November 11, 2021

Marking the Defining Moments by Carol Harrison

 



What are some of the defining moments in my life and how do I mark and celebrate them?  I was reminded of a charm bracelet I used to wear. It contained charms denoting significant moments in my life like my engagement, wedding, and becoming a mother.

Only some major milestones are depicted on this incomplete record of my life’s defining moments. I could add other charms to represent being a grandmother, completing my B.Ed., being a writer and speaker or my love of reading. But what about my spiritual journey? What will mark these defining moments of faith in my life?

As I read through Scripture, God often asked his people to do something to mark the defining moment in their history. In Joshua 3 & 4 we read God stopped up the waters of the flooded Jordan river once the priests obeyed and stepped into it by faith. Once the people crossed safely, on dry ground, God commanded they mark this defining moment by placing twelve stones gathered from the river bed as a memorial for future generations to ask why and hear the story of God’s miracle. Do I share something about the defining moments of my faith journey so others can hear of the ways God works today?

One very significant faith journey moment happened as I stood beside Amee’s incubator, watching her in a coma, fighting for her life, I didn’t know what else to pray. Tears punctuated the brief, “Help me God. Help my baby.” I uttered silently and constantly. God met me that second day of Amee’s life in the middle of NICU and brought distinct images to my mind and spoke with a voice that seemed audible.

God posed three questions, one after the other, pausing for my answer in between.

“Do you trust me to heal her completely? Do you trust me to heal her a little at a time, giving the doctors wisdom in how to treat her? Would you still trust me if I healed her perfectly and took her home to heaven?”

My ‘yes’ answer to the first two took no time to proclaim. The third proved a struggle. I finally told God I would trust him no matter what.


Then came a picture of an open Bible with Philippians 4: 6 &7 highlighted.

Do not be anxious – oh how worry and anxiety had punctuated the last two days.

Present your requests by prayer and petition – I’d been doing that constantly and knew others prayed too.

With thanksgiving. My heart stopped. I hadn’t thanked God for anything during this nightmare.  I begged God to forgive me and thanked him for this beautiful baby girl. I had an ‘ah ha’ moment. Each child is a gift from God whether they are here for a short time or long and God loved her more than I ever could. My prayer changed. I gave myself and Amee to God; completely trusting him for whatever he chose to do and for strength to walk the journey he had planned.

And the peace of God descended and wrapped around me like a warm fuzzy blanket so real I expected to see one around my shoulders when I opened my eyes.

Nothing in Amee’s circumstance changed when I opened my eyes. She still lay in a coma. But I knew this moment with God had changed me.

I kept this spiritual defining moment guarded in my heart for years, maybe decades. Why was I silent? At first it felt too deeply personal to share with anyone else. I’d examine it in my quiet moments and remember what I learned. This turning point coloured so many aspects of my life and faith.

Later I wondered what people might think if I shared about seeing images from God and hearing his voice so distinctly. It was nothing like I had experienced before. When I didn’t share, others never had the chance to know that the God of the Bible is still God today.

God keeps pointing me to verses like Psalm 78:1-3 or Psalm 105:1-5 where he commands his people to share his goodness and his judgements too with the next generation. How can I not obey and share the stories of what God has and is doing in my life, even if they happened in ways, I was unfamiliar with?

Now I know I can commemorate those defining moments in my faith journey through my writing and speaking instead of keeping silent. I wonder if there are charms that could be a visual representation of my faith or these ‘ah ha’ moments of my life? 

 

Carol Harrison writes, studies, and tries to remember to share those defining moments of her faith journey from her home in Saskatoon. You can visit her website at www.carolscorner.ca
 

7 comments:

  1. Thank you, dear Carol, for generously sharing this poignant defining moment with us.
    Your powerful words reminded me how blessed writers are to be able to set up stones of remembrance through written words in journals, letters, or books etc.
    Blessings - Wendy Mac 🕊️

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  2. Thank you for your heart words, Carol. One line in particular resonates with me in a big way. You say, "Each child is a gift from God whether they are here for a short time or long and God loved her more than I ever could." When I read this line my mind took me to a place where I remember five of my grandbabies who are in heaven. I waited with great anticipation to welcome these children into our family, but it was not to be. You remind me these children mattered and still matter. They are where God lives and receive the magnificence of His love.

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  3. Thank you for your beautiful story, Carol. I love how you felt his peace like a warm fuzzy blanket, so real around your shoulders. How consoling to feel His presence like that.

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  4. What a wonderful tribute to God who gave you such a visual promise and peace like a warm fuzzy blanket after you said yes to the hard question during Aimee's coma. I'm thankful you shared this poignant story, Carol!

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  5. Your story is so powerful, Carol. Thank you for sharing (and being obedient to share!) I've had moments like this with God and I know the feeling of sharing too widely lest people think I'm a nutcase or somehow trying to appear super spiritual. (I also have one of those charm bracelets. We should dig them out and start wearing them again!)

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  6. Our God truly is awesome and His timing is perfect. While reading your post the thought came to me that at any other moment in your life a lesson on trust may not have pierced your heart and soul and remained within you. Trust can be hard, for there cannot be trust without surrender. Thanks for sharing, Carol. Amazing.

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  7. His peace, like a warm fuzzy blanket. Oh yes, His love is tangible in so many ways. Thank you for sharing your heart.

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