A Story and A Thought

Let me tell you a little story about a girl and her mom. They had been through a lot together. They survived living with an abusive, alcoholic. Through the years they navigated changes and heartbreaks. They celebrated and danced. They laughed and screamed and loved each other very much. The little girl wanted to protect her mom. She never wanted to do anything to hurt her mom. She failed. As the girl grew and changed, so did their relationship. They became friends. Then one night, in April, the girl’s world flipped upside down. Her mom died. Her grief was like a wave that kept her tumbling over and over never letting her up for air.

The now woman, who felt like a lost little girl without her mom, wondered if she could serve a God that would take away someone so important to her. Didn’t He understand? It was as if her very breath was stolen. Through the years the woman and her God got things straightened out. She learned to truly, fully trust Him and His love for her. Even with questions and doubts about her mom and a million other things, she learned how faithful He is.

She learned about how much God understood about her pain about losing her mom because He lost His Son.
She learned how much pain His Son, Jesus, went through being separated from His Dad.

She learned that without her mom she could hold both grief and joy at the same time.
When she had kids and watched them grow without her mom, grief and joy.
When she has stepped out into an opportunity God gave her and wasn’t able to share it with her, grief and joy.
When she sees her family and knows how much her mom would have loved them too, grief and joy.

She’s thought a lot about because this year Easter and the day her mom went to the One her soul loved mashed together.

Jesus knew His Disciples would not understand His death and be confused why it happened that way. He spent time with them to encourage and prepare them. I now know God knew I wouldn’t understand and have a ton of stuff to deal with. How gracious of Him to write it down and for Jesus to walk it out for me.

In John 16:22 Jesus tells them:

“So with you: Now is your time of grief, But I will see you again
and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.”

It’s not about not having grief or heartache, it’s just a part of life here on Earth, it’s about the hope - the promise!

Jesus was giving His Disciples hope and a promise that they would see Him again. When fear and confusion clouded their senses and reason, they had the promise.
I’m thankful for that promise and hope that Good Friday was not the end of the story for Jesus. For me. For you.
I’m thankful that the grief surrounds me like a dense fog will give way to joy!
I have that hope and a promise that I will see my mom again.
It doesn’t take the pain of missing her away, but it makes space for the joy to come alongside for the ride.

Now, let me share a thought with you. In John 17 Jesus is praying to His Dad and in verse 4 He says:

“I have brought you glory on earth by completing the work you gave me to do.”

Jesus’ whole thing was to bring God glory. He pointed us to God in what He said. He showed us God in what He did. He showed how to love God and people. He showed us how to deal with disappointment - grief - anger - all of it. He died to make a way for us to go to God.

What if, we can bring God glory by walking through our grief - anger - doubt - all of it - while declaring God’s faithfulness and making space for joy.

I want what Jesus prayed to be my prayer. What ever work God has for me to do, I want to complete it for His glory.
If it’s walking through grief, glorify God.
If it’s walking out a dream, glorify God.
If it’s being misunderstood, glorify God.
If it’s doing a million loads of dishes and laundry, glorify God.

You get the picture.

My story didn’t end when my mom died because of the hope, purpose and promise I have in Jesus!

If you lost someone I pray that the promise and hope that Jesus gave us will bring comfort to you.
If you are feeling overwhelmed with all that life is throwing at you, I pray that you will take that challenge and bring Glory to God in the middle of it.

Easter weekend is full of so many emotions, isn’t it?!? But then Monday comes, life happens again and we move on. This Monday, on our morning walk, we saw the sun again after weeks of cloudy, glooming mornings. I felt my heart leap and my soul smile as I took a deep breath and soaked it in.

Look up Sweet Friend! Look up and see the SON who loves you, sees you and brings all the hope of Heaven to you.

The sunrise Monday Morning!

I pray that you have an amazing day!
All My Love ~
xo ~ Jodi

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