A few weeks ago, Ashley injured her shoulder while gearing up for her largest gymnastics meet of the season. If you've been following my blog for a while, you know that Ashley loves gymnastics and has spent a year preparing for level 8 competitions. She's had an amazing time with gymnastics over the past 10 years winning several state titles and progressing to each next level with great excitement.
But this year has been an uphill battle.
She's had to push through many hard times to get to the ultimate level 8 meet: Regionals. She finally qualified with her last event at her state meet. That same state meet that she competed even though she was sick and her mother was protesting.
Finally, with one last glorious flip, she made it! There were cheers all around and much joy as we all looked ahead to this goal she'd been talking about for a year.
She had great practices the week after states. Things seemed to be clicking along like she'd planned. But with one slip off the bar and a pretty bad landing, her shoulder was injured.
And no amount of rehab could get her ready in time. So, with tears and great disappointment, she had to scratch from the meet.
I've said it before and I'll say it again, I know in the great scheme of life, this is such a small thing. But in Ashley's world, it is big. Therefore, it led me to have one of those conversations with the Lord that I'm sure many moms have had at one time or another. If your child has ever had to walk through the yuck of disappointment, maybe you can relate.
The Lord: Recall the beauty of trusting the only One who can see what is and what is to come. Remember my words in Nahum 1:7... "The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him."
The Mom: At least tell me how to comfort her.
The Mom: But what about the desires of her heart Lord?
The weather was perfect...
What a great Daddy!
Many reminders of just how Big and Mighty and Glorious our God is were at the Beach. And in the end, I asked Ashley where she would have rather spent her weekend- at her competition or at the Beach?
But this year has been an uphill battle.
She's had to push through many hard times to get to the ultimate level 8 meet: Regionals. She finally qualified with her last event at her state meet. That same state meet that she competed even though she was sick and her mother was protesting.
Finally, with one last glorious flip, she made it! There were cheers all around and much joy as we all looked ahead to this goal she'd been talking about for a year.
She had great practices the week after states. Things seemed to be clicking along like she'd planned. But with one slip off the bar and a pretty bad landing, her shoulder was injured.
And no amount of rehab could get her ready in time. So, with tears and great disappointment, she had to scratch from the meet.
I've said it before and I'll say it again, I know in the great scheme of life, this is such a small thing. But in Ashley's world, it is big. Therefore, it led me to have one of those conversations with the Lord that I'm sure many moms have had at one time or another. If your child has ever had to walk through the yuck of disappointment, maybe you can relate.
The Mom: Lord, I have to tell you it is a hard thing for a mother to watch her child work so hard for something only to have her dreams dashed by an injury.
The Lord: Do the words of Job 17:11 express the way you are feeling? "My days have passed, my plans are shattered, and so are the desires of my heart."
The Mom: Lord, you could make her better. You could strengthen her shoulder and make her well enough to compete. Lord don't you see her tears? If seeing her sadness breaks my heart, I know it must break your heart too. It is hard for me to understand when I know that you could fix this in an instant.
The Lord: Recall the beauty of trusting the only One who can see what is and what is to come. Remember my words in Nahum 1:7... "The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him."
The Mom: I do trust you Lord. But for all that work to end like this is so hard. It just seems so pointless.
The Lord: Oh, nothing I do is pointless. Nothing you go through is pointless. This lesson will work good for her now and it will work good for her in the future. You only think you know what is best for her. But I have such a grand plan and purpose in all this. Proverbs 19:20-21... "Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise. Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails."
The Mom: Show me how.
Isaiah 55:8-9... You don't have to have answers Lysa. You just need to trust. "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."
The Mom: At least tell me how to comfort her.
The Lord: I have put a gift right in front of you. Michelle offered her beach house to you. Take her up on that offer. You will be so blessed in this time away. As you walk through this experience of trusting me, your confidence in me and Ashley's confidence in me will grow stronger still. Jeremiah 17:7... "blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him."
The Mom: But what about the desires of her heart Lord?
The Lord: I am the only one who even knows the full scope of those desires Lysa. Your job isn't to figure out how to make her desires come to pass. Your job is to simply teach her to trust me and make wise choices. Psalm 37: 3-4... "Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart."
So, we packed up on the spur of the moment last week and headed to the Beach.
A glorious weekend of fun, sun, and connection with the Lord and each other awaited us. Here are Holly, Hillary, Me, Hope, Nancy, Ashley, and Brooke...
The weather was perfect...Holly got in the ocean and swam with Brooke! Now that is a good friend for ya'!
Daddy even let Ashley put his hair in a Mohawk.
What a great Daddy!
Many reminders of just how Big and Mighty and Glorious our God is were at the Beach. And in the end, I asked Ashley where she would have rather spent her weekend- at her competition or at the Beach?
Without hesitation she replied, "At the Beach!"
Thank you Lord. While I may not understand your ways- I do trust them.
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