In the Middle of His Story

Our Church recently celebrated its 25^th anniversary and instead of a sermon my father shared the story of what the church has meant to our family.

In 1994 my parents walked into Christ Our Shepherd Church. My mother was battling cancer, my brother and I were in preschool, and they had just moved to the area to be closer to family and better medical care. They didn’t have time to look around at various churches so they just picked COSC and decided to go with it.

Over the next few years this church walked with my dad as he lost his wife, raised two children on his own, welcomed a new mom to our family, and added three more beautiful kids. My dad went from bookkeeping so he’d be finished in time to get us from the bus to now being the pastor.

It’s been an incredible journey that brought our entire family through dark places to times of rejoicing and I can honestly say none of us would be the people we are today if it were not for the love and support of our church. A church my parents walked into one random Sunday became the backbone that sustained us through the years that were to come.

Sometimes we get so wrapped up in life that we forget who is writing our story.

This story serves as a constant reminder to me that God is writing our story.

I am reminded time and time again when I go on home visits and see kids I thought had little or no future happy and healthy with their families. When I think of the person I was two years ago before landing in this country and the person I am now.

When I lay awake at night worrying about children’s cases that seem hopeless to me I have to remember that God is writing their story too. When Kelsey and I worry about fundraising for Abide and the perfect future we’ve envisioned in our heads coming to a crashing end.

He is writing our stories.

It has becoming the resounding promise playing in my head, offering hope when I step into these dark places.

That woman left with eleven children to care for… He’s writing her story. That child in and out of orphanages… He’s writing his story. That beautiful little girl laughing in her grandma’s arms… He’s writing her story. The child whose future has more questions than answers… He’s writing her story.

And He only writes beautiful stories. Beautiful stories that bring Him glory.

What joy it is to be in the middle of His story.