"You turned my wailing into dancing;
you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy..."
Psalm 30:11
~~~~~~~~~~
There is much to share about the JOYous day that was October 27, 2012... my brother's long awaited wedding day. And I will be sharing pictures of all the fun and wonderful things of that day very soon.
But first, I need to share something else that has not left my heart or my mind about that day...
...something that shows me what it means to have true faith in a God that is good and keeps His promises.
...something that bears witness to the invisible, but so very real, help of God... that thing called "grace".
...something that is a result of prayer, but continues to need prayer.
...something that brings me tears of sorrow, but also tears of joy.
In the wedding program, there was a page memorializing the family members of those who have passed. The last name listed is not our biological family member; but we consider him a family member nonetheless.
Seeing his name in print and later hearing Father Dan verbally speak it as we prayed for these individuals brought me and his family to tears.
Tears are something they are used to. They have cried thousands upon thousands of them in the past several years.
...they cried tears of sorrow when they learned their adoption of their daughter/granddaughter/niece was being contested.
...they cried tears of joy when they won their first court case; allowing her to continue to be their daughter.
...they cried more tears of sorrow as the adoption battle raged on and they fought through an appellate court case.
...they cried more tears of joy when they won that case too.
...they cried, once again, when they learned the fight was not over and that they would be taking the battle to keep their Waverley to the Supreme Court.
...they cried tears when they lost their two year adoption battle.
...they cried tears as they watched their daughter/granddaughter/niece leave their family.
...they cried tears of heartache and despair as they mourned the loss of their precious girl.
...and then, they cried tears when their husband/son/brother was called Home suddenly and much too early.
...they have cried so many, many tears because they have had to endure losses so deep, so sudden, so great, so soon.
And on Saturday, they cried tears of happiness for my brother on his joyous day; but also tears of sorrow as they missed him. Saw and heard his name. And missed her.
And those thousands of shed tears... they are what make this "thing" I need to share with you so amazing. It's what makes it a testament to their faith, to God's grace, to the power of prayer.
On Saturday, amidst their heartache and despite their tears...
They danced.
Every single one of them.
They held hands, they smiled, they hugged.
They celebrated for someone else and they lived in spite of their broken hearts.
And they danced.
But first, I need to share something else that has not left my heart or my mind about that day...
...something that shows me what it means to have true faith in a God that is good and keeps His promises.
...something that bears witness to the invisible, but so very real, help of God... that thing called "grace".
...something that is a result of prayer, but continues to need prayer.
...something that brings me tears of sorrow, but also tears of joy.
In the wedding program, there was a page memorializing the family members of those who have passed. The last name listed is not our biological family member; but we consider him a family member nonetheless.
Tears are something they are used to. They have cried thousands upon thousands of them in the past several years.
...they cried tears of sorrow when they learned their adoption of their daughter/granddaughter/niece was being contested.
...they cried tears of joy when they won their first court case; allowing her to continue to be their daughter.
...they cried more tears of sorrow as the adoption battle raged on and they fought through an appellate court case.
...they cried more tears of joy when they won that case too.
...they cried, once again, when they learned the fight was not over and that they would be taking the battle to keep their Waverley to the Supreme Court.
...they cried tears when they lost their two year adoption battle.
...they cried tears as they watched their daughter/granddaughter/niece leave their family.
...they cried tears of heartache and despair as they mourned the loss of their precious girl.
...and then, they cried tears when their husband/son/brother was called Home suddenly and much too early.
...they have cried so many, many tears because they have had to endure losses so deep, so sudden, so great, so soon.
And on Saturday, they cried tears of happiness for my brother on his joyous day; but also tears of sorrow as they missed him. Saw and heard his name. And missed her.
And those thousands of shed tears... they are what make this "thing" I need to share with you so amazing. It's what makes it a testament to their faith, to God's grace, to the power of prayer.
On Saturday, amidst their heartache and despite their tears...
They danced.
Every single one of them.
They held hands, they smiled, they hugged.
They celebrated for someone else and they lived in spite of their broken hearts.
And they danced.
It's easy to say that we have faith and that we will trust God when things are going well.
It's something quite different to live and breathe that faith when your world has been torn apart... over and over again.
But these people, this family, they are the real deal.
Because as I watched them dance, fighting my own tears that wanted to fall, I saw their faith. I saw God holding them up; making their feet move and their hands wave. I saw His goodness as I watched Harper dance with her cousin and hang on the back of her uncle. I saw the evidence of His grace, of the prayers, of their total and complete reliance on Him and the promise that he gives...
that He will turn their tears into dancing.
~~~~~~~~~~
I know many of you have prayed for this family over the years and I needed you to see this. I needed you to see their real, living faith. I needed you to see that your prayers matter. And I needed you to know that they will continue to need your prayers.
Molly recently shared some news about a new joy that she is experiencing. Her tears are not over. There is no doubt that there will be many more tears of grief and sorrow. But God has started to redeem her suffering and turn her tears into dancing. Be joyful for her and with her. And continue to pray for her and Harper as they navigate this new chapter in their lives.
And continue to pray for Matt's family and for the God given relationships that exist between them and Molly. Pray for those special relationships be sustained and grow stronger; never to be weakened.
Pray for them all. That their hearts be restored, their suffering be redeemed, their sorrow be turned to joy, and their tears be turned into dancing.
Lots more dancing.
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| {This is Matt's dad's hand, wearing his Waverley bracelet, dancing with Harper} |
