Nine Years...

Nine years ago today, my daughter, Kailie was born. Nine years ago today, she returned to heaven. I remember the pain and grief that I felt. I didn't understand and I was so hurt. Never would I have thought God would use this experience to do great things in my life. Losing my child has allowed me to minister to others and has created deep friendships with so many others that I may have never connected with. For this I am grateful. Yet still, I had no idea how God could use this...even in Africa.
While at the Kasubi Slums last week, I was given the opportunity to pray with a woman who had recently lost three of the four of her children in a fire. Later I had found out that the woman had just accepted Christ in her life. As I prayed for her and then shared that I understood her pain, we embraced. In that moment, nothing else mattered--language barriers were lifted and circumstances faded. We were two mothers sharing a grief that I would not wish on anyone. It is my prayer that as she learns to walk in faith and finds comfort in God, that she will remember the white woman that came and shared her pain with her. This one moment that we shared, is by far one of my favorite moments of the entire trip.
God doesn't wish anything bad on anyone. He did not take Kailie or Sarah's three children. He didn't take my friend's little Noah or Syre. The truth is we live in a fallen world that is so far away from what God had intended. But when we can reach out and give the situation back to God, He will use our pain and suffering in ways that is beyond imaginable. He has proven this to me time and time again! For this I am grateful!