Upward basketball....season 3.....Game Day number 1 on Saturday. Saturday happens to be January 11. That 11 number always gets me still. And January is 6 months from July. I know you'd think by now I wouldn't think about these things...but yet, the significance for me is so hard to miss. Seeing as I need to find a way to talk on Saturday, I thought I'd do some brainstorming here, so that I can get my thoughts out as to what to say.
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When I was trying to decide what to say, I couldn't help but think about the significance of this date.
January 11, 2014 - Upward Basketball Season 3 Game Days begin. This date makes me think about a lot of significant occurrences over the past few years.
It's been 2 and a half years exactly, since we lost our second child in a miscarriage at 11 weeks - which means it's also been about 2 and half years since my family and I started coming to the Sarnia Evangelical Missionary Church.
It's been exactly 1 and a half years since we lost our third child, Kalyna who was stillborn at full term on July 11 , 2012.
It's also been just over half a year since we've had our fourth child - our adopted daughter come to live with us.
When I was thinking about everything that this date brought into mind for me, I can't help but thinking that this was so not the life I had planned. I hadn't planned on living in Sarnia (I like Sarnia, I grew up here, but figured I would end up living elsewhere). I had planned on having at least four children, but hadn't planned on two of them being in Heaven already. These past few years have certainly been filled with lows and highs.
I just want to share with you a couple of things I have learned over the past couple of years.
1. That God's plans for my life are not necessarily what my plans are for my life, however, God's plans are for hope and a future.
Jeremiah 29:11 says For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you a hope and a future.
And when I think about what my future will be, I know it will be in Heaven with Jesus and with my 2 children who are already there. I pray daily that my other children will make the decision to follow Christ and join us in Heaven some day as well - although preferably some time after me....:)
2. That whatever you face in life, when you hit that lowest point, that you don't have to fear and that you are not alone.
Isaiah 41:10 says: So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
God is always with you. When my daughter died, it was the lowest of lows, and yet there was peace...a peace that could only come from a God who loves us so much that His own Son died too...and He knew exactly how I felt and promised to stay with me and comfort me and provide me with strength to carry on in life knowing my daughter is with Him.
3. The joy of being part of a church family.
2 Corinthians 1:3-5 says: Praise be to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ.
Being surrounded by a group of people who believe in comforting others due to the comfort they've received from God is such a blessing. To have others who are willing to give up their time, agendas, happiness to take time to sorrow with you and find ways to bring comfort is like no other. Being surrounded by people who will love you simply because they know you attend their church is astounding and truly something that can only happen when God is present in their lives.
These three things I have learned these past years.....I hope they encourage you as well...that God has a plan for your life, He will never ever leave you and provide you with strength and finding a church family is full of many blessings.
***
Well Upward Game Day 1 is now in the books....what a great day it was, and I hope that everyone was encouraged a little as they continued on throughout their day and week. Looking forward to see what Upward Game Day 2 brings.
God is always with you. When my daughter died, it was the lowest of lows, and yet there was peace...a peace that could only come from a God who loves us so much that His own Son died too...and He knew exactly how I felt and promised to stay with me and comfort me and provide me with strength to carry on in life knowing my daughter is with Him.
3. The joy of being part of a church family.
2 Corinthians 1:3-5 says: Praise be to God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ.
Being surrounded by a group of people who believe in comforting others due to the comfort they've received from God is such a blessing. To have others who are willing to give up their time, agendas, happiness to take time to sorrow with you and find ways to bring comfort is like no other. Being surrounded by people who will love you simply because they know you attend their church is astounding and truly something that can only happen when God is present in their lives.
These three things I have learned these past years.....I hope they encourage you as well...that God has a plan for your life, He will never ever leave you and provide you with strength and finding a church family is full of many blessings.
***
Well Upward Game Day 1 is now in the books....what a great day it was, and I hope that everyone was encouraged a little as they continued on throughout their day and week. Looking forward to see what Upward Game Day 2 brings.
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