I knew early on our daughter was different. She wasn’t walking. She skipped crawling. I ached when I heard other toddlers forming beautiful little words, like mama or dada, while she remained silent. It turned out she couldn’t hear for the first several years of her life. Fixing her hearing was just the beginning of the long journey of advocating for our daughter.
There are many faith songs about surrendering to God and trusting His plan, but if I’m honest, I’d rather sing those songs than live them. However, that’s not the call of the faith we profess. We often can’t understand what God is doing, but we are called to trust that He knows better and will work it for our good.
There was a time (or seven) in our journey with Lila where I thought I could fix her with the newest therapy, the greatest miracle supplement, or praying hard enough. I have since stopped believing that if she were more “normal,” she would have a better life.
God didn’t make a mistake when He weaved her genes together and made her just so. This leads me to believe He is showing a part of Himself through her.
She watches others open a gift and cries with joy, jumps up and down, and hugs them, as if she were the one receiving it. Give me boundless joy like that! She walks down to the neighbor’s house and asks them with intensity, “And how was your day?” Give me others-centered awareness like that! I almost missed out on God in her by wishing my circumstances were more “normal.”
We can have faith that our lives and their interruptions will accomplish God’s good purpose. And perhaps, once we start believing this to be true, we can open our white-knuckled grip and receive a better gift than we could imagine: Jesus.
It was never about our circumstances. It was always about Him.
“For just as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so my ways are higher than your ways
and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.”
Isaiah 55:9 NLT
By Jami Nato as published in 100 Days of Strength in Any Struggle
What if you could actually see God clearer and know Him deeper in the middle of your struggles?
You don’t have to keep trying to muster up more grit, willpower, or wisdom on your own. You can tap into the source of true, unfailing strength. How?
In our favorite devotional journal, 100 Days of Strength in Any Struggle, you’ll discover where strength really comes from: Jesus, the One who holds everything together. As you experience pain, move through daily challenges, or get bogged down by anxieties big or small, you can walk with your favorite (in)courage writers and learn to find Him right in the middle of whatever you face, ready to strengthen you and give you rest.
You are stronger than you think because God is closer than you know.
Though your daughter has trouble physically hearing, she truly listens with her heart.
Thank you ~ you have spoken to my anxieties this morning.
I really appreciate the final line to lean on.
Blessings
Dear Jami……………….I love your words today. I have that book and I am just ready to start it for the third time. Every time I do this I notice what I answered and see that this Journal helps me so much as my answers are different I will soon have to order another one. Thank you for everything, Jami. I could say so much more but I have a doctor’s appointment and have to leave now.
I wish you a good new year and pray that the world and all the people that are losing every thing due to crazy weather have the strength to get through this tough season. I hope that they get the book as writing things down definitely helps more than what many people don’t know until they try it.
Love and prayers to you……………..Betsy Basile
Wow..now this is heartfelt and heart taken. Thankyou.
Blessings for the adventure ahead God is walking with you .
..JOY … in Jesus ‼️⚓️
Thank Jami for what you wrote in today’s reading. It reminds me of a Christian song. When you said you are stronger than you think because God is closer than you know. How true those words are. The song is it is sung by Kids and Adults. You may have heard it you may not. But if not you get it on YouTube. It. Is “Be bold be strong for the Lord thy God is with thee. I am not afraid No No because I am standing in faith and victory” How true that song is. We the saved are stronger than we think just like the words in that song. God is with us too. It says that in the song also for the Lord thy God is with thee. So we don’t have to wish for Normal as we are beautiful and normal to God. Another song that comes to mind is that it reminds me that we can with for normal and see God character. It is “I am a new creation no more in condemnation” you also get that one on YouTube too. They tell us both these songs. One we are strong because God is worth us. The second one tell us we are a new creation. With that we are strong and Normal in God’s eyes. I say amen to that. Love your reading and what you wrote. Keeping you all in incourage in my prayers. Dawn Ferguson-Little Enniskillen Co.Fermanagh N.Ireland xx
This spoke to my heart and soul. Being thankful for the right now
, even though it is not our expected ‘normal.’ Praise God for his goodness and mercy. Praise him through the good, the bad, and the especially I don’t understand. I will bless the Lord at all times. His praise shall continually be in my mouth.