Sipping his coffee...
Sharing his heart...
With me.
No different than usual, he walked in from work yesterday afternoon.
Gently placed his belongings on the counter, however...
I instantly knew...
His face was ashen.
His eyes told me something was terribly wrong.
The sound of his voice confirmed brokenness resided within his heart.
Journal...
Bible...
And glasses...
Are neatly stacked right where he left them.
I asked him what was wrong...
What had happened...
Suspecting maybe a speeding ticket.
The lamp casts a warm glow...
The candle burns a comforting flicker...
The CD player emits instrumental hymns...
Showering peace over my heart.
As he traveled home from his place of employment his cell phone unexpectedly rang.
"You were the first person I thought to call..."
Riveting news.
"Would you pray for us..."
Ironing board laundered with quilting projects...
Comfy house-slippers...
Dirty socks...
Random cat toys...
Littering our living space in these early morning hours.
Me, leaning against the wall that enters into the kitchen & he, positioned against the cabinets, looked me in the eyes & with tears streaming down his face, shared the essence of the call he had received.
Unexpected brokenness.
Hand-in-hand, we gathered as a family...
We prayed...
We cried...
We committed unto the Lord...
Not relatives.
But someone near & dear to Kyle.
A male friend with whom he spends many hours.
One whom he has been able to share his faith.
How God has transformed him.
And made him into someone different than he once was.
One whom Kyle shared the events & details of Tom's battle to live last spring/summer.
How faith was the key.
And Jesus, the Healer.
Supporting...
Encouraging...
Understanding...
One whom has often asked questions...
And questions have been answered.
A friendship of sharpening.
A friendship of much more than the "daily grind"...
And so many times Kyle wonders if he really makes a difference...
It was a heavy evening...
Not one of worry.
Or stress.
Or anxiety.
I could tell that MaKayla was processing it all...
Sickness...
Death...
Evil...
Wickedness prevailing...
"It feels as though the walls are closing in..."
"Not in a suffocating way..."
"It's just that it seems to get worse & worse..."
"More & more..."
(from her heart...)
"That's why hope in Christ is such a gift..."
(from mine...)
Always.
Just heavy.
Neither of us slept well.
Burdened.
Prayerful.
Chatting.
"Are you wide awake?"
"Yes."
Toss.
Turn.
Interceding.
Knowing that there is a battle raging...
One God calls us to fight.
And even if it's not our own...
It belongs to someone we care for.
Kyle sat at the table reading, journalling, praying, listening.
Sipping coffee... ♥
I quietly did my own thing to give him time.
And then slipped into my place at the table...
With Bible & coffee in hand.
We talked.
We shared.
We cried.
We prayed.
We declared faith & belief in Jesus' name.
Life.
Health.
Husband.
Children.
God.
If this is all I had, wouldn't it be enough...
But seldom I see it that way...
Seldom I acknowledge the depth of richness for those present realities in my life.
Until situations as such fall within our presence.
And even if God chose to take the one I love most or our beautiful girls or my health or my life...
I would still have Him.
As I sat at that dining room table this morning with the music playing & the candle flickering & the lamp glowing...
With my hands encompassed within Kyle's...
And tears streaming down my cheeks...
Attempting to intercede & give thanks & cry out for forgiveness...
God reminded me of how abundantly rich I am.
And how never-endingly faithful He is.
The Lord replied,
"My Presence will go with you,
and I will give you rest."
~Exodus 33:14
"...I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand..."
~Exodus 33:22
Moses answered the people,
"Do not be afraid.
Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today.
The Egyptians you see today you will never see again.
The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still."
~Exodus 14:13-14
