Nothing Left

I have nothing left… 

One of the biggest, most beautiful miracles of the Word of God is that when we have nothing left, there is still a promise in the scripture for our situation. Over these past three weeks, there have been many times when I felt I had nothing left, no prayers left to pray, no tears left to cry. Sitting by my mom’s bed the first week I arrived in Langley, I didn’t have a lot of faith and hope left. I didn’t have many words left to say or prayers left to pray. So, naturally, I opened up my bible to do a little sermon preparation to pass the time. ;) 

I was preparing my preach for what was supposed to be my May 28th message on Friendship and Pentecost. I turned to Acts 2 to read about how they were all together and daily new believers were being added, etc. My eyes fell on the passage in that chapter where Peter is quoting David in the Psalms: 

“I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With Him at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices, my body will rest in hope because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful one see decay.” 

At that moment, when I didn’t know what to pray, or even have faith in our situation, I was immediately filled with relief, hope, and thankfulness that God’s faithfulness and goodness are NOT contingent on my faith in any one moment or circumstance. I felt the Holy Spirit comfort in a tangible way in that moment and my heart was able to trust in Jesus for my mom. Little did I know that it would be this scripture (and a few others the Lord gave me in that time) that I would cling to with every fiber in me for the next 2.5 weeks. We clung and we clung! 

With an enormous exhale of relief, I’m glad to write to you that my mom has survived and is now slowly beginning the very long road of recovery. It will likely be at least 2 months (up to 4) in hospital for this recovery. As difficult as this road will be, today this road feels like a gift and we will walk it together with gratitude. Please continue to pray against any complications, infections, etc in this time. Pray that mom's muscles and organs will rapidly regenerate in Jesus’ name. (I call her mom, you can call her Carina if you’d prefer!)

The other miraculous gift from God is His Body. I have to say, every single tiny comment that just said, “praying” on our Facebook update, or text in the night, or meal dropped off for Mike and the kids, skip the dishes gift cards, emails, phone calls, Facebook messages - they were all read and received with supernatural power and encouragement. YOU held us up and participated as the Body in a way that literally has been carrying us through. Because we knew that behind every word typed was a real-life, real-time prayer being lifted up as an offering to the Lord. We believe it was God (along with everyone’s prayers) that turned our mom’s situation around even as recently as Tuesday night this week. 

Thank you. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you. 

I want to encourage you today that in your darkest hour when all hope is lost, the God of all creation, the Lord of all Lords, and Prince of Peace is STILL working. He’s not looking down on you, disappointed that in your hour of need you lacked hope or struggled to even mutter a few words in prayer. He is still working. He is still loving. 

With all my love and gratitude and appreciation and everything, 
Pastor Laura.