For well over two weeks now I had been planning to write a devotional article titled “A Different Kind of Happy”.
This was going to be a beautiful and heartfelt, sentimental piece about the unimaginable joy that has coursed through veins my since my oldest daughter has made her way home for a few weeks. I was going to put an elaborately pleasant spin on our car ride adventure driving through Colorado while bickering non-stop.
I was then going to quote one of my neighbors who said, “I know your heart is full having both of your daughters under one roof for a while”.
We both agreed that it was a different kind of happy when you have all of your children at home at the same time. There is just a special kind of peace knowing that everyone is under one roof, safe and happy at home. I was going to close out the article with one of my favorite scriptures that says…”The joy of the Lord is our strength” or even one of my other favorites that says, “A joyful heart is good medicine”.
God had other plans. It is almost like I could him hear him telling me “read the room”.
I sat down at my computer several times over the past few days to begin my writing process and my mind just keeps trailing back to my sister who is praying non-stop for her one and only daughter who is currently in Israel. She chose to move there months ago with so much excitement in her heart about teaching English as a second language to Israeli children. It was a huge move for her and it was taking a lot of adjusting for her parents but it was all coming together. My niece was settling in and my sister was settling down.
A few weeks into her move, the world changed. Israel suddenly became a very dangerous place to reside. At this point, my sister was experiencing a different kind of prayer life. A different kind of worry. Not many parents know the kind of angst that worries if your child is safe, if they are out of harm’s way, if they are content or even lonely being so far from home during tumultuous times. a
Sometimes things happen in our lives that are so unexplainable and so much bigger than us. It takes all we can do just to trust and know that God has plans. His plans are bigger than anyone can fathom. My niece had the option to come home but chose to stay to help where she could. She put others before herself and her family could not be more proud of her. Our selfish sides want her to return home as soon as possible but God is using her. He is teaching us to trust in him. He is showing all of us a different kind of happy.
Please continue to pray for Israel.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” – Proverbs 3:5-6
To report an issue or typo with this article – CLICK HERE
