My son, who is 4 years old, has a favorite song. It’s a song called Way Maker. He asks to listen to it in the car, “real loud” he says. Now my little guy is laying on a hospital bed, hooked to a ventilator, under sedation, and fighting for his life. A young man crashed into us, my husband, my 8 month old daughter, my son and myself, going 80-90 mph, leaving my sons lungs bruised and internal bleeding from his liver. As his mother, this is by far the hardest thing I have ever gone through in my life. I cry big, hot tears everyday. Smile and laugh a little. Pray hard. And you know what I have gotten in return? Hope. Peace. Strength. Faith. God went before myself and my family that Sunday morning and he will not leave us in the midst of our troubles or problems.
It says it in Deuteronomy 31:8, And the Lord, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed. People keep telling me that they don’t understand how I am being so strong through all of this and how I am still able to smile. I just keep telling them that God is renewing my strength every morning when I wake up and give him the praise for another day with my baby. In 1 Chronicles 16:11 it says, Seek the Lord and his strength, seek his face continually! Continually. That means every day. Whether you wake up to a bad day or a good day, seek Him first and he will give you peace. See strength does not come after you have already gone through the storm. It comes when you are smack dab in the middle of a situation that you cannot handle. The minute I realized my family’s life was changed forever, I cried out the only name that could change that situation, Jesus! He was there. He is in this hospital room with me right now. Holding Cohen in the palm of his hand.
When something happens in life that you don’t understand, please don’t turn your back on the one who can take you out of the situation. I’m learning through this horrible incident what true strength is and where it comes from. My son has been the bravest little guy ever and I can see that God has given him strength to endure and get through all of this. From day one he has been stronger than anyone should be. The doctors are all amazed by his strength. He is my little superhero.
When the world around you gets to a point that you can’t handle, maybe that is God trying to tell you to place “your” world in his hands. He wants us to need him and want him. He loves to show his goodness through us. He loves to love on us. And he sometimes leads us through tough situations in order to give us a testimony to help someone else who may face the same situation. Each of us are living testimonies of what God can and will do through a person who puts their strength in Him. Sometimes we go through life and praise God when the good comes. But what about the bad times, dark hours, in tear-streaked faces, with no answers? Do we forget God and get angry that we are in a bad situation? Many people would blame God in the bad times, claiming that he is the one who brought it on them. It says in Philippians 4:7, And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. God is not a God of confusion or strife. He wants us to have peace in him even when we do not understand why we are going through a situation.
Remember that there are always people who are facing even harder times than you may be facing. My husband and I have talked to countless parents who have their children at this same hospital only their children are far worse than our little Cohen. They are dealing with brain tumors, cancer on the spine. We ask each of their names and their child’s name and tell those parents we are lifting their child up in prayer. Whether those parents blame God for what their children are going through or not, God still hears our prayers and will honor them. He will deliver strength. Isaiah 26: 3-4 Those of steadfast mind you keep in peace—because they trust in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for in the Lord God you have an everlasting rock. Though the mountains may fall around me, and right now it feels as though my life is crumbling, I know that God will hold me and my family, he is our rock. He is a way maker, miracle worker, promise keeper, light in the darkness, my God, that is who you are! Though my Cohen can’t sing these words right now, I know that he believes them with his whole heart. I know that he will sing them with me soon and they will be his testimony. He will sing it at the top of his healthy lungs again, God you are my way maker!
