“…the God who makes the dead alive and summons the things that do not yet exist as though they already do.”
(Romans 4:17b, NET)
We were waiting in line to ride the Mind Winder at our annual Easter festival at my church. Maci, my niece who was seven years old at the time, wanted to know who would be riding with her. I had seen her ride this particular ride with her father (my brother) before. It’s the kind where you sit in these tub-like seats; the ride itself spins around in continuous circles while each independent tub manually spins 360 degrees all at the same time. Maci makes sure hers circulates endlessly! I happily bowed out as my brother volunteered to ride with her; I knew my equilibrium couldn’t handle it.
Enjoying our time together as we waited, one little girl behind us shouted out loudly, “My sister has autism!” She wanted our attention, and she definitely had gotten ours with her statement! Acknowledging her comment, I was more concerned how it made her sister with autism feel since this was no secret to any of us standing near them in the line.
Soon, all three of the girls in their group captured our attention. We made small talk. This boisterous and outgoing six year old girl who had made the remark about her sister was hooked arm to arm with whom she called her “BFFFF!” The only one not speaking in their group was her sister with autism, seemingly alone among her sister and her friend. I watched as her wide eyes followed the ride, which was swinging around in front of us as we waited for our turn. Looking at me, she mumbled quietly under her breath, “Will you ride with me?”
Before I had a chance to answer, the younger sister hooked arm to arm with her “BFF” announced just as loudly as before that her sister had autism. I agreed to ride, assuring them that I knew what autism was because I was a teacher.
My new friend was reserved during the ride. Halfway through it, she told me it was fun. It was the only comment she made while we rode, and I knew she meant it. Exiting the ride’s gate, her mom thanked me.
I did not realize at the time what an impact this particular moment would have on the rest of my evening. I had been given a gift! Riding with the little girl I didn’t know and who didn’t know me, she trusted; her younger sister entrusted us with information about her sister as a way to get help and make sure her sister was looked after that night so that they could all enjoy the Mind Winder.
God was doing something in my mama-heart that night with every encounter I had with the children there. Conversations took place throughout the night with different kids as we waited in each line. Children expressed their anticipation and excitement with me before going on a ride. One girl shared how tall her daddy was as she reached as high up with one hand and as low as she could with her other hand. Frequent visits from a teenager, a student of mine at the time, thought it cool enough to come speak and visit with me. I received a surprise hug from that same teenager’s little brother that I had only been around a couple of times; it was the kind of hug that’s so big, the child trusts you will catch him or her. These special moments were etched into my memory; it had been a magical night.
God ministered to me through the kids at the festival that night. The gaping ache in me that desires a child was radically filled in a moment. His truth came to life for me: “(as it is written, ‘I have made you a [mother] of many’… the God who makes the dead alive and summons the things that do not yet exist as though they already do” (Romans 4:17 NET, my emphasis added). That night, God took my “dead” promise of having children that has not yet been actualized, and He breathed life into it as if the fulfillment of the promise were brought into existence.
God blesses us with moments like this, doesn’t He? He is faithful like that. I can’t explain how, but He does it. When I woke up the next morning after the festival, I was not asking God to come through for me in this one desire of my life because He had and has so many times before.
A prayer:
Thank you, God, for breathing life into our “dead” hopes, desires, and dreams. We surrender to You and Your plan for our life as You know what’s best for us. We believe in who You are and what You can do, so we wait in expectation. May we not overlook Your many wonders You display in our midst. Thank you, Father, for providing all of our needs. Amen.
“Ask and keep on asking and it will be given to you; seek and keep on seeking and you will find; knock and keep on knocking and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who keeps on asking receives, and he who keeps on seeking finds, and to him who keeps on knocking, it will be opened. Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will [instead] give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will [instead] give him a snake? If you then, evil (sinful by nature) as you are, know how to give good and advantageous gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven [perfect as He is] give what is good and advantageous to those who keep on asking Him.” (Matthew 7:7-11, AMP)
“…put [your] hope in God, who richly provides [you] with everything for [your] enjoyment” (1 Timothy 6:17, NIV).
“‘For the mountains may move and the hills disappear, but even then my faithful love for you will remain. My covenant of blessing will never be broken,’ says the LORD, who has mercy on you” (Isaiah 54:10, NLT).
“He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted” (Job 5:9, NIV).
Photo by Jenn Evelyn-Ann on Unsplash