There are those moments that you will never forget. They are etched in your memories and for as brief as they last, as simplistic and fleeting as they are, they create a miracle from heaven realization that will stay a part of you forever.
This past weekend I was winterizing my yard and teeny tiny patio with the help of my future son-in-love, Jake. We stopped working to take a short break and started a conversation about life. Jake shared with me that when he contemplates his life, he has come to the understanding that as he looks back he sees how God has allowed him moments which created memories and the memories help him see the miracles that he's been blessed with.
WOW! Ok, 21 year old wonder of wisdom. Just WOW.
I cannot stop pondering that. It hasn't left me from the moment he said it. I just can't get it out of my heart. I see how beautiful, and truthful Jake's perception is. The most beautiful reality of Jake's perception though is that I am certain none of us would choose the journey he's traveled.
At 15 years old Jake made some life altering choices. He took a car without permission and without having a driver's license. He was under the influence and crashed the car, injuring a passenger. That set into motion consequences that he is still dealing with, six years later. Many people have been affected by that one moment that Jake made a bad choice. The memories will be part of his forever but the miracle of who Jake has become as a result of having to navigate a very tough road is truly something that I am in awe of.
Jake was raised in a tough environment. His mother's boyfriend and Jake had a contentious relationship from the time Jake was 12 years old. On New Year's eve 2017, Jake and his mom's boyfriend were involved in a domestic altercation which led to Jake being arrested and spending 2 nights in jail. Since then, Jake has lived with me. In the past almost 2 years, I've watched Jake accept Jesus, soften his heart, heal from his heart hurts, rekindle a relationship with his grandfather and become a young man who works hard, has joy and dreams and goals and plans and can make me laugh hysterically like no other. The moment he lost his temper NYE day 2017 created a memory Jake doesn't really like talking about but also set in motion a miracle of young man being saved, redeemed, made new and healed. It may be one of my life's honors to have witnessed. Perhaps the greatest test of our faith is when we don't get what we want but we are still able to say "thank you, Lord."
What do the culmination of moments in your life display as your memories? What miracles from heaven do you realize now because of them? I pray for you there are more joyful moments than painful ones. But don't brush over the hard stuff because there can be gorgeous, radiant miracles there too.
God can create astounding beauty from our messes. He's a master at it and I wonder if he delights in doing so. But do we miss the miracle because we hold on to the memory or wish we could go back and change the moment? I recently watched a video that portrays this perfectly. You can watch it here.
What miracles are you realizing today because in a moment, you made a choice? I'd love to hear your stories.