I spent part of last week standing by, watching as my 85-year-old mother went through 48 hours or so of being hospitalized, tested, poked, prodded, and basically scared out of her wits. Of course, she never showed her fear. She was gracious and thoughtful toward those of us around her, showing more concern for our inconvenience and that of the nurses than her potential health risks.

That is simply who my mom is.

Though my siblings and I were deeply concerned for our mother, battling our own fears, we were determined to keep the mood light. We anticipated her needs, offered our assistance, and stayed by her side, never leaving her alone.

That is simply who she and our dad raised us to be. Family is important; you show up when a family member is in need.

In the end, the news couldn’t have been better—her heart is astonishingly healthy—and she is home, returning to her normal routine.

Crisis averted. Sighs of relief all around. Gratitude abounds!

One of the things that stood out most to me during this difficult time last week was the outpouring of love and concern of my Facebook friends (among other friends and family). So many people offered their prayers and support, asking for updates as we went along, and celebrating with us when we received good news. Some are longstanding friends I have known for years; others are simply social media friends whom I have never met face to face, never spoken to, and know little about. The connection to almost all these friends is that of being part of a bigger family, the family of God. We are brothers and sisters in Christ.

That is simply what it means to be part of His family. We pray for each other. We stand in the gap for one another. Regardless of our depth of knowledge of and experience with one another, we are bound in love, devotion, and faithfulness through the love, sacrifice, and hope of our Savior and God.

One of the questions my mom asked that first night in the hospital was, “How do people handle things like this when they don’t have Jesus?” To which I didn’t have much of an answer. Even then my mother was thinking of others, yet she was also expressing that her hope and trust is in Someone greater than herself; Someone faithful and trustworthy.

How do YOU get through a crisis? Do you know the Creator of the Universe? Do you know the One who gave His life that you might live? Do you belong to this kind of family? Do you know the One who holds you no matter what? If you don’t, message me; I would love to introduce you!

That is simply who He made me to be…. 🙂

Simply grateful,

Mary

Happy Monday, everybody!