Skip to main content

"A New Song to Sing"

 


Today is September 5, my son Zachary’s 10th heavenly birthday. I usually have a very hard time on this day and cry a lot, but today is different. Today I am filled with joy and excitement because God has been using this little boy who lived only a few minutes to do something BIG in this world that he never knew. I am honored that I get to be a part of this project as I try to follow the Holy Spirit’s nudges and do as he leads. A lot is going on, and because of this, today is different. 


Today, I have something to offer my son for his birthday. I have written his story. It’s not ready to publish yet, but I had hoped to have a rough draft finished by Zachary’s birthday - and despite it all, I did it! I am not writing this book because I had the idea, but God made it clear to me that I was supposed to. Something in these 41,128 words is supposed to help someone…somewhere. 


Maybe that someone is me. 


Because of Zachary, I learned about hope and joy amidst sorrow. I know now that God’s plans are the best plans, even if they’re not what or when I wanted. I know now that God knows the details of our lives and cares about all of them, even the tiniest ones. I have experienced how he loves to send us messages of love through other people, nature, the Bible, music, and other things. I have experienced miracles and wonders that I don’t deserve. He does this for all of us, just because he loves us. Writing this book has given me new understandings and new kinds of healing. I got to have some pretty special conversations and even got to meet some new people in the process too. 


When God called me to write this book, I didn’t know how big this project actually was. God knew I probably wouldn’t respond well to that, so he just hinted and then showed me step-by-step what to do. I had no idea what I would learn, not just about the writing and publishing process, but also about what it’s like to work more closely with the Holy Spirit to share the hope that I have earned. I also did not know that God would also give me songs to sing (and eventually share) too.  I still don’t know what the end result will be, but I am excited and ready. 


Today I am celebrating Zachary. He has changed me and continues to change me. Though I have a long way to go, I have learned a lot in ten years because of this remarkable son of mine. Though this kind of growth has not been easy, I am grateful for all of it. Mostly, I am grateful to be Zachary’s mom. I miss him every day, and can’t wait to hug him in Heaven. Until then, I’ll tell his story and do my best to make him proud. 


“He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what he has done and be amazed. They will put their trust in the Lord.” Psalm 40:3 (NLT)

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

How would Jesus do my job??

Recently, I listened to two of John Mark Comer’s books Practicing the Way and The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry . I highly recommend both of them, but they sure hit me in some sensitive spots. John Mark writes about how he seeks to be more like Jesus by being his apprentice, much like Jesus’s disciples, spending time with him, doing what he does, and becoming more and more like him.  At a couple of points, John Mark mentions that Jesus had a “normal” job as a carpenter for a long time before he began traveling and teaching as a rabbi. What challenged me was when John Mark said, “Jesus could have done any job. He could have done the same job as you” and then challenged his readers to think about how Jesus would have done our jobs. This has had my mind spinning for several weeks. Jesus - a middle and high school choir director?  I have been a choir director for twenty years, though In some ways, I feel like a first-year teacher every year. One of the best parts of my job is tha...
Post a Comment
Read more

We Need Each Others' Stories

  I am a talker, and I love talking to people and sharing our stories. The funny stories are the easiest to share, but I also love to just learn about other people's lives, families, and experiences.  I have three sisters in my family and have always looked to my older sisters for guidance when starting a new chapter of life. They went to middle school and high school before I did. They taught me how to study for tests and showed me what to wear or not wear. They definitely let me know when something I was doing was not cool (which was probably a lot). I gained sisters-in-law when I got married, adding to my village. My sisters had my niece and nephew before I had my first child. I learned a lot from them because they had to figure things out before I did. They made it easier for me when it was my time. I remember reading the What to Expect When You’re Expecting book when I was pregnant, but I don’t remember having time to read once my child was born - I just listened to peopl...
Post a Comment
Read more