Spoiler Alert

  Isaiah 46:10

I made known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. 

I say, “My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please. 

 I am not one for suspense.  If Wes and I are watching a movie with the least bit of suspense in it, I have to know that the star survives the stressful scenes or I’m not watching it.  I don’t want to be riveted or on the edge of my seat.  I want to sit back, relax, and wait on the happy ending.  I’m even less of a suspense fan when it comes to the outcome of my family.  I want to know that their faith will survive the emotional bumps and bruises along the way.

Four years ago our then 15 year-old daughter, Emily, was in the middle of a 14 month battle with constant migraines.  Her young heart had already endured 4 years of missed milestones with the little brother she prayed into the world.  She had already heard, “I’m sorry Em, we can’t.” far more times that I would have liked.  I couldn’t imagine how her young faith could recover, especially since my own faith was wavering.  I wish I could have skipped forward to 2012 to see how God would work it all out. 

Today she is a freshman at a Christian University where she is double majoring in Bible and Communications.  I often get calls from her saying, “Hey Mama, Can I share what God is showing me?” Here is what she called to share last month:

Evangelism and Discipleship Spoken Testimony

                God’s promises for us are so vast and so incredible but the promise of Mephibosheth’s story has perhaps been one of the most personal and exciting for my life. Mephibosheth. An interesting name, a small character in the bible, but a man with radical transformation. Grandson of Saul, Mephibosheth was Jonathan’s crippled son. When Mephibosheth entered the king’s presence he bowed down before him. Can you imagine all that it must have taken his weak and frail body to get down onto his hands and knees? It would have taken all he had. Crippled people during biblical times were often considered shameful and disgusting but one of the coolest twists to this story is that the name Mephibosheth means “shame destroyer” and “image breaker.” When he fell down before the king, David invited him in to be one of his sons to eat with him at his table.The fact that he was accepted by the King with a name that meant “shame destroyer” shows God’s mighty hand at work.

                God grabbed my heart as I was reading this story. I have an adorable little eight year old brother named Ryan who has cerebral palsy. He had a stroke before he was born and now endures painful therapy, seizures, and monthly treatments. There is great promise that he will grow and improve in strength; however, this very minute Ryan would be considered crippled. I began to think about Ryan and God showed my heart that all Ryan has to do is use every bit of energy he has to fall before God, like Mephibosheth fell before the king, and he will recognize him as his son and give him the strength to stand again. While people with special needs in today’s times aren’t considered as shameful as they used to be, Ryan is still treated differently. People often underestimate him and refuse to see his capabilities. Ryan’s name means bright-eyed, able, and strength. God is sovereign over the smallest detail like a name.

                Through the story of Mephibosheth, God allowed me to be encouraged but taught me that we are all like Mephibosheth. At some point or another we have to use all that we have within us, to fall before the lord. We may endure humiliation and we may endure season of trial after trial, but when we come to God, our King, and acknowledge our weak and crippled state apart from him, he empowers us through his spirit to stand. I was once like Mephibosheth, broken and hopeless before the King. And now, I stand up again. Not resting in my own strength, but in the Father who created me. While I don’t have a nifty ironic name meaning like my brother or Mephibosheth, part of my name means “emulating” which is to imitate or reflect the character of another. That presents me with the challenge to emulate or reflect the one who made me. The story of Mephibosheth encouraged me in hope for my brother, challenged me to reflect the right things, and reminded me that we’ve all been broken before the Lord. I hope his story encourages you too.

         
From the beginning, God knew the end result of all that Emily would go through.  Emily is right, there is no irony in her name; however, she failed to look up the meaning of her middle name, Michelle – godly woman and that she is, thanks to His plan.

As you look at today's struggles, just know that at some point in the future you will grasp the end result that He has been working on from the beginning!!  You will see the Jeremiah 29:11 plan come together!!

God Bless!!!!