[Many of you know the story of how Joey was born weighing only 2 pounds, with Cerebral Palsy. After 30 years of marriage, his testimony daily inspires myself, our children, and those of you who have become a part of Gateway Stories. Below is one example of Joey’s influence in our home. This story was written about seven years ago. I am sharing the story in this month’s blog because one theme I keep hearing over and over again as we meet new families at our monthly events is “How can God use me?” ]
Today my husband asked me, “Why is Allie sad?” Our ten-year-old had been struggling for a month with bouts of sadness and, though we’ve talked with her at length, prayed over her, and listened to her, she still was battling the sadness this morning.
Me: “I think it’s because she watches her friends online and she wishes she could do what they are doing.”
Though she never said those words outright, I had watched her disposition change after she spends time online checking out different fun things her friends participate in.
So, we sat down at the kitchen table this morning, and I was blessed to be able to witness a father’s gentle instruction and love poured out to his daughter. He asked Her, “If your heart was the weather, what would the forecast be, Allie?”
“Raining all the time, daddy…”
He told her a little story.
“Allie, when I was your age, do you want to know what all the kids were doing this time of year?”
“They were all signing up for the local baseball teams.”
“I loved baseball more than anything and I would have given anything to be able to play with them. But do you want to know why I couldn’t play with them? Why I couldn’t play little league baseball?”
“Because I couldn’t run.”
“Allie, I was ALWAYS the last one picked at every game on the school yard. No one wanted to pick me…I could not run.”
“My mom was sensitive to my love for playing outside and she bought me a basketball goal where I shot baskets on the driveway. I also was able to throw a ball against the side of my house pretending to be a pitcher and going down the batting line up in my mind.”
“Each day I would still long to be a part of a team…to belong.”
“In God’s wisdom and sovereignty, there was a reason for my loneliness. He was trying to drive me to something that I did not even realize at the time. Sometimes, Allie, God says no in one area, so He can push us towards our calling…So He can say ‘yes’ to another area. God uses the struggle to push us towards His will.”
“At age 12 my father bought me a guitar. It sat in a closet for two years before I ever played it.”
“Instead of looking at your life through the eyes of scarcity, what you are lacking, you need to ask God to show you how he sees you…fearfully and wonderfully made in the image of his son, Jesus.”“Last month, Allie, I was walking to my car, and my feet gave out on me. My ankle bent and I fell to the ground. There was nothing nearby for me to grab onto, so I was going to have to crab walk over to my van so I could grab something to pull myself up. Then, all of the sudden, out of nowhere, a complete stranger comes over to me, sees me on the ground, and gets on her knees and says, ‘What do we need to do here to help you?’ I was humbled, vulnerable, and extremely thankful that she had the courage and compassion to come help me up. Allie, I was not unhappy that I fell that day, I was thankful God sent a stranger to help me up. We need to pay attention to our thought life and stop longing for what we don’t have, but rather praise God for who we are in Him.”
“Ask yourself, ‘what is my calling?’ How was I created to serve God best?”
“After sitting in a closet for 2 years, I picked up that guitar. It soon became my constant companion. Playing the guitar filled a void in my life. If filled an emptiness. God used my loneliness and longing to play baseball like other kids, to drive me to the instrument, which would soon become my calling.”
“I then learned to play the bass guitar on a $25 guitar from K-Mart. While practicing for hours on the guitar alone in my room, I learned to play the Red Raven Polka. My father was so excited he went out and bought me my first bass guitar. Then he took a tape recorder out, got on the piano and recorded us playing the song together.
For my 15th birthday, he had the radio station play that recording just for me.”
“Allie, you are going to have to stop watching those videos and staring at those pictures…longing for something you think you don’t have.”
“Allie, I have never roller skated, ice skated, ridden a bike, run a race, hang glided, jumped from an airplane, taken my family on a camping trip all by myself…there are hundreds of things I can’t do. If I focus on those things, it will only discourage me. I must look to Jesus, the author and finisher of my faith, and focus on what I CAN do. What He created me to do.”
“I understand my limitations. In my mind I must not focus on what I can’t do and what I don’t have. This is why we need Jesus.”
“God wants us to focus on ‘whatsoever things are pure, lovely, true, just, of good report…’ Phil. 4:8”
“Allie, you are a champion. God created YOU for a unique and special purpose. Something only you can do. Ask the Lord to show you what He created you for.”
“Let this sadness you are feeling, drive you into the Savior’s arms of comfort.”
Allie was blessed by the words of wisdom today, as evident when she told him the weather had changed for her and the sun was now shining. Myself and our 19 year old daughter were also encouraged, inspired, and humbled because we were able to witness this sweet exchange. God reminded me today, that our lives are not our own, we have all been bought with a price, and so we must glorify God in our mortal bodies today. I am continually reminded of all that God has given us in this life.
