likely has asthma, but wanted to rule out any other issues, so after Anne received a breathing treatment in the office my husband was to drive her to the hospital to get a chest x-ray and an EKG.

I spoke with my husband before they headed to the hospital.

I gripped the phone tight, willing myself not to be emotional.

My heart silently prayed for the Lord to comfort our girl since I couldn’t.

I so wanted to be there, to hold her hand, to pray with her, to comfort her.

Instead God had a different plan.

I received a text from my husband with the following picture and words:

So, I came around the corner from going to the bathroom and I heard this lady say to Bethany “Are you a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ?” next thing I know they are praying for Bethany’s EKG.

I blinked back the tears of joy and surprise.

“God, You are amazing!”

My husband assured me that he had thanked the sweet lady.

Jesus knew exactly what both Anne and I needed.

And He filled it perfectly

with the

compassion of

a stranger.

Author of the details

Even in something so temporary,

God is the author.

We found these matching shirts after the track meet on Saturday.

I haven’t had the girls want to dress alike in so long it floored me when they decided to buy matching tops.

(Anne got a similar one since there weren’t any in her size.)

Yet, even this spur-of-the-moment shopping trip had a lesson for me.

It’s a theme God has been teaching me.

I am directing and guiding you.

You see we wanted to go shopping, but this wasn’t the store we were trying to get to.

Our plans had been different, yet as we let go of our own ideas and looked to the Lord He led us to another store.

There we found everything we needed and within our budget.

Not to mention the girls now have a memory and a special outfit to tie their hearts together despite the distance.

And I know the lesson has just begun.

Before the track meet the Lord reminded me to get cash so we could pay to get in.

(I’ve forgotten to more times than I’ve remembered.)

Yet, as I walked out of the Walmart where I’d picked up some food for the meet I felt a prick.

Give them $5.

It was a Christian group whose ministry is to help people struggling with addictions.

They were selling handmade items.

I didn’t buy anything, just gave them the money and promised to pray for the ministry.

When I reached the meet there was not a fee to get in.

I didn’t think about the $15 left in my wallet.

Yesterday another opportunity came along.

A dear friend and colleague lost her house to fire this weekend.

A teacher at our school set up an opportunity to purchase new clothes at the school for a seriously reduce price, all to be given to our friend.

“These things normally are $25-$60, and she’s going to let us buy them for $10 a piece!” The teacher eagerly informed me.

I thought my jaw would drop open, but instead I just smiled.

There wasn’t any question in my heart that the Lord was the author of this.

I grabbed out $10 and asked her to pick out something.

I’m interested to see what God will do with the last $5 waiting in my wallet.

He’s the author of it all.

He understands every detail.

He’s the reason I draw every breath.

I’m certain His plans are best.

When I think of all He has already done for me, when I look back at the many lessons I’ve learned, I can hardly wait to see what tomorrow holds.

It might be trying, stretching, uncomfortable, even painful, but whatever it is, I’m resting in the truth.

Jesus has a plan in it all,

and I get to be a part of it!

Wow!

Some things are tough to imagine or describe.

This immense structure falls into the category of difficult to imagine (Unless I hadn’t seen it).

Our experience at the Go Fest (very worth while event hosted by WEC) falls into the category of difficult to describe.

It’s a long, really long, extremely long story which I should probably turn into a book some day, however I am only going to tell the most recent bit.

(If you want to get more of the story look up the post titled Amazed.)

Standing in the tent, which housed the booths of so many mission organizations it made me overwhelmed, our eyes caught sight of the Wycliffe sign.

Sis and I were looking for them because the reason we were at Go Fest was to meet an ethnomusicologist Wycliffe had told her about last summer.

Not only did we get to chat with 2 ladies who had been on the field for Wycliffe recently, but received contact information for others who might help Sis to continue on the path to becoming an ethnomusicologist.

The day was filled to overflowing with chats.

We got to meet Rob Baker and he was such a blessing.  (Even signed his book for us. Neat read:   )

This led to other introductions which further fleshed out the path which needs to be completed for Sis to be able to walk in the calling of God.

Sis was able to sit down with a man who teaches ethnomusicology at two different places. He encouraged her to get her necessary schooling so she can return to the UK to finish up the requirements.

At the end of a very exciting,  exhausting, amazing day, Sis was bubbling over with the contacts she had made and the invitation to visit the school here.

As if all this blessing wasn’t enough God had done something else during the first half hour or so of our Go Fest trip.

Our second daughter has had a heart for Africa as long as I can remember.

Her sweet face glowed as she spoke with a missionary from Africa who explained the great need in more than one country.

While she was speaking with him another missionary to Africa was in the same booth and was able to answer my practical questions.

“Our daughter wants to be a nurse and go to Africa to help, what might we need to add to her education and what language does she need to learn? ”

The older man smiled which creased his face all over but mostly around his kind eyes.

“Well I am a doctor and I can say…”

-Wow!-

Is there really any reason not to trust God?

Is there anything He can’t do?

Are we not amazingly blessed to have such a Heavenly Father?

I can honestly say:

“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. ” Proverbs 23:1