The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases

So, as I was saying….

I was journaling last night just how much I’ve learned in the past week.  Things about God, things about myself, things about my children and family etc…  In short, 3 years ago Gracie our nine year old wore corrective lens for being extremely far-sighted.  She over compensated with her left eye and it crossed.  The first week we were at IHOP the children in her class prayed for all of the kids with glasses and she was healed.  SHe took her glasses off and was able to see one image, not two, clearly.  She has not worn glasses since that day in Feb 2006.  Praise God!

Fast forward to last Sunday morning.  Gracie woke up and her eye was crossed.  I was flabergasted.  She had been not feeling well and I thought well maybe she’s tired and put her back in bed.  Sunday evening…same.  Monday….same.  Tuesday….same.  As Wednesday morning came I was frustrated.  I was irritated.  My heart hurt.  What is going on, I thought.  Why is this happening?  Am I in sin?  Does she need glasses again?  Is this demonic?  Do we have hole in our covering over our children?  What am I going to tell people?  Worse yet, what am I going to tell my inlaws and my parents?  What am I going to tell the optomotrist who knows God healed her?  What am I going to tell the Media dept. who interviewed her about her testimony?  Ugh….and on and on…..

I was up and out the door to my set at the JPR.  I thought, how’s this intercession set going to be when I can’t even pray for my daughter to be healed.  What a loser.  I walked in and one of my dearest friends, who also sings on that same set, was there early too, and so we talked.  As we talked we cried and she spoke the word of the Lord to me.  She said, “Kari, this is not about Gracie.  It is about you.  It’s time for you to take your place and walk in the Lord’s calling for your life, because if you don’t, your kids won’t either.  You as a mom have got to kick the door down and run as hard as you can after the Lord so that your ceiling can be their launching pad.  Nobody’s going to do it for you.  We have this awesome opportunity to declare who God is and to exemplify obedience and boldness to our children.  Jesus only did what He saw His Father doing, and I think our kids are looking for what He’s doing….in us.”

I was struck.  Like an arrow.  Truth searching my heart and finding me wanting.  Why was I irritated with Gracie’s eye?  Was it because I was moved with compassion?  No. Every time I looked at her eye turned in it struck the barrenness in my heart.  I was faced with that which is detestable in my eyes…weakness.  It caused me to rage on the inside.  And I learned much concerning the ways of the Lord.

We were invited to come to Nebraska so Eric could speak this weekend.  That forced us to face our family without anything resolved.  After taking Gracie to the chiropractor on Friday morning, and learning much from her, we started the long trek toward our home town.  Each mile closer we came, the burden in my heart got heavier.  I rehersed situations over and over again.  Unreal situations.  Fear in my own imagination.

We arrived late Friday night and we all went to bed.  The next morning I drug myself out of bed and into the shower.  I stood there with no more to say, no more scenarios, no more insecurities, just broken.  As I toweled off, I said,”Right now I take my place, seated in heavenly places with Christ, and I say that there are no crossed eyes in heaven and I declare on earth as it is in heaven.  I rebuke false symptoms and false signs in the name of Jesus.  Gracie your eye IS straight as an arrow, now and for the rest of your life.”  I felt nothing.

Saturday morning I explained the last week to my inlaws.  They were caring but agreed to trust us as we fasted and prayed about it.  Gracie slept late and woke up at 10ish.  She looked good.  Eye straight.  A few hours later I checked.  Eye straight.  Again, a few hours later, eye straight.  Unbelievable!  I am so thankful to say, it’s still straight.  Sunday night. For real.  Who is this King of glory?

And so, the word of my testimony is that He is good.  He is. The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases.  His mercies never come to an end.  They are new every morning.  Great is Thy faithfulness!……..And He gave me a winter coat! Now, I’m over the top.

The coat..the blurry upclose version

The coat…….The far away clear version

My daughter’s eyes……straight as an arrow……blue as the sky