They came to our house yesterday. And I let the surface talk last for as long as I could. When the conversation took a turn to a local senior in high school committing suicide last week, we felt a heaviness and discussed the importance of being there for people, because you never really know the depth of their inner struggles. I looked at her mom who, at those last few words, began to cry. I leapt up from my sofa to hug her.
My friend was crying because her children lost their dad in a nearly head-on collision last February. The anniversary of their loss is creeping up quickly and something or Someone in me said it’s not spoken much about. Speak on it.
I’m tired of surface.
I said resolutely & punctuated it with another hug. Her daughter a Freshman in high school, stood “strong” a foot away. I knew I had to give her a message of God’s love and pray for them before they left. My favorite movie line has always been “Carpé Diem boys, seize the day”. And as mom left the room for a moment, I did just that by the grace of His Spirit and looked straight into the girls eyes, calling her by name.
Your heavenly father loves you so much. I see him like he’s on the porch, just waiting.
She started crying too.
And you, you’re not a prodigal. But like that story, you go away but when you come home to him, know that he’s right there. Arms are wide open. He looks ahead and sees you out of the corner of his eye. He lights up with excitement. It’s you!! He stops what he’s doing and takes off…runs to you and wraps his big arms around you.
I acted as Him and hugged her with all my might. She was still crying.
He loves you where you are and no matter where that is, or what you’ve done, you can go home to him and he will be waiting. Open his word. He will speak new things to you, because his Word is alive and active within you. It’s not about church or the right friends. It’s about relationship with Him.
She may have lost her dad last year. But she will never ever lose her Father. And I’ll be damned if I let one more conversation stay on the surface and not share the Father’s love. The hearts and the healing of His children hang in the balance.
This year, I’m going deeper.
Chelan 