ANOTHER IN THE FIRE

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     In January, when we posted about Mya's hospitalisation and influenza A episode, we mentioned that our faith was being refined. And it continues to be tested this March. Nathan having a prolonged cough that became vomiting, which forced us to bring him to the hospital.

How often I found myself thinking - if only my kids were like other kids. Healthy and strong. Good sleepers, good eaters and so on. How annoyed I got by people who kept spamming me bible verses and telling me to keep the faith, as if I had wavered. How discouraged we felt when the doctors said this incident might have put strain of his lungs. How frustrated Jonathan must have felt, when finally, settling into his revision routine, another child comes and turns it all upside down.

     But, on the night we were discharged, it was Mya's turn to pray, and here's what she said -

"Thank you God for family. Thank you God for bringing Didi home from hospital. Thank you God for letting four of us be together again. Thank you God, amen."

I remember every word because every single "thank you God" cut me to the heart. Here I was, trying to raise godly children, and there was my four-year-old teaching me what it meant when the Word said "godliness with contentment is great gain." Where she could have resented Papa for not allowing her to visit Didi in the hospital, or Mama for not coming home those three days or even angry with God for letting Didi fall so sick, she instead chose to be thankful.

Here we are, five days along, with Nathan still vomiting intermittently. With Jonathan's assignments constantly piling up. With my projects all put on hold. There is beautiful Mya rejoicing to have her brother home. How short-sighted we can become, how our trials give us tunnel vision when our Father's flashing signal of "here I am" is so easily ignored. 

We are being put into the fire once again it seems. But this time, the Lord reminded me of a childhood favourite - the story of Daniel's three friends, who were thrown into a blazing furnace but met another in the fire. And we as a family take much comfort, that the one who tests us is right by our side and will never leave us nor abandon us.

--

We have only one prayer pointer this month -
That you would give thanks along with us, for He who called us continues to be faithful.


Grateful,
Jonathan, Amy with Mya and Nathan

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