Reformation Lutheran Church A Congregation of the ELCA

Friday April 12 Read Isaiah 54:9-10

For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed, says the Lord, who has compassion on you. (v. 10)

In Good Hands                                                          

From the time I was very small all the way through my life today, I have known that God was near. I can remember being very young and afraid of going to sleep because I might never wake up. I thought about the prayers I said every night with my parents: “Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep. If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take.” I thought isn’t keep and take the same? God is the one who has my soul, no matter what. I thought of all the songs I had learned about God: “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands,” “God Is Love” and “Jesus Loves Me.” I am in good hands, I thought. So, God helped me overcome my fear of sleep.

As I grew up, fear took on other forms: self-doubt, low self-esteem, fear of my future and questions of what I was to do with my life. My childhood songs and prayers were not as comforting as they once were. Sometimes trying to find the words to express to God in prayer were hard to formulate. But I knew that God knew what I was trying to communicate, no matter how awkwardly I cried out.

As a young woman – a wife, a mother and a teacher – God opened up a way to communicate to me through Bible Study, church attendance, Sunday school classes and fellowship with other Christians.

Some years later, my mother was diagnosed with stage four cancer. She needed me to take her to appointments and treatments. My role as a daughter changed to caregiver and helper. Watching my mother become very ill made me fearful and angry. I was angry at God. My whole life was turned upside down. Through it all, though, l God was right next to me. My relationship with God grew stronger during this time. The words from a childhood song came back to me: “I am weak, but He is strong.”

Then 15 years after my mom passed, my dad was diagnosed with cancer and needed my help. Some of that old fear and anger came back. But once again, God was right next to me, and I grew still closer to him.

I pray I will continue to grow closer to God. He has been faithful to me all of my days. Praise be to God!

Laurie Peterson-Flaharty

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