MIRACLES IN STRANGE PLACES
This morning during our usual rush to get out the door we suddenly realized our daughter’s shoes were missing. We searched the shoe rack, behind the pillows on the couch, under toys, chairs, and dressers, on bookshelves and countertops. We looked everywhere! Her shoes had simply disappeared in what seemed “out of thin air.” How could this be? We knew they had to be in the house somewhere because they were on her feet when we returned home the previous evening. If you have children or are familiar with two year olds, then you know they can be pretty creative when it comes to hiding things. One time in the past, I spent over an hour of my morning looking for my wallet only to find it inside a child’s toy oven. Seriously? Moments like this can be frustrating at the time but can bring joy later when you look back on the hilarity of the situation. Nevertheless, on this day, we ran out of time looking for these particular shoes and had to settle on a pair of boots.
The initial anxiety caused by our search started to melt away while I sipped my lukewarm coffee, enroute to my job. I started thinking about the “missing shoes” event and other times in my life when it seemed God Himself seemed to disappear. There have been periods of time when He seemed quiet and not moving like I thought He should. But I knew He was there. I just couldn’t hear Him and I couldn’t see Him.
I have experienced long periods of waiting in my life before but I did not understand why God had placed me on that path. I did not understand why He was not changing my circumstance when I knew He was able to. I never doubted His existence but I still felt neglected. I spent years crying out and screaming to what felt like a brick wall. My prayers seemed to hit the ceiling. Where was He? Why was He not showing Himself and making my path clear? Where was this hypothetical ‘shoe’ that was missing? The climax of this time in my life was when I experienced a miscarriage after waiting seven years for a miracle. I could not fathom why He would finally give me what I had longed for only to take it away so quickly. This was my darkest hour and the angriest I had ever been with God. I was so wrecked with grief that I could not pray. I want to share more about this part of my life another time, but for now I will focus on the quiet that I felt during those years. The quiet years amongst all the noise.
My circumstances changed, eventually, and I started to see how God was using me and my story for His good purposes. I started to hear His still, small voice beckoning me to share my testimony when I was speaking to others with similar stories. His voice wooed me to share my life experiences, the good and the bad. He has given me insight so that I can connect and be there for others when they are going through their toughest moments. It is my turn to do what I realize others did for me. We are God’s hands and feet. When I felt God had abandoned me, He was my sister who sent me heating pads and chocolates. He was a relative stranger who mailed me a necklace with angel wings and my child’s due date. He was the friend who took me for coffee and the friend who simply listened to me weep so I did not have to be alone. You see, in the moments I felt God was being quiet, He was actually there in ways I did not see. He was taking care of me and He knew just what I needed.
My challenge to you is to quiet yourself and remember the ways God has shown up in your life. I am not talking about the big and obvious ways He has been there, but the small and simple ways that you may miss on the first go-around. It can be difficult to notice when you are in the midst of chaos. But when the dust clears, what do you see in the rearview mirror? It may help to recall those times with a fresh set of eyes. There are friends that comfort, neighbors that cook, and maybe even a refund check for overpaying the utility bill that shows up in the mail when it is needed the most. Maybe there is that song on the radio that comes on at just the right moment and it speaks to your heart in a way like it never has before. There are people who God awakens in the middle of the night with you on their mind who start praying for you without knowing the reason why the Holy Spirit is asking. God is there and he is working all around you. He is always with us working in big and small ways.
Tonight when I got home I started preparing dinner for my family. I preheated the oven, got the baking dish out and gathered all the ingredients for the casserole we were going to eat. My twins played noisily in the living room and Puppy Dog Pals was on the T.V. in the background. I look over at them and smile as they call me over. My daughter says, “Mommy, Mommy, Mommy, the tree. My tree is pretty with my shoe!”. When hearing this statement I decide I better go take a closer look at the Christmas tree. I bet you can guess what I found hanging on a couple of our branches? Yep! It was her shoes that we had looked long and everywhere for earlier this morning. She had proudly hung them up on the Christmas tree surrounded by the other ornaments and twinkling lights. I knew the shoes were in our home all along. I simply could not see them at the time.
About the Author: Kristen
Kristen McPherson is a 32 year old mother of twin girls and wife of 12 years to an Army veteran. Her life has been touched by war, infertility, cancer and death. She is an advocate for both mental health disorders and women's reproductive health. She loves God and wants to bring others hope through her testimony.
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