Lindsay McClure
About the Author

Lindsay has seen the goodness of Jesus in both joy and sorrow. Each day finds her discovering how to see both as beautiful. Her husband and three littles are her favorite treasures, and they live a messy, but rich life together in southern New Jersey.

(in)side DaySpring: things we love
& you will too!
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(in)side DaySpring:
things we love
& you will too!
Find more at
DaySpring.com
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  1. I love this truth: “he will stop at nothing . . .”
    When I remember that God is 100% committed to my growth in righteousness, I want to meet that number myself — until I get distracted by other things and start chasing spiritual “squirrels.” Thank you for sharing the way your heart remembers that incredibly rugged season in your spiritual journey and the way you allowed God to use it for your good.

    • Michele, I love your illustration of squirrels. It paints such an accurate picture of the state of my heart when my I am more focused on solving a problem or trying to make everything “okay”, as opposed to steadying myself on His truth and character. He wants our whole heart – 100%. Blessings to you!

  2. Lindsay,

    What a powerful testimony to the love & grace of God. “He sees it all. He sees you, and says… I will be her strength.” Powerful & true statement. God does see is all-in fact He knows what’s going to happen even before it happens. Jesus wants us to believe that He alone is enough to get us through any & every trial. Like Michele above I want to be 100% committed to God in all trials.

    Blessings 🙂

    • Yes, Beth! What comfort we find in His knowledge of all things. Plus, the goodness in His strength actually living and active in us! What joy.

  3. Lindsay,
    Wow! I was right there with you calling desperately out to God. Though we ask…beg for results, His continual answer is “I am with you. My grace is sufficient. I am your strength. Be still and know that I am God.” It is in our most desperate times that the only “known” we can find is God’s character. We may know nothing else other than the fact that He is the great “I am”…..and that alone is enough. In a strange way, I do sometimes look with yearning to those ultra close moments with God – even thought they were when I was in the crucible. God is never so near as when we are at our most broken moments. What a powerful testimony. Thank you for sharing this personal story.
    Blessings,
    Bev xx

    • Bev, it’s such richness to know that there is a whole host of God’s children that can testify to the truth of His word in Psalm 34:18 that the Lord is close to the brokenhearted. It can reshape the pain without one bit of our circumstance changing. Thank you for sharing that you too have looked back on times of pain with a sweet tenderness that could only come from the Lord. Thank you, Bev.

  4. Psalms is one of my favorite books. So much of Jesus in Psalms literally guiding us to God’s words and God’s arms. My heart fills with overwhelm that knowing God is our strength.
    Thank you for sharing your personal story. xo

    • Thank you for reading, Melissa. It’s in some of those deepest valleys that the Lord draws us into the sweetest seasons with Him. Praying right now He assures you of His deep love for you. Blessings!

  5. Lindsay,
    Thank-you for sharing……as your words gripped me, I could only imagine how devastating it must of been, yet, ‘Be Still’, I am your refuge,” is what you heard. God’s miracles are a gift. I am relieved for you that you received this one. Prayers that all will be well.
    “He stilled the storm to a whisper;His waves were hushed”. Psalm 107;29
    Blessings to all,
    Penny

    • I’m so glad you drew attention to that verse from the Psalms. Somehow, only in His divine nature, the storms and waves are still present, yet they are placed in their rightful place — under the authority of God. Thank you for sensing both the anguish and joy of this testimony. Blessings to you, Penny.

  6. FANTASTIC!! Your obvious God-given talent of writing really nailed it with this message!! Thank you!!

  7. Lindsay, thank you for sharing this today. Your obedience to God through your honesty in sharing about your struggle and His provision in this time means that we are all strengthened by your story. Thank you.

  8. I realize I’m not supposed to be on here, as a token male, I think. But just want to thank you for this very timely witness, which we relate to a lot. On Oct. 4, 1995, our younger son (21) was in a car accident, and we went through much of what you describe. One main difference is I had my wife to cry with and to pray with. While our son was in a 7 week coma, both my father, and my wife’s father died. So son lost both his grandfathers while laying unconsious in a hospital. 7 weeks in hospital coma, 9 weeks in hospital re-hab, 18 weeks in residential rehab, and came home in diapers, a hospital bed, not able to speak very well, and no memory except a few distant childhood recollections. We had people around the world praying and encouraging us. Now, 22 yrs later, he walks, talks, drives, works a couple of shifts a week washing dishes, has his own apartment, and we are blessed with his smile, his jokes, his faith, and his attitude. Although he loses things, has to write down everything, and can’t remember from one minute to the next, but still a miracle, and a blesing to us. We thank God daily for the strength, courage, and hope we received.

    • Oh, Jim. Tears as I read your story. All praise to God for the healing your son received. Even so, I am sure that season has marked you with scars of having been under such siege. Those days change us forever, don’t they? While we can be so marked by our wounds and pain from such agony, I pray the Lord continues to flood your heart with assurances of His careful orchestration over your life — using both the pain and sorrow to draw you nearer to Himself, and in doing so, reveal to others that He is Strength and Hope. Thank you for sharing part of your story; He isn’t finished! Blessings to you, your wife, and your precious son.

  9. What a heart wrenching journey you have been on. Your words are so very encouraging. I am so touched and would so love to know more of your story.
    Thank you for sharing these truths.

    • Marie, it’s a blessing to my heart to know God can use this to encourage others. Yes — what began as a way to update family and friends of my husband’s story and progress, became a way for me to process a bit of my own experience during that time. It certainly is nothing formal, but this the link http://justenoughfortoday.blogspot.com/
      Blessings to you, Marie.

  10. Oh, Jim. Tears as I read your story. All praise to God for the healing your son received. Even so, I am sure that season has marked you with scars of having been under such siege. Those days change us forever, don’t they? While we can be so marked by our wounds and pain from such agony, I pray the Lord continues to flood your heart with assurances of His careful orchestration over your life — using both the pain and sorrow to draw you nearer to Himself, and in doing so, reveal to others that He is Strength and Hope. Thank you for sharing part of your story; He isn’t finished! Blessings to you, your wife, and your precious son.

  11. Lindsay, thank you for your story and words of Life. I needed that so much today as I sit in a different sort of pain, but a pain nonetheless. So often I want a specific answer to my prayer, and God responds with a miracle of His being enough for today. And it is so sweet. It’s sort of a weird tension to be in—so grateful for His love and provision in the moment but desiring a change and a relenting of the pressure and hurt. Thank you for the encouragement today in that—hope even circumstances speak hopelessness. How is your husband now?

    • Hannah, you expressed so clearly what I too am experiencing. It is this weird tension of wanting answers to prayer and relief from the ongoing struggles. But wanting to rest in His strength and presence at the same time. In the middle of the pain it is sometimes hard to believe that He is enough and that He is working in the background and has a plan. I am lifting you up in prayer today Hannah.

      Thanks you Lindsay for your honesty, vulnerability and gift with words.

    • Hannah, my heart breaks for the pain you’re enduring right now. You describe that tension so well, and I love the honesty of it all. I am thankful we serve a God who is just fine with our pull in both directions — for wanting circumstances to shift, yet wanting His presence to be enough. I love how you described His presence as being the miracle. What a perspective change that never occurred to me. My husband is very well. There are some small ramifications as a result of the injury, but compared to what he endured and what the doctors expected, it is quite the gift to see where he is today. Very humbling actually. As with any crisis or tragedy, we still are working through a lot of the emotional and spiritual effects of that season, yet God has given us innumerable things for which to be thankful. I am praying for you today, Hannah. Asking the Lord to blanket you assurances of His love for you, and for you to feel covered in the shelter of His wings.

      • Lindsay, thank you for your kind response and praying for me. Glad to hear that your husband is doing well! This sisterhood in Christ is a beautiful gift to me–such an encouragement in Jesus!

  12. I feel like I’m on the threshold of this acceptance and trust, not in circumstances but in Jesus and the Joy He can give no matter what is happening around me. I had read words that described a relationship like this for years, and intellectually assented to the idealism and possibility of it, but never really understood how it was possible. Today, I feel Him leading me there, to where Henri Nouwen says we can “look at everything that has brought us to where we are now and trust that we will soon see in it the guiding hand of a loving God.” Knowing we are not alone, that God has His Hands on us, that He is making good out of it… this has been key for me in walking through this door. I am looking to the Giver more than the gifts; at least that’s my aim, for the first time in my life, at age 46. I wrote a piece on walking over that threshold, would be honored if you would have a look: https://mylittleepiphanies.com/2017/11/05/trust/ God bless you and yours!

    • Kerry, I loved reading your piece! You captured so much of what it looks like to follow Jesus in a beautiful allegory. I especially loved when you said even though the door, looking small and ugly, would lead to abundance. How very true that some of our most undesired seasons, our most embarrassing sin, or any frustration of our hearts will actually lead to freedom when we can surrender it to the Lord. But, man, the process of it all! And the part where you said on her knees was the exact posture that was needed to move forward — it reminded me of The Message version of a verse James 4, “Get serious, really serious. Get down on your knees before the Master; it’s the only way you’ll get on your feet.” Thank you for sharing from your heart. Blessings to you!

  13. What a wonderful post, I pray your husband is well. God is not moved by our circumstances, He’s moved by us and our faith, our response to Him. He ordained it all, not the problems, we have and enemy for that. And I highly recommend the book of John, I practically live there.

    • Amen, Rebecca! I am doing a study on John right now, actually. We are nearly finished, yet feel as though I have just scratched the surface. Maybe I need to keep reading even after the study concludes. Thanks for the advice!

  14. Thank you for that, encouraging me to trust completely. My mum has just been diagnosed with terminal cancer and she has maybe only a couple of weeks to live. Our confidence is in God but sometimes we still want answers too, but God is our answer, to every need. I have to hold on…

    • Oh, Jane. I am so saddened by this news. I can’t imagine what your heart is experiencing right now. Please know I am praying for you, and your mom. God knows how your heart is grieving, and He longs to reach you right in the midst of the hurt. He wants all of us — the days we feel confident in His plan and secure in His protection — and the days we question who He is and what He’s doing. Bring it all to Him. Our hope is Him, and no circumstance can shift that kind of hope. As you walk these coming days and months, I pray the Lord would reveal Himself to you in ways you could never have imagined. Hugs to you, Jane.

  15. As someone who is just starting to be!ieve, how donyou hold on when the pain has continued for so many years and no relief is in sight?

    • Alice, your comment is so real and raw, and I am thankful for your honesty. Ongoing, continual pain is so debilitating in pretty much every area of life — physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually. As you said — you are just beginning in your faith journey and I rejoice in your decision to walk with the Lord. Many times it will not be the easiest path, but it is the richest and most worth-it path that you will never regret. God’s word has promised us trials and difficulties in this life (John 16:33). This verse can be discouraging, but not one single part of our strife or agony is ever meaningless. God is doing something. As I would say to everyone new to the faith, I encourage you to connect with a church that preaches God’s word in truth, and also values small groups. Share with someone there about the decision you made to believe in Jesus Christ, and also share your doubts. We all have them. (I do want to add if you are in a painful circumstance in which you need immediate help, please do not remain silent and contact a safe person to guide you to someone who can help.) I am so thankful for your honest comment, and will pray for the Lord to flood your heart and mind with His truth and unending love for you.

  16. We are seeing walking a tough path in our family too. And you are so right. Change in the circumstances tells us very little about God. But change in our hearts and souls despite our circumstances, that is where our God shines the light into the darkness!