You are not abandoned

As some of you may know I am writing a book about our journey of having a child with a brain tumour. To say it has been an extremely emotional project, is an under-statement. The book is almost finished, so it's time to start thinking about marketing. 

Yesterday Ken and I attended a marketing workshop, primarily for our business, however there were many concepts that applied to my book project.

One of the exercises we did at the workshop was to imagine the ideal client for your product or service. With my book,  it is not too hard for me to imagine the parents who would read it, as I am one of those parents. 

During the exercise, we were asked to think about the unspoken desires and frustrations that your ideal client might have. Some of my notes for that exercise included phrases like...

I just want this all to go away. 

I can't believe this is happening to us.

I want to run away and go back to how life used to be. 

I am frightened of the future.

You may have had thoughts similar to these during a tough circumstance in your life. Or you may be thinking them right now.

As I reflect on those unspoken thoughts, I am grateful that during that time the spoken thoughts of my Heavenly Father were also running through my mind. Here are some of His thoughts that I clung to during that time.....

For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace, and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome. Jeremiah 29:11 AMP

And the LORD, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed. Deuteronomy 31:8 NKJV

And of course, Romans 8:28

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28 NKJV

For years I spoke those words of Romans 8:28 in faith, as there was very little in the seen realm that indicated thing were working together for good. It was a choice to believe that God was at work, even in the times when the situation appeared to be getting worse. Sometimes it felt like a foolish choice as the facts did not support the truth of God's word.

But it was the choice to believe that truth that bought hope, and helped me to trust that we had not been abandoned, not our daughter, not our other children, not our marriage, not me.

The Message Bible puts it this way,

Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God's Spirit is right along side helping us along. If we don't know how or what to pray, it doesn't matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That's why we can be so sure that every detail of our lives of love for God is worked into something good. Romans 8:26-28 The Message

So today, if you are thinking those thoughts like I want this all to go away, I want to run away, let's take a moment to be still and breathe in the hope and love of God. Listen to the words that Moses spoke to all of Israel before they crossed the Jordan river,

Be strong. Take courage. Don't be intimidated. Don't give them a second thought because GOD, your God, is striding ahead of you. He's right there with you. He won't let you down, he won't leave you. Deuteronomy 31:6 The Message Bible

Let's pray,

Heavenly Father, thank you for your truth in our lives. Thank you that your truth brings hope in the really challenging times. Thank you that you have thoughts and plans for each of us that are good. Thank you that you do not abandon us, and when it feels like You have, please remind us that You haven't. You are with us. Thank you for your peace to reign in our hearts every moment of today. In Jesus Name we pray, Amen.