August 19, 2009, "A glimpse of our Father's love"
TRIUMPHANT VICTORIOUS REMINDERS
Inspired by the Holy Spirit
Written By: Teresa Criswell
"Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid of them! The LORD your God will go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor forsake you."
~ Deuteronomy 31:6 ~
"To all who mourn in Israel, he will give beauty for ashes, joy instead of mourning, praise instead of despair. For the LORD has planted them like strong and graceful oaks for his own glory."
~ Isaiah 61:3 ~
We were enjoying our contintental breakfast this morning. We have been staying at a hotel for a few days since we came back from our mini-vacation to find out that our air conditioner had broken during this one hundred degree weather, with no relief of rain in sight.
As we were eating, the continental breakfast was about to be cleaned up when I saw the breakfast hostess organizing and turning off the machines.
We said our 'hello's' to one another and she walked away. Later she came back and I had told her what a great job she had done with the food. She humbly said with a smile, "All I have to do is turn on a button."
Our conversation led to another conversation and then it led me to hear a story that I had hoped I would never have to hear a child would go through. She shared with me how her seven year old granddaughter at the time was living in a different city in Texas. She had been living with her mom as her parents were divorced. This woman who was talking to me was the mother of the granddaughter's father.
She said that one night, the little girl had noticed that her mom was not feeling well and so she told her mommy to lay down, being that she could not bring her to the bedroom she had her mommy lie down on the couch.
This little girl set her alarm clock every two hours so she would awake and check on her mommy. She placed a pillow under her mommy's head and grabbed a blanket to cover her up. At around seven o'clock in the morning, she saw that her mommy's mouth and hands were purple and saw blood coming out of her nose. She called 9-1-1 and explained to the dispatcher what was going on. As the police officer's arrived, Child Protective Services also arrived. Her mother had died in the middle of the night when she was taking care of her.
As I heard the rest of the story from this amazing grandmother who was cleaning the breakfast area at the hotel, I cried for this little girl. This little girl had not bathed for days when the grandmother and father had picked her up. They had no idea she was living in such conditions. This little seven year old girl was having to become the adult at such a young age, because of her mom who suffered from some mental disorders.
This had happened in July 2008, in December 2008 was her 8th birthday. Her mother with whom she lived with never had a birthday party for her. So her father and his family planned a huge surprise party for this little girl. They dressed her up, curled her hair and as her daddy walked her through the house to the backyard, she was welcomed with a host of people yelling, "SURPRISE!" She jumped up and down with joy, as her daddy sobbed with joyful tears to see how blessed his daughter was.
There is more to this amazing story, but it reminds me of our Heavenly Daddy. A glimpse of His love for us. The world we live in can be so hateful and out of order, and He desires like we could never imagine to clothe us in His righteousness, to give us joy for our mourning, to give us beauty for the ashes.
I am so glad to say as many of you reading this are rejoicing to say that You have accepted His hand of love and mercy. He will never force us to take His hand, but He bids us to come.
May you be reminded today as I was of His love and restoration as we are His children. He wants to take the filthy rags off of us and replace it with His garment of Praise. He wants to bathe us in His glory which is our rear guard.
Let us let go of the hands who would want to ruin us, and take hold of His Loving, outstretched hands. May we always remember, He will never leave us nor will He ever, ever, ever forake us!
Inspired by the Holy Spirit
Written By: Teresa Criswell
"Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid of them! The LORD your God will go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor forsake you."
~ Deuteronomy 31:6 ~
"To all who mourn in Israel, he will give beauty for ashes, joy instead of mourning, praise instead of despair. For the LORD has planted them like strong and graceful oaks for his own glory."
~ Isaiah 61:3 ~
We were enjoying our contintental breakfast this morning. We have been staying at a hotel for a few days since we came back from our mini-vacation to find out that our air conditioner had broken during this one hundred degree weather, with no relief of rain in sight.
As we were eating, the continental breakfast was about to be cleaned up when I saw the breakfast hostess organizing and turning off the machines.
We said our 'hello's' to one another and she walked away. Later she came back and I had told her what a great job she had done with the food. She humbly said with a smile, "All I have to do is turn on a button."
Our conversation led to another conversation and then it led me to hear a story that I had hoped I would never have to hear a child would go through. She shared with me how her seven year old granddaughter at the time was living in a different city in Texas. She had been living with her mom as her parents were divorced. This woman who was talking to me was the mother of the granddaughter's father.
She said that one night, the little girl had noticed that her mom was not feeling well and so she told her mommy to lay down, being that she could not bring her to the bedroom she had her mommy lie down on the couch.
This little girl set her alarm clock every two hours so she would awake and check on her mommy. She placed a pillow under her mommy's head and grabbed a blanket to cover her up. At around seven o'clock in the morning, she saw that her mommy's mouth and hands were purple and saw blood coming out of her nose. She called 9-1-1 and explained to the dispatcher what was going on. As the police officer's arrived, Child Protective Services also arrived. Her mother had died in the middle of the night when she was taking care of her.
As I heard the rest of the story from this amazing grandmother who was cleaning the breakfast area at the hotel, I cried for this little girl. This little girl had not bathed for days when the grandmother and father had picked her up. They had no idea she was living in such conditions. This little seven year old girl was having to become the adult at such a young age, because of her mom who suffered from some mental disorders.
This had happened in July 2008, in December 2008 was her 8th birthday. Her mother with whom she lived with never had a birthday party for her. So her father and his family planned a huge surprise party for this little girl. They dressed her up, curled her hair and as her daddy walked her through the house to the backyard, she was welcomed with a host of people yelling, "SURPRISE!" She jumped up and down with joy, as her daddy sobbed with joyful tears to see how blessed his daughter was.
There is more to this amazing story, but it reminds me of our Heavenly Daddy. A glimpse of His love for us. The world we live in can be so hateful and out of order, and He desires like we could never imagine to clothe us in His righteousness, to give us joy for our mourning, to give us beauty for the ashes.
I am so glad to say as many of you reading this are rejoicing to say that You have accepted His hand of love and mercy. He will never force us to take His hand, but He bids us to come.
May you be reminded today as I was of His love and restoration as we are His children. He wants to take the filthy rags off of us and replace it with His garment of Praise. He wants to bathe us in His glory which is our rear guard.
Let us let go of the hands who would want to ruin us, and take hold of His Loving, outstretched hands. May we always remember, He will never leave us nor will He ever, ever, ever forake us!
Beautifully written!
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