Happy New Year! Each week we feature a devotional, book review or testimony ~ a “Devotional Spotlight”, written by a woman in our ministry. Today’s testimony comes from Megan Reeder.
“The Best Christmas Yet”
Christmas is always a special time for my family. The day before is always marked by last-minute gift shopping and running to the grocery store to grab that final ingredient for the all important Christmas Day breakfast. As we continued on with our normal busy routine, I didn’t realize just how different this year would be.
It was Christmas Eve and our plans for the night were set. My family all agreed upon which Christmas Eve service we would attend, made our traditional Christmas Eve dinner reservations at a favorite Chinese restaurant, got dressed in our best Christmas attire and piled in the car heading to JFBC. The service was beautiful…made complete by the annual tradition of Mark Cottingham singing “O Holy Night”, celebrating the gift of salvation by way of the Lord’s Supper, and enjoying the majestic sound of our church singing “Silent Night” against the illumination of raised candlelight. The night was perfect.
The service had ended and the guys stayed behind to serve…my husband with deacon responsibilities and Dad helping direct the traffic in the parking lot. While the men served, the girls drove home stopping to look at Christmas lights…savoring the perfect evening. Excited about Chinese food, everyone gathered at my parents to all ride in one vehicle. Our plans were to enjoy our meal, then hop in the car and check out all the Christmas lights in town while listening to Christmas music and sipping hot chocolate. We arrived to our usual place and prepared to order. The night was just perfect.
Everything changed when my mom noticed my dad was not himself. We made a quick decision to call an ambulance once we realized he was showing signs of a stroke…he was confused, did not know where we were, and couldn’t identify us. The wait for the ambulance seemed like forever. Instead of enjoying our Christmas Eve dinner we now found each other yelling at Dad to stay awake. The ambulance arrived, Dad was stabilized and we went in to action making plans for where everyone would go. Mom would go with Dad to the ER via ambulance, the guys would take care of Ella and my sister and I would head to the hospital. The drive to the hospital was quiet as my sister and I replayed the events over and over. What happened? Were we really driving to the hospital on Christmas Eve? Was Dad going to be okay?
It’s sort of an unspoken given that your friends will be there in a time of need. But until you find yourself truly in that need, do you really see the love pour out. With one text a mighty showing of prayer and support came up underneath my family, providing a strength that was needed for us to endure this very uncertain evening. Our dear friends lovingly drew by our side to give support where they could, taking Ella in to their home, praying for us and sitting with us at the hospital to remind us that we were not alone. Believers from every angle of the church were praying with us and over my Dad.
The next several hours involved many tests. We tried to fill the time making Dad laugh. As the evening dragged on with no conclusive test results, the ER doctor finally made the call to admit my dad. I’m pretty sure you could have heard a pin drop. We were all so disappointed. You see it would be my first Christmas morning in 33 years we would not be together.
Leaving Mom to stay overnight with Dad at the hospital, we all came home to a quiet house. The next two days were filled with us all going back and forth to visit with him. We even managed to bring a little Christmas to my dad with dinner and presents.
Visiting Dad at the hospital
Christmas at the hospital
After two nights in the hospital Dad was released to come home. No stroke, no seizures and no long-term effects. The days following Christmas are usually filled with everyone returning back to work and shopping the after-Christmas sales but our family had the opportunity to redefine Christmas. The night dad came home we gathered around the tree, opened presents and enjoyed the traditions of the holiday. But we celebrated something greater than the gifts. We celebrated God’s faithfulness through the trial.
Dad going home
It reminded me of the night Christ was born in Bethlehem. The wise men were traveling by night to find where the birth had taken place. By faith they journeyed through the darkness with only the light of a star as their guide. When we journey through life, it’s ideal to go through uncertain times when there is a clear path and direction and we can see where we are going. But our faith is strengthened when we trust in His direction through the dark times. I love James 1:2-3, “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.” As I helplessly watched my Dad slowly slipping away Christmas Eve night, the necessity of my faith and dependence in Christ became so real to me. There was nothing I could offer to make this circumstance better. Our faith is all we had. It was all we needed. And it was what we leaned on. The faith we had in Christ during this time of uncertainty redefined Christmas for our family and it has shaped our perspective on what it means to have JOY in times of trial.
No one anticipates something going wrong in the midst of celebration. It’s in these moments that the Lord challenges and encourages us to depend completely on Him. This has always been a challenge for me, because I feel secure in knowing what’s ahead. But God has shown me that trusting in His guidance has far greater JOY than depending on my own.
In what areas of your life will you completely depend on Him in 2014? Will you allow Him to be your guide in the dark times…in all times? If you do not have a relationship with Christ, I would love to talk to you about Him. He changed my Christmas, but more importantly, He’s changed my life.
