Friday, February 9, 2007

Dearest God,

I was patient waiting for the call. I was trusting in you, allowing your strength to overcome my temptation to panic. I persevered, standing with you.

Symptoms had raised questions about my daughter's health. Cancer was very possible, again. Fear taunted me, a fighting force against faith. I packed a suitcase in the event the news was bad and she needed me to drive five hours to help.

"Mom," I remained steady as I recognized my daughter's voice on the phone, "Everything's okay." She said. Three words, three glorious words to a mother's ear. My daughter does have a malady, but nothing to worry about. My praise rose above the roof of the car into the stratosphere. "Dear God, thank you..."

My daughter was 34 when she was diagnosed with cancer. Those days are a blur to me now. When a member of my church was consoling me just after my daughter's call with the diagnosis, he told me to go home to my husband. Something kicked into gear inside me. No! What I needed to do was get information, find a great doctor, and do it all in a hurry. That's exactly what I did. A flurry of phone calls got the ball rolling. Within a couple of days she drove to Indianapolis to be seen by a highly respected cancer specialist. Ten days later she had emergency surgery. She was declared cancer free. Delivered her baby seven months later, a beautiful red-haired baby girl called Stella Roses by her older sister. Both were fine.

This scare took me back to those haunting days. I had to take hold of the Rock of Ages in order to be prepared for any eventuality. I desired to act on faith, trusting in God to hold my daughter, her family and me. I could not waiver in my faith and I dared not fall prey to the temptation to fall apart. Either I believed in God's power to hold us or I did not. I made an intentional decision to stand with God even when the breezes blew, bending me over like a willow branch.

I stood the test. Not because of my own power but because of my trust in the Great Comforter. God offers this compassionate care to every human being; without faith we are blind to see it. Faith opens the door, revealing God to us. We see we are not alone. The storm will wreak its havoc for a time, but God still holds the tempest.

How grateful my heart is that my daughter is all right. How pleased I am that I remained in the arms of the Almighty. The test served to challenge my faith, to see if I would continue to act upon that faith and trust. We're both okay.

Compassionate and caring God,
in your arms
any disaster can occur
and faith will embolden me.
Every part of my being
falls into line,
faith leading the way.
It is not always so.
I falter, stumble, and fall.
The cold, hard ground
reminds me of my weakness
and I turn once again to You.
How I do love you.
Yet, at times I forget
and I function
as if I have no faith
at all.
Today, yesterday
were not this way.
I felt the winds blow
but I did not succumb
to their power.
Instead I turned
and found Your arms.

Gratefully, Andrea