Intentional Relationships

When the road turns dark…

Recently, a friend’s family has taken a turn toward a road no one wants to walk. Terms like tumor, brain surgery, and malignancy mark this season in their lives. They have clustered together like a knot around their loved one. Tomorrow they will sit and wait while experts try and cut away, not too much, and make a way for healing.
My friend is a nurse, and like my husband (and sister) she knows more than most of us do about these things. She is calm and resourceful. She’s always ready to step in and provide comfort, clarity, and creative solutions. She looks into the face of this and knows more than she shares. I am praying that God will use her in this situation and that He will tend to the tender places in her heart.
This is a family of faith, of service, and of great love. They share a legacy of hope even in the midst of the shattering. Their faith doesn’t make the road less scary, or treacherous. Death and loss loom here as they do for anyone. Their hope lies in One who did not promise to make everything better in our time, but to walk with us through these difficult places. They testify to a peace that holds them together and strengthens them as they walk. While they do not know where this road leads, they are resting in the power of the One who loves them best.
As I pray for them, I am reminded of the frailty of our lives and the vulnerability of the ones we love. Yesterday, I drove past the remnants of a car accident on the road I travel daily to work. I wondered where that car had been going, and what plans were derailed. I hoped everyone made it home safely. Tonight, I will pray for healing in my friend’s family. I will pray for safety for my own. I will also pray for the wisdom to see life as a gift, and use it well.
Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand. Isaiah 41:10