12 noon
The Unthinkable. What is that? I think of Gene and Carol Kent whose son with an impeccable record in the military, gunned down in cold blood, the ex-husband of his wife. He is now in jail with no chance of parole. That’s the unthinkable. When they stood at his graduation, they would never have believed anything vaguely like this would be possible. There have been many books written by Carol as she has walked the journey and tried to make sense of unspeakable tragedy.
Steven Curtis and Mary Beth Chapman, when they adopted the beautiful Maria, would never have a notion they would be burying her shortly after her 5th birthday after their son had accidentally knocked her over with his car in the driveway of their home. It is their ‘unthinkable’, the story and heartache and struggle captured in a book, in which she says they won’t get over the tragedy, but they will get through it…
And then there’s the story I picked up online yesterday. There is no book. It is too fresh. The pain is too great. The life too confused. I googled and searched and read and recoiled in horror as I discovered the ‘unthinkable’ in the Adkins family life. Jeremy & Kristina Adkins had 4 beautiful daughters and were pregnant with a 5th. Kristina, who was 35, home-schooled her girls and worked as a newborn ICU nurse. The day of the birth arrived – 26th February 2013. Eaven (rhymes with haven) was born. She was perfect. But at the delivery, things went horribly wrong. Kristina lost an enormous amount of blood. Doctors also said she had a stroke. She fell unconscious and they could not revive her. On life support, with thousands of people praying, Jeremy Adkins had to face the unthinkable. What if Kristina died? Constantly at her side, he prayed for a miracle. Nine days later, on 7th March, after Kristina was declared brain dead, her soul left this earth and she entered eternity.
You can read the whole story here:
http://spectatorpublishing.com/unexpected-faith/
You will read in the article:
There’s nothing in life that I can face now that’s going to be daunting. It’s literally thousands of people that are supporting and praying for us and I give all of the credit to God.” A pensive moment passes and Jeremy concludes, “His strength has carried us through… I can feel it in a very real way. It’s just amazing to me.”
Jeremy and his beautiful girls…
These three families, the Kents, the Chapmans and the Adkins have experienced God carrying them when they faced the unthinkable.
Pray for the Adkins family as they face the future. Baby Eaven is just over 5 months old.
There are many things we don’t understand this side of eternity. One thing I do know for sure: this is not all there is. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, “It’s not about here and now.” God has a great future for us in a different realm where there is no more crying and pain. I walked into church today and I noticed some of the congregation crippled in this life – some with walkers, some with sticks, some in wheelchairs and I imagined for a brief moment in time, a split second in heaven, where they were all well, no longer trapped in a broken body, rejoicing in beauty and health. And then we enjoyed the touching ministry of Bill Drake who sang the words, “For it’s the way to prove my love, when the feelings go away, if it costs me everything, I’ll obey.”
We can’t be fair-weather Christians. When the unthinkable happens, we have to carry on trusting God, carry on remembering, as Bill said today, we are not defined by our wounds, but by the One who was wounded for us.
Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
Onward! It’s not about now. Be an eternity-thinker.
God bless you.
In His Grip,
Helga xx
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