Together

Sometimes God places a passion in our hearts long before it is time for that passion - which becomes our dream - to become a reality.  So many times prayer is the only action we are called to in the beginning.  And how difficult is that to sit back and just pray about something that we are ready to roll with!?

A few years ago I experienced how hard that is.  Our passion had been given to my husband and me, but it would be months, possibly years, before it could be realized.  And instead of just praying, I started planning.  Have you ever done that?

I researched, plotted, outlined, and planned - all the time wondering how that could be wrong when God had given me a glimpse of what the future would hold for our family.  But the pieces I was trying to fit together to make the dream a reality were from two different puzzles.  I was trying to put pieces of my puzzle from the past together with the few pieces from the future that God had allowed me to see.  I prematurely took possession of those pieces and tried to fit them into a life that God was still trying to build the puzzle table for.  Looking back I can see that I was trying to force something to fit for all of the wrong reasons.

Will you visit a few years back with me?

Back in 2010 a group of the most extraordinary women came together for a very special cause - Love.   They formed a friendship and support group around a woman they barely knew because they were obedient to God's call to action and to Love.  Then they invited others to join them.  They told a story about a little baby named Glory and her mommy, daddy, and big sister.  They thought that maybe others might want to support Glory and her family so they decided to sell T-shirts to raise money for the family.

You may have heard of them - The Glory Girls:)

A few years after that another group of women decided to join forces and fight injustice.  STIR1024 was born (Socials To Ignite Response centered around Hebrews 10:24 which commands us to STIR up one another to Love and good works).  They came alongside Glory's mommy and have supported the families at Arkansas Children's Hospital (where Glory was in the CVICU) numerous times with food, toiletries, gift bags, etc.

And this past Tuesday night another local organization gave a financial donation to what has lovingly become The Glory Girl Foundation.  The Van Buren Kiwanis Club has followed Glory's story from the beginning and is continuing to support a passion...

...a passion that is becoming closer and closer to reality because God continues to give our family more of the puzzle pieces.  And as we pray over them instead of making a huge plan of where to place them on the table, our dream to have a foundation that comes alongside families in Little Rock with sick children with love and to provide them with housing is closer everyday to becoming a reality.  

I'm so blessed to be able to be Glory's mommy.  So blessed to have so many individuals come alongside me and share in my passion.  My dream is that this blog will be used to update you on what your love and support can accomplish for the weak and unable.  We can do this together...here's to the next puzzle piece!

Youngest

Yesterday I began a conversation like this -

"When I was pregnant with my youngest daughter..."

I really don't begin stories like that too often - leaving the listener assuming Glory is at home arguing with her older sister about whose turn it is to play the Mermaids game on the iPad.  Most of the time I am telling Glory's story from the beginning through the time she went to heaven and how her life changed mine.

But yesterday I stopped short of explaining.  Why?  I don't know.  No mention of her illness.  No indication of her only having half of a heart.  Giving no clue that my youngest daughter had already fulfilled her purpose and moved on to bigger and better things.

Now that I think about it, the story was really about me - surprise.  It was the story of how I first knew Glory was coming.  The story about how I drove into the Braum's drive-thru one afternoon and ordered an orange sherbet freeze instead of a chocolate milkshake.  The story about how I began to crave everything orange-flavored, but didn't want an actual orange.  You know - orange #5 dyes and artificial flavors - those things.  Orange Fanta, Orange Crush, Orange Sunkist.  I perfected an Orange Chocolate-Chunk Pound Cake - and it did include actual oranges that grow on trees (REALLY yummy recipe - I can give it to you if you're interested).

When I was craving orange-flavored sodas I had no clue I wouldn't be holding the tips of her fingers while she took her first steps.  Or buying her first backpack for Kindergarten.  So I just continued my story...but only I knew how my craving for orange dye #5 (or whatever it is) was the beginning of a most amazing journey...one with no end.  Have I said that before?  ;)

Boxes and bags of items that you gave to be delivered to the Arkansas Children's Hospital CVICU...thank you beyond words!!!!!

Nothing

When Glory was here, I shared her journey through a series of emails. When someone would share with me that a particular email spoke to their heart, I would quickly give them a disclaimer that I was not a writer.  Explaining any typos or grammatical errors, I guess.  

But I'm still writing...

I am currently preparing for a speaking engagement where I will tell Glory's story and how her life impacted mine.  I have told Glory's story once before to a group and I believe I gave the disclaimer at the beginning that I was not a speaker.  

But I'm getting ready to speak again...

The disclaimers that I have given are true (although I may have given them for the wrong reason - to protect myself).  I am not a writer or a speaker, but I'm doing both.  Why?  How?  Because I am nothing unless God directs my path.  I have nothing to say unless God breathes the words Himself.  Every word, every sentence written or spoken about my journey through love and loss is given by Him.  

God has been working on the most unbelievable redemption plan since the beginning of time.  When I woke up on June 3, 2010, after learning of Glory's condition the day before, God knew what He needed to accomplish.  And He would accomplish it with or without me.  But He gave me the opportunity to join His mission that morning...  

He asked me!  Me - who is not a writer!  He asked me to write.  He asked me to share.  He asked me to write that first e-mail and involve so many more in His Story.  I didn't have to.  But He invited me.  He wants me to be a part of His Story.  Even though He could do it on His own, He loves us that much to want to include us in His plan.  

What or who are you in Christ?  It may surprise you!  I'm in awe today thinking about the things we can do because WE can do NOTHING apart from Him...

Me with some of the Meinardus Family.  They hold a special place in Glory's Story.  And Jessica has an amazing story here...