We had an eventful weekend which included a trip to Urgent Care with Josiah for his trouble breathing. We were pretty sure it was just croup but it came on SUPER fast and furious. His breathing was very restricted and I know croup is characteristically worse at night, so we decided to take him in on Saturday afternoon so we weren’t up in the middle of the night making the same trip to the ER. The doctor confirmed it was croup–nothing terribly serious–but was able to prescribe a steroid to help open his airway.
All of that to say that we laid low on Sunday letting the medicine do its thing. Jen came over and we watched a movie that she had rented and watched the previous night with Kailynn: Miracles from Heaven.
Have you seen it?
It’s so good. If you haven’t seen it, here’s the synopsis (from IMDB):
Anna Beam (Kylie Rogers) lives with a rare, incurable disorder that leaves her unable to digest food. Despite the dire diagnosis, devoted mom Christy (Jennifer Garner) relentlessly searches for a way to save her beloved daughter. Everything changes in an instant when Anna tells an amazing story of a visit to heaven after surviving a headlong tumble into a tree. Her family and doctors become even more baffled when the young girl begins to show signs of recovering from her fatal condition.
It’s based on a true story, which makes it so much more impactul for me. There are real discussions about faith and heaven and religion. And I’ll be honest–I cried. A lot. A. Lot.
There was a part of the movie that struck me. The mother was talking with the pastor and he said:
Let me tell you, at the lowest points of my life I’ve tried it both ways: doing everything I can to connect to God, or walking away. And in my experience, one feels a whole lot better than the other.
It reminds me of the unexplainable peace that we can have in Jesus. Peace beyond our understanding. I can’t imagine my life without the security of having my faith. And although I go through my questions and doubts, I always come back. My heart aches for those who don’t have Hope, or those those turning away.
It reminds me of the verse we are currently memorizing as a family: Isaiah 40:28
Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
We had a long discussion at supper about what that means–“his understanding no one can fathom.” We cannot fathom the mind of God. And while we as humans hold memories of the past and hurts that have cut us deeply, God forgives and forgets. FORGETS. Seriously. Try and fathom that!
I am so delighted with the depth of your faith as an adult. I’ll admit that I had my concerns about you as you were growing up. I daily thank God for Tim and the impact your relationship with him and his family has had on your faith walk. I just couldn’t be happier that you seem to have the same kind of faith that I do! And you are right – it is so painful to see people who refuse to accept the free gift that God has for EVERYONE, if they would just reach out and take it.