Miracles Really Do Happen!

Today is a day in history that I will never forget. Many of you know why and some of you have no clue as to what I'm talking about.

This morning me, Anna, Abby, Cayla, Avry and another Abby (my friend Jen's daughter) headed to EFC. The kids grabbed a quick breakfast and Avry waited for me to get her a drink of milk and a baggie of Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal. Avry had wanted to wear a horribly hot sweater and a skirt, but I talked her into a sundress that's light and flowing! Evan and Emma had spent the night with Grandma Jane (John's mom) and she planned to meet us at church at 9:15 a.m. and Johnathan spent the night with Brad and Katie, our new friends/godly mentors for Johnathan whom he met at Royal Kid's Camp. We arrived to church and hurried in to be on time for our 9:15 a.m. class. I attended the "Old Testament" class for the first time this morning. Sam Durham is teaching it and I was loving every minute of the teaching on Jacob. God showed Jacob an amazing vision from heaven at a time in Jacob's life that wasn't really the most "spiritual" time. He had just lied his pants off to his dad, Isaac, in order to steal the birthright blessing from his bro Esau. Sam pointed out something I'd never thought about- "Why did God choose this time in Jacob's life to reveal such an awesome vision?" ....Because it was at that time that Jacob needed it. It all goes back to grace- we don't ever deserve God's awesomeness, His amazing interventions, His wonderful and glorious visions- but He chooses when and where and works all things for the good. In this vision, Jacob saw a staircase to Heaven and angels were ascending and descending on it. Later in the book of John, the same exact wording is used to talk about the "staircase where angels are ascending and descending on the Son of Man." Hmmmm.... a staircase goes two ways- both up and down... just like God reaches down to have a relationship with us because His perfect Son, Jesus bridged the gap with sacrificing his life for the world's sins. Also, you can walk up a staircase- we have an opportunity to go to God ANYtime, ANYwhere and ANYplace. Wow! I was totally into this Bible study. Then, suddenly the door flung open and Jess said "Kara!"

Now, I put an exclaimation mark there because her tone of voice was serious, I knew something was wrong. Wrong, like... tragedy kind of wrong. I rushed out of the room to hear her say "Avry is locked in the van!" I didn't really hear anything else as I went into panic mode and rushed to the van which was parked clear in the back of the parking lot. My mind was blank and I couldn't even really think straight. When I saw Avry's face, I lost it... she was sobbing uncontrollably, sweating and frantic.
Oh dear God, what had I done??? I held her and cried and cried and cried some more. We quickly assessed that she was okay and needed water of course. I immediately started to question how did this happened! How???? How???? Was she asleep and we all just got out and thought each other had gotten her out??? How???? So, I asked her if she was asleep and the most crushing answer came "No, I not asleep... You left me." What???? My child watched me walk away from the van as she was shut in an AIR TIGHT vehicle, parked IN THE SUN for 45 minutes.. yes.. i did just type that she was in there for 45 minutes. LITERALLY, by the grace of God she was found in enough time.

My mother in law was supposed to be at church at 9:15 and she would have just brought the kids inside and stayed with me for Sun. school class. We would have worried about their stuff after church. Today was children's church, which means that Avry would have just transferred into it after Sun. school was over- there would have been no reason for me to check on her..... all of this to say- by God's sovereignty and graciousness- my mother in law was late and pulled right up to my van to see Avry crying hysterically.

We serve an awesome God. We forget that everyday is a gift from Him and that many miracles happen all around us, ones that we'll never see or know about. But, today- he shined his light on our lives and gave us a miracle. He spared Avry's life, her precious little life. Just like Jacob, I sure didn't deserve some great and wonderful miracle from God... I'm not at my "spiritual best", I've fallen as we all do at times and lost sight of the reality of who I am compared to who God is. Yet, he chose today to save my child. There is no doubt in my mind that HE orchestrated every moment of our morning- right down to the very details that Avry wanted to wear a hot sweatshirt and I said no way, you need to wear this very light weight sleeveless sundress. God knew she'd need the least amount of clothes on to survive the hot, airtight van. Why did she stop me and ask for some milk and cereal as we were headed out? God knew she needed extra hydration. There is one detail of this story that I left out until the very end.

While I was in Sun. school class I heard God speak to me, but at the time I dismissed it and didn't listen. He said something to me about "Avry" and then showed me a quick picture of when we walked into the church and then how I didn't remember seeing one of the older kids take her to her class. This was about a half of a second long, but He did try to speak to me. Nothing clicked! Nothing! I didn't even question her being in the van. All too often, the Spirit speaks or moves in my heart- but I'm too busy to listen. The ongoing theme right now in my life is God saying to me, "Be still and know that I am God!" Yet, once again because He is a loving and merciful God, He didn't hold that against me. He still chose to rescue her. The "what if's? keep flashing before me- they are not pretty; they are devastating to be quite honest.

As I stood in church this morning worshipping at the front alter- the voice of angels surrounded me as my friends sang over me, cried with me and prayed for me. I wanted to collapse in thankfulness to my King, my Savior, my rescuer...my child's rescuer! I was blessed with lunch out with Angela and time to just calm down and talk through it all, laugh and just catch up on some accountability issues :)
Avry's totally fine!!! Miracles really do happen.

I share all of this with you today so that we can praise Him together for His GRACE-
"God's Riches At Christ's Expense"
Love you all,
k