Have you ever read a verse one way and later read it in a whole new way because of an occurrence that happened in your life? Well, that is exactly what happened to me recently. I can’t count how many times I have read the verse “Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old, they will not turn from it.” (Proverbs 22:6) Let me try and paint a picture of my daughter quick. She is 4 years old. Her name is Olivia and y’all, she is quite the character. Sassy, outgoing, will talk your ear off, funny and well, let me just say she is a teenager trapped in a little body! She is a truly a miracle from God and I am so blessed God has given me the job to be her mama!
Ok, so rewind about 2 months ago. In the midst of everything going on. We were quarantined and my best friend in Michigan had called me and said she was coming to visit. She is one of those friends where even though there are over a thousand miles that separate us, when we get together its as if we have never been apart! She had just experienced an Uncle who had passed away. She called me out of the blue and said, “I need to see you!” Of course, I was excited! It had been over a year since I had seen her! She was having a rough time coping with her Uncle’s death and she said she just needed to reset and get away! Fast forward to the night before she was about to leave. We were sitting outside, and I got a phone call from my mom. I ignored it because we were in deep conversation just talking about life but, while sitting there I just felt my gut tell me to call her back! I called her and my mom was crying on the other side of the phone. She said, “Mama, I have some not so great news to tell you…Patrick was told that he has cancer that may have spread to the liver.” You see Patrick is thirty years YOUNG! He’s my brother in law and he has two beautiful girls. One 11 years old, not biologically his but, he has always treated her as his own and one that is 5 years old. All I could do was cry! I immediately started questioning. Why God? Why HIM? Why my sister and her family? What if’s and fear started rushing through me! I can remember crying myself to sleep that night. I woke up crying, just wishing it was all a dream. While I was leaving the next day to go see my sister, crying, I hurried Olivia into the car and just sat in my car to breathe for a second. As I sat there in silence all I could hear in the back was my baby girl singing “And I’m gonna see a victory, I’m gonna see a victory, for the battle belongs to you LORD!” It was in that moment I knew God was using his child to speak to me. I just bawled, but this time these tears were of hope and peace. Matthew Chapter 19 verse 14 says, “But Jesus said, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the kingdom of Heaven belongs to those who are like these children.” You see God mentions multiple times in the bible about how special his children are to him. (Matthew 21:16, Psalm 8:2, Mark 10:15)
It was at that exact moment I decided I wanted to shift and realign my heart and come to God the way my 4-year-old was praising and worshipping our heavenly father. Matthew chapter 18 verse 3 says, “And truly I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Through the storms in life, including this one, I want to come to Jesus with a child-like faith! Even through the scary and unknown moments God is faithful and we will see a victory! I have always loved this song but, I will always hear it in my sweet Olivia’s voice. You see, this isn’t the only time God has used my child to talk to me. He uses her EVERYDAY! It’s in those moments I’m thankful that God has helped me in raising my daughter to love Jesus. She’s only 4 but every day in the car we listen to worship music. Every Sunday that we attend church we send her to class at church where they help in teaching my daughter about the God. Every time we open the bible to read at home, we are equipping ourselves to train our kids in the way they should go. In hopes that one day they will choose to live a life for God.
Y’all, cancer is no joke. All who have been through it or have seen loved ones go through it know exactly what I’m saying. But we serve a God that is bigger than ANY battle! Patrick has his good and bad days and we thank God for the good days! I remind myself of all God has overcame and what he will overcome for Patrick. But on those bad days, I chose to live in my child-like faith! I chose to listen to God’s voice all around me. Especially from my daughter! I challenge you to do the same. Listen to these children in the business of life. God will teach you some real good biblical lessons in them! Prayer is SO powerful so please keep praying for Patrick in his battle through Chemo!