Rejoice and be glad.

Posted on June 13, 2010 by Margaret

After two weeks visiting three grandbabies in England and several days with two more in Michigan, I’m up-to-date with our five youthful relatives. Cameras are clicking non-stop, but sadly their Grandpa Nate is only in a few of the photos, and he’ll never appear with three of these children. As a matter of fact, none of the five will ever know him.

Skylar Nicholas I’ve worked hard not to camp there in my thinking. Instead I’m trying to focus on God’s spectacular timing in sending three new lives just as we’re painfully adjusting to losing one.

All of us pray for good health, protection and safety. When circumstances dish out the opposite, disease, injury or danger, it means God has overruled our prayer requests for important reasons that will ultimately be to our benefit.

As an example, take the 9/11 terrorist attacks. In the beginning it was all about anger and revenge. “What kind of a God would let this happen?”

But a month later, the entire country had recognized God as a force for good in America and had begun appreciating people in new ways. Many had started going back to church. Prayer meetings abounded. And those who’d lost loved ones in the attacks vowed not to wait before telling family members of their gratitude and love. Yes, there were losses, but there were also gains.

Henry Blackaby, an author and teacher I admire, says when we pray about specific situations, we ought to carefully observe what happens next. God will show himself in the circumstances that follow.

I remember years ago when a missionary friend who was based in the States (but a citizen of another country) was trapped in governmental red tape. Trying to renew her visa for traveling in and out of America, she’d been left in a third world country when her team had headed home. Unable to get back into the US, she sent out a call for prayer.

I began praying but wondered if I could help in another way also. I asked God what to do. Within days I “happened to hear” a broadcast on the power of fasting and decided God wanted me to fast for my friend.

At the end of a week’s fast, my friend actually called to say she’d not only received the paper work she needed but had secured permission to exit and enter the States indefinitely for ten years, something she’d never expected.

Was it an accident I was influenced to fast? I believe it was God’s response to my question of what I should do. When we seek him, he shows himself.

So here I am today, missing Nate and praying daily about my family’s different future without him. What should we think, Lord? What should we do?

His answer has come with three babies born in the first five months after Nate’s death. God has shown us we’re not to dwell on our losses but to focus forward and give thanks for where we are today.

We will never forget Nate. We’ll always love him dearly and delight in recounting our endless memories of him. And although his five grandchildren will never know him personally, we aren’t to spend time bemoaning that. Instead we’re to rejoice in their lives and move into the future with gladness and gratitude for the way things are… today.

“This is the day the Lord as made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it.” (Psalm 118:24)

Holy Energy

Posted on June 5, 2010 by Margaret

All of us have friends in different categories: childhood pals, work associates, neighbors, church acquaintances, siblings and relatives who are friends also. Then there are the dearest few with whom we share our deepest secrets. This weekend two women in that last category visited me at the cottage, coming all the way from Colorado and Arizona to do so. It’s been four and a half years since we’ve been in the same place at the same time, and it was a good feeling when Sue, Gaye and I finally melted into a group hug.

What is it that tightly bonds certain people to each other? In our case, although we’ve been wives and moms together, what really glues us is a shared philosophy of life centered in our personal commitments to Christ. And because that’s true, group prayer is as important as group hugs. Actually, more important. Even when we’re separated by thousands of miles, when we pray for each others’ families, we meet “in God’s throne room.”

Today we took advantage of being together by having an hour-long prayer time on the beach. Jack rolled in the sand and enjoyed the creek as we sent our requests heavenward, praying over each of our children, children-in-law and grandchildren, 30 in all. We also covered those of our parents still living, all struggling with health issues. And we prayed for ourselves as well.

The enormous, empty beach that had been freshly washed by a spring storm was the tranquil backdrop needed for concentration on prayer and the God to whom we were speaking.

When we opened our eyes, a new storm was forming on the horizon, painting the sky in shades of blue and purple. It was too attractive to turn away from, so we continued our conversation. Sue said, through tears, “I can pray when I’m by myself and of course I do, but when I hear you two praying for my family, a powerful sense of encouragement comes over me like nothing else.”

Gaye and I nod. We know it’s true. But why?

When a friend takes time to hear the concerns of another mom for her children and then takes more time to pray over them, it’s a gift of love. Sometimes a person wearies of praying the same things again and again without seeing results. Waiting can be debilitating. She can become spiritually dry and wonders what else she can pray that she hasn’t already said.

When she hears the fresh prayer of another woman over the same set of circumstances, a new vigor comes to her soul. As Gaye said, “Its prayer back-up. When I hear someone else praying about my concerns, I’m no longer alone in the battle.”

There’s another reason the prayer of a friend is a treasure. A woman may be stuck in a rut as she prays month after month for a problem to be resolved, but then the Holy Spirit moves her friend to pray a specific Scripture over the dilemma, and suddenly a new avenue of communication with God has been initiated. A discouraged pray-er has new promises to claim.

God has said that when two or three people come together with the intention of praying their requests to him, he not only listens but comes to sit among them. Can there be any greater privilege than communing with Almighty God and then having him respond by coming right into our little group of three? Today we experienced that priceless phenomenon, and we have all been changed.

“Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” (Matthew18:20)

Team Gran

Posted on May 21, 2010 by Margaret

As we move through the months and years of our lives, we also move through relationships, some sought out by us and others arriving on their own. For example, when our children marry, their in-law families become shirt-tail relatives, and we are put together on important occasions. Some of these required relationships remain formal. Others are treasures.

Nate and I “clicked” immediately with Hans’ parents-in-law, Cliff and Sarah. Because they live in England, I knew we probably wouldn’t see much of them, but in the last four years, we’ve been together over seven different chunks of time. It’s been much easier to develop relationships than any of us anticipated, and we are counting our blessings.

When Nate died, Cliff and Sarah made their way from Britain to the States to be a part of his visitation and services. Flying six time zones away from home for just three days on two expensive plane tickets is a sacrifice of immense proportion none of us will every forget. And this week we are together again, although Nate is not among us. He is the subject of many conversations, though, and I’m thankful Cliff and Sarah miss him greatly. We are of one mind in that.

Today Sarah and I spent some good grandma time with each other and with our three little charges, giving Katy some well-deserved time off. She went to town and then walked in the hills on a beautiful sunny day in the UK, providing us with feeding bottles for the twins before she left. Sarah and I enjoyed working with and playing with our miniature relatives, twins Thomas and Evelyn (four weeks old today), and Nicholas (16 months).

We sang with the children, did dishes, read stories, ate and fed, admired the wonder of it all and hung up the most adorable laundry in the neighborhood. In addition to that, Sarah and I had a happy time being together, continuing to strengthen our friendship and add to our store of memories. What a privilege it is to know her. She is a woman of grace, love and patience. When she was working with little Evelyn today, I watched the baby grab Sarah’s necklace, pulling it tight and hanging on for dear life. Her granny, a natural, never noticed. When I watch Nicholas relate so lovingly to her, I feel less badly that I’m 4000 miles away during most of the year. Sarah is grandma enough for both of us.

Today she and I experimented with a camera, struggling to take video footage of the twins while they both chirped with the hiccups. As much fun as my kids will have watching those mini-movies, Sarah and I had an even better time making them. Although my visit is twinged with sadness because Nate isn’t here, the days are themed with gladness because of the people God has brought into our/my life through Katy’s parents.

In addition to sharing three grandchildren, Sarah and I share a faith in the same Savior, and his name pops up in our conversation frequently. She and I are co-grandmas, and we’re also sisters-in-Christ. For both relationships I am exceedingly grateful. Together we will teach these children not only how to toss a ball and ride a scooter but how to love the same Lord we love. And there is no better project for the two of us to share.

“We will tell the next generation the praiseworthy deeds of the Lord, his power, and the wonders he has done.” (Psalm 78:4)