This post is part of the series His Encouragement
Other posts in this series:
Welcome! Welcome, dearest friends, to His Encouragement: Biblical Inspiration for Your Thursday. Every Thursday, a few blogging friends and I will each bring you a Bible passage and a little hope-filled discussion. We pray that these Thursday posts help you end your week strong in God’s love and purpose for you. We also welcome you to join the conversation by commenting with your thoughts. God bless!
Today’s Encouragement
Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
— John 14:27, NKJV
I pushed the heavy door open while balancing my heavy seven-month-old on one hip and attempting to keep the diaper bag and small cooler from slipping off my shoulder. I have always loved entering my parents’ home. The big metal and glass door, chosen by my mom, is hardly ever locked and always makes a welcoming clank as you push it open.
Last evening, as I stepped into the welcoming foyer, the sound of singing drifted from the family room. Joyful voices sang the familiar hymn Pass Me Not, O Gentle Savior, my mom’s favorite. I could not help but join in the final chorus as I carried my squirming baby and bags into the family room and connected kitchen. Dear friends, our pastor from our church when we lived in California and his lovely wife, had arrived a few hours before to visit my mom. They had spent part of the summer out of the country and, the morning after returning home, got up early to drive six hours to visit with my parents.
Mom was very happy. Though her body is so thin and frail, her face was glowing with a big smile. I had missed it by about half an hour, but Pastor had anointed my mom and had a very special prayer over her. Mom had a peace about her that has not been there for awhile. The last week has been hard on her between the pain medications making her very tired and anxiety about facing her own death. Yet all of that was gone. Her face was radiant.
Two hours later, as we were preparing to head home, I was once again balancing a squirming baby on one hip as I stood by the bed and held my mom’s thin hand. My two-year-old was running around rambunctiously, clearly tired but attempting to ward off sleep by making a lot of noise. I turned to shush him, managed to get him on the couch so I could pick him up with my one free arm. With a two-year-old on one hip and a seven-month-old on the other, I turned back around. Mom had her eyes closed and tears trickled down her gaunt cheeks.
“What is wrong?” I asked her. “I’m sorry Peanut is so loud. We will leave in a moment, but I’ll be back tomorrow after work. It will be just me. The boys will stay home.”
She opened her eyes. “Not too loud. I love seeing them. I’m happy.”
And so am I.
We have been so blessed to have Mom with us. The doctors had not expected her to survive the emergency surgeries on August 3 and 4, and recovery from such extensive surgery in her condition was also very slim. Yet she hangs in there. When she decided to transition to home hospice care on August 21, the prognosis was also very grim. We were expecting to have only days left with her, but it has been almost two and a half weeks. She is continuing to astound the nursing staff who come regularly. This is precious, precious time — a gift from the Lord that we will cherish. Many do not have this “extra” time, as I have been calling it, with their loved ones.
Every moment, every day is a precious gift of time. Let us cherish the time we have now.Click To TweetEvery moment, every day is a precious gift of time. Let us cherish the time we have now and, no matter what difficult circumstance you may be going through, claim the peace that the Lord offers. “Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”
Friend, accept the peace that is offered by our Lord. Give Him your burdens and cares, your worries and fears. Relax in knowing that the Creator of the universe, your Redeemer and Friend, will give you peace during your hardest times and strength to endure to the end.
None of us are guaranteed tomorrow on this dark sin-filled earth yet the Lord offers a promise of a bright tomorrow on the earth made new. (Revelation 21; John 14)
Be sure to also visit my fellow bloggers and read their encouragement for your Thursday as well:
- Trisha of Joy of Reading
- Nicole of The Christian Fiction Girl
- Jessica of A Baker’s Perspective
- Becca of The Becca Files
- Jenny Lynn
Hi there, blogger. Would you like to join us in sharing encouragement from the Word of God every Thursday? Don’t be shy! Contact Trisha or Nicole today!
Continue reading this series:
His Encouragement: Do to others
This is one of the loveliest posts ever. Thank you for sharing about your amazing mother. Thank you for sharing this verse. I’m still keeping you in my heart and prayers. ❤
Thank you! Time is short but we are making the most of every moment. God bless!
Making the most of every moment is so special. We will never have those moments again. Praying for you all.
Thank you for your prayers. God bless!