Smiling through those "sometimes tears"

Along this crazy journey, sometimes Brett and I just cry. When talking about the faithfulness of how God is walking so closely to us and through all the processing, sometimes we have those moments where we can't stop the tears. Isn't there a verse somewhere where it says God collects every one of our tears? He sees us through every emotion we face. 

Today I thought I would share some of the precious gifts that we have received along the way in the last few days. I have mentioned a few times how blessed we have been by the children that have been praying for Zac and our family. Just this week I was blessed with  this little home made bookmark for my Bible from such a precious little girl named Katie. Oh how it touches my heart!!!

How profound is that one little statement "I hope that God will help you throw your stress". How brilliant! Yes Lord!!! That is one thing I have learned in the last few weeks ... to "throw my stress" on the Lord in exchange for His "heart peace"!

Talking about "heart peace", here is another precious hand made gift ...

Oh how I cried when I received this! This sign was made for us and has been mounted in Zac's room. God knows Brett and I so well and exactly what will speak to our hearts. Not only does it hold the phrase that God gave me the morning that we would hear troubling news, but it was made from Brett's favourite wood ... iron wood / railway sleeper. The significance is astonishing to us. It is one of the toughest woods. How "Jesus" is this gift!!! His peace is able to see us through even the toughest situations!!!

This week my action step in faith has been to get Zac's room together. I still need to get a rug and a few finishing touches, but look how sweet it is looking so far :0) 

I love sitting in his rocking chair and reading the Word. It cheers my heart to be in his little room.

Talking about the prayers prayed from this chair, on Monday morning after dropping the girls off at school I went to check on their hamsters. My heart sank. Angelee's hamster cage had been bumped open and the cage was empty! This is her first hamster and she LOVES him. I immediately sent out a desperate prayer to God and called Brett. He rushed home from work with one of his staff members and we turned the house inside out looking for Bree. Gone! No where to be found! He had escaped Sunday night, the doors had been left open during the day until I discovered his escape and our expert hunter, Mr. Cosmo the terrier had been inside. My heart was just aching to have to tell Angelee the news when I fetched her from school. As I knew she would, she burst into tears. I promised to take her to the pet shop to choose another one and she looked at me and said "No Mommy. I want Bree. Jesus will help me find him." Oh my goodness. My heart was in my throat. What was I going to do if she couldn't find him? How could I protect her heart from becoming disappointed? 

That afternoon sent me into tears in that rocking chair. I listened to her for hours calling out her hamsters name and searching inside and outside, shaking a little box of seeds. My mommy's heart just broke. I told the Lord that I had faith for a creative miracle for Zac's heart, but seeing my child's faith for this hamster to be found and me not being able to do anything but trust Him. It just seemed so huge to me in the scale of everything else that we have been standing for. 

Tuesday - came and went. I asked Angelee again if I couldn't take her to the pet shop. "No mommy. Jesus will help me find Bree". Wednesday morning I woke up with one of the girls crying just before 4am. The wind was howling and she was scared. After tucking her back in bed I lay there thinking how that poor hamster must be trying to survive outside in all the wind. Brett and I were convinced it had escaped into the great outdoors. I heard Tianna get out of bed, switch on the light and I was about to go give her what for for waking up the whole house when I heard her screaming "I found Bree ... I found Bree". At 4am she found the hamster at the bottom of the ladder of her bunk bed!!!! I wanted to sob!!!! No one will ever know how this boosted my faith and made me so aware of Jesus' arms holding me close. Oh how He is interested in the big things and the small things. He heard Angelee's faith ... and protected and built it up by giving her the very thing she had asked Him for. How can I doubt the goodness of my Jesus and His heart to answer the cries of my heart when I see Him tending to all the details of our hearts!

May you have a wonderful weekend celebrating our amazing Saviour who sees all and is always able and always willing!!!

All my love xxx

Janine