This past week, my wife and I (along with family) celebrated the second birthday of our beautiful daughter Rachel (Rae for short). We were blessed with this precious child on April 25, 2018. Child birth, in and of itself, is truly miraculous and should be celebrated, but for Rachel there were a few complications which led to her birth. Only two days before she arrived, we were informed by the doctor that her umbilical cord was shutting down, and she would need to be delivered soon. As shocking as that was, we didn't realize at that time that soon would be only two days later. Rachel joined the world on a Wednesday evening (14 weeks early), and she weighed all of 1 pound and 5 ounces. She was barely a foot long. She then spent the next 110 days in the NICU before she was allowed to come join us at home.
That time was very difficult for Jordan and I as we awaited the day that we would be able to bring Rachel home. We spent our first Mother's Day and Father's Day at the hospital. There are fewer things more painful then leaving your daughter every single night in the care of someone else. We are her parents, and we are supposed to protect her, yet there was absolutely nothing we could do, but to surrender and to trust her care to others.
Today, in 2020, Rachel is home where she belongs, and she is into everything!!! She is a happy, busy, and healthy 2 year old.
This week I have been reading through the book of Judges. Throughout the book of Judges, the people of Israel find themselves in a cycle. They follow God throughout the life a judge (deliverer), but following the death of the judge, they quickly turn to doing whatever seems right in their own eyes. As a result of their rebellion against the Lord, they would find themselves oppressed by invaders, and they would cry out to the Lord for deliverance. God would hear their cry and raise up a judge (deliverer) for them and the cycle would repeat.
The people of Israel are living in the Promised Land. Life should be good!!! However, life is difficult and full of ups and downs. Why? Moses, gave them some good instruction before they entered the land, but these instructions were dismissed. Moses encouraged the people to worship God and Him alone, and talk about all the amazing things He had done to deliver them and bring them into the Promised Land. Clearly, as we read through Judges, these things were not done. The people continually turned to idol worship and forgot about all the amazing ways the Lord had provided for them.
Today, in 2020, we may not be living in the Promised Land, but I want to encourage each and every one of you to take some time and reflect on the ways that the Lord has provided for you or provided for the ones you love. Taking time to remember those things helps to focus your praises where they belong, on God.
Those days we spent in the hospital with our daughter were the most difficult of our life. We were blessed in more ways then we can count. We had a tremendous team of doctors and nurses providing care for Rachel. We had a HUGE support system of friends and relatives to pray for us and walk with us through the hard time. Most of all, we had God with us to always show His faithfulness even when we didn't understand all that was happening.
Every day when I hear my daughter laugh, or see her do something incredible, I am reminded that God is great and faithful (even when we don't deserve it), and most of all worthy to be praised.
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