…..there are no coincidences…..
The other day, I came across a picture of my first-born when he was about six months old, laying on his back on a standard size bed that we had in his room in addition to his crib. He was holding a plush, Ty© brand puppy dog, and guess what name was displayed on the tag? Rescue. How gloriously appropriate.
It reminds me of the time when he received this gift from a person we had met only once while we were in the hospital for his first cranial vault remodel. That first year of life was very tough for him, as well as our family, as he had to endure several surgeries to correct some craniofacial deficits that he had. I found another picture of him with this same puppy dog when he was about 23 months old, holding it by the Christmas tree, and another of him sleeping with it when he was about 8 years old. This puppy gave him comfort until he finally felt like he was “too old” to sleep with a stuffed animal, so now it sits in a plastic bin full of keep sakes. While we were in the surgery waiting room, I distinctly remember that a young woman walked in and came straight over to me. She asked me if I was the mom with a newborn baby with Apert Syndrome, so I replied with what probably looked like a very perplexed expression on my face, that yes I was. She knelt down in front of me, and with a soft and kind-hearted tone in her voice and conviction in her words, uttered these words to me: “God is going to take care of your sweet son, and He is going to take care of you too…” She explained to us that she also had a daughter who had a craniofacial syndrome that was similar and required a lot of the same surgeries that our son would be having. She motioned over by the door and said that her husband was there holding their daughter, who looked to be about three years old. She had a metal device attached to her head, which I had no idea what it was at the time, and explained that she wasn’t sure if I was ready for that yet, and that is why only she came to talk with me. I somehow felt a bit of peace, even if just for that moment that she came to talk with me. It was so nice to hear from another mom who understood what I was going through. She had given me her name as well as her daughter’s, written down on a piece of paper. However, over time the paper has since been lost in the shuffle of life.
After his surgery was over and my husband and I walked into the Pediatric ICU room, there was the puppy at the head of his bed with a card and a large balloon attached to it, floating up in the room. I opened the card, and there was her name…the woman that came to visit me in the waiting room. Not only did the puppy dog bring security and comfort to my son throughout the years, but this woman….she impacted my life.
She comforted me…
She encouraged me…
She prayed for me…
I will never forget her…
I will never forget her face…
And I will never forget her words to me…
I am devoted to reach out and find her one day, and let her know just how much her visit meant to me (a stranger) in such a desolate time of my life. She took the time during her own moments of grieving through her daughter’s recoveries, to make a difference and give comfort to someone else who was struggling with a new and rare diagnosis – mom to mom.
God subtly puts people in our lives that we need, (most often unbeknownst to us at the time) in order to get through situations, be encouraged, feel like we are not alone, and grow into the person He designed us to be.
Looking back over the last 16 years, I could probably write nearly one hundred incidences where God has placed people or experiences in my life that I needed at the right time…. His time. They range from people whom I worked with in the past, to signing up my kids with the youth Upward basketball program where we met the coach, who would also be our future pastor. But I didn’t always see it in the moment. I have also prayed for certain situations and people who are needed….but for those, I still wait, and I trust that God has a plan.
It takes a village to live this special needs journey, and God knew that He needed to put certain people in my life… in my village…in order for me to understand that He was, is, and always will be right there beside me, and in control.
God loves us……He yearns for our love and devotion…and He also grieves with us…
He will put people in your village that you need to help get through your grief…in His perfect timing…it takes trust, patience and prayer.
Sometimes the people God puts in our villages are right there in the midst of our brokenness…..others you may encounter later……but some you might still be waiting and praying for.
You too, may be that someone who God puts into a village to be the light, hope and encouragement for those who need it.
There are no coincidences.
God rescues, even when we are unaware of it. Please feel free to share in the comments below how God has sent people into your life, I would love to hear from you!
God bless,
Lisa
