“God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” 1 Corinthians 1:9

“Do not worry about anything, but everything by supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will quiet your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:6-7

In September 2012, our family was shaken when my mother had a severe stroke that left her paralyzed on her right side and unable to speak. She was an active mom that loved all of us and especially her six grandkids. When the news spread there wasn’t a dry eye and everyone had a certain level of anxiety that caused a lot of pain. What was going to happen to Grandma, worry about Grandpa, worry about long term recovery, care costs, how can I help, what’s next?

As the initial days went on, with a lot of prayer and family support, we found a place for Mom at the Hudson Christian Community Home. It was amazing to experience the support from family, the church, friends, the Christian Community Home employees, nurses, doctors, and administrators. The anxiety and scariness of the initial stroke started to get pushed aside and replaced with thoughts of love, thankfulness for the caregivers, and others that reached out with support. 

The most amazing part to see from this was the love that my mom and dad shared. The one person Mom could communicate with was my dad. The one person that was there every day for Mom over the next seven years was my dad. Dad was there for Mom in the mornings, afternoon, and always went back in the evening to spend time with her and put her to bed; seven years and he never missed a day! The most loving and faithful person I know, my dad. It is easy to see the face of the Lord when you look at Dad. 

What is learned from all of this? Stress and anxiety are a part of our daily lives. Dealing with struggles, past or present, or thinking of the future, always remember God is there to listen. I also watched Dad help Mom and others at the nursing home connect with each other. As Dad took Mom for walks in her wheelchair, they stopped to visit others. Over the next seven years, the community of friends they had was amazing. People loved to see Dad and Mom when they came over to talk, have a cup of coffee and help put the jigsaw puzzles together. The second thing I observed and learned is love and faithfulness. In stressful situations, you can find joy! The level of faith I experienced, watched, and felt has helped me get into a posture to pass on my faith to my wife, kids and friends, and in saying prayers and learning you don’t have to be perfect when praying to God. God is always there, listening, and you don’t need the perfect prayer. I’ve learned to pray first about all the blessings my family and I have received. Being joyful and not only asking for help, holds me in peace that overpowers darkness.

Prayer: Thanks for the blessings in life. Help us to slow down and observe, to see You, in all that is happening around us. Grant us strength and peace to overcome life events that cause us stress or worry. Keep guiding us in faithfulness to fellowship with Your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.