Update: December 2016:  Thank you, Maranatha Christian Writer’s Conference, for awarding me 2nd place for this entry in the Leona Hertel Devotional Writing Contest!! 

I’ve had to correct myself recently when reassuring my children. Here’s why:

My son doesn’t typically fall and scrape his knee anymore but my daughter just did for the first time.

Beautiful sunny day at the park, my precious 17-month old girl in a light blue, flowery dress with a matching diaper cover. The pretty stable toddler gets going too fast in her clunky pink sandals. She sees the slide but her eyes are faster than her feet, of course. Down she goes, as I stretch out my arms, knowing I’m no Inspector Gadget – they won’t stretch out to catch her. Tears: real drops, stream down her cheeks as protective brother comes running from the other direction. Ok, there’s blood. Time to leave. Let’s go home, get a band-aid and patch up this girl. While I clutch this girl’s head to my shoulder, I say instinctively, “You’re ok! You Are Ok!” … Except she’s not – in her little mind. Her world came crashing down when she did. In the midst of witnessing her not be  ok, even though I knew she would be, I said more comfortingly, “You will be ok. You will be ok.”

I’m careful now about these words. Sometimes we are are not ok. We are hurt, abandoned, sick, sad, tired, or all of the above. But as Christians, we will be ok. We will be ok. Not right now, maybe; maybe not tomorrow. Maybe longer. But while you might not be ok at this moment and I acknowledge that, you will be ok.

I’m thinking of several friends that are hurting …. Loss, sickness, unimaginable heartbreak. Are you hurting today? Do you know someone that is? To those hurting, they are not ok right now. It’s hard to imagine, for them, when they will be ok. Reassure them with your prayers of comfort and peace, that they feel loved and know they will be ok. In the meantime, when they don’t know if & when they will be ok, use your gifts to show them love and give them hope. What are you good at? How can you use that gift to help someone going through a hard time? When you reach out to the hurting, it can help them see that with God’s love and friends’ support, they will be ok.

“He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others.” 2 Corinthians 1:4

Shortly after her cement scuffle, she is ok. Weeks later, she still points to her left knee and says “Itch.” (My teaching her to say “boo-boo” or “ouch” resulted in “itch” and I really kinda love it.) I silently wonder how much longer she will say “itch” or if she even remembers the actual fall or the pain. Because what I want her to remember most is that she was going to be ok.  I say to her, Baby girl, I will always help you up and tell you you will be ok….because you will be.

Next week: You’re a gem!

Do you like scary movies?  I’m talking about the ones from the 80’s.  Picture the girl with a scrunchy holding her permed-hair back, (except for this tall hedge of AquaNet-sprayed bangs), with the pegged jeans just above her Keds shoes, and the shoulder-pad infused shirt…her. The innocent baby sitter who ends up in a nightmare of prank calls and slamming doors. Why, in the world, does she keep doing things that you know are going to lead to more screaming? Why not just do the safe thing? Protect the kids, protect yourself, and just wait to be rescued. Why take the risk when you know the possibilities of danger and hurt are near? And for Pete’s sake………DON’T OPEN THAT DOOR!!!!  

For me, starting this blog is opening that door!   One voice inside me is telling me not to. (Yes, I hear voices…that’s another day’s post, HA!) Anyway, one doubting voice says just play it safe, trust the people around me and just keep doing what I’m doing. In fact, while writing this I’m thinking, well, since this reminds me of Halloween and scary movies, I think I’ll wait to start the blog until October…My un-official major in college was Procrastination, by the way… Then God shows me a visual of the door. Open it now! Yes, it will be scary. No, I dont know exactly what lies on the other side. Yes, there will be people that try to judge me for opening it, or cause a rush of wind & rain to come at me when I open it. But there are a whole lot more people, I pray, that will smile and be glad I opened that door. It was never a door I thought I would be given the opportunity to open. But I know that I can reach others – to make them laugh, learn something new, be inspired to DO something, to show others that you can still smile while walking on rocky paths.

Speakers and writers are hands reaching out saying, “You are not alone.” –Shauna Niequist

So, here I am. I’m opening the door. Somewhat scared with sweaty palms, and yet, knowing God has his hands open to catch me if I trip while tip toeing over the threshold. I’m tip toeing, yet excited about all of these words and stories, that are lined up at the door chanting, “Open! Open! Open!”

What is on the other side of your door? I’m willing to bet it’s something awesome, amazing and maybe a little scary. And please don’t mistake me for saying that what I have already is not awesome and amazing. It is. I am grateful every day for what God has put in my world. Here’s my bossy tone coming out: Be Grateful for what God has placed in your world. But he will also place doors along your path if you’re willing to open them.  If you’re not quite ready to open them, it’s ok. It is. But, like the 80’s scary movie babysitter, don’t listen to anyone who says, “DON’T OPEN THAT DOOR!” 

Next week: “Boo-boo ouch”