July is a special month to me; it was July 22, 1966 I became a mother. I was also sixteen; to say it wasn’t the best of times is an understatement.

Yet, here I am fifty-six years later celebrating one of the greatest blessings of my life. Where would we be without her; after all, in reality “we” began with “her”.

Would there be fifty-six years of marriage to a wonderful boy who became a great man? Would there be two other siblings; would there be all these incredible grandchildren whom we love and adore? In 1966, those thoughts were never discussed because they didn’t exist. There was no “bigger picture.” There was only fear, embarrassment, shame, guilt and trying to fix the problem.

It was a tough time; I had to drop out of school because that was the law. Sixteen, pregnant, a high school dropout wasn’t a recipe for success. There were many sleepless nights; heated conversations; and severed relationships.

But God…

I didn’t know God.

I didn’t know about Jeremiah 29;11. I didn’t know about hope; I didn’t know that good can and will come out of hard experiences.

All I knew was: we had made a choice that rearranged our lives and the lives of two families. That was a heavy responsibility to carry yet it was placed onto our sixteen year old shoulders.

Together we chose a hard road; we became parents as kids ourselves. And today we are beyond grateful that we did. What we couldn’t imagine then is the beautiful, vibrant family we have today.

That possibility, or perspective, was never given.

But God…

Some precious older ladies came into my life at different seasons who encouraged and equipped me for the road I had chosen. However, there were many others who could have helped me find my way but they chose not to.

There will always be people who help and others who throw stones. I learned from both groups of people. It was MY choice which group would shape and influence my heart.

But God…

He never leaves us where He finds us. When I chose guilt and shame over faith and forgiveness, He stepped into that pain with His love and healing.

We all make decisions and choices that we wish we could undo, redo, or not do. We are all imperfect; we all have missteps in some shape or form. But we can also receive forgiveness and hope to keep on keeping on.

This past week a friend shared her heart about how she was treated when her teen daughter became pregnant. She left her church at a time when her family most needed caring people. I have heard similar stories through the years.

Sadly, the ones who are hurt all too often get God confused with the unchristian actions of His people.  It’s easy to do; as humans we are supposed to be His embodiment on the earth; we are made in His image; His love, kindness, caring and help are supposed to reflect in us. As a young teen, I felt more condemnation than love, help and forgiveness from the very people who claimed to be Christian.  I was an adult before I learned how God saw me. Unfortunately those similar misguided people still exist today. As the mother of a teen who didn’t stay within the safe boundaries, my friend had a similar experience.

But God…

In spite of the actions of some, Jeremiah 29:11 still rings true. “For I know the plans I have for you; for hope and a good future.”

Isaiah 55: 8-9, “For My thoughts are not your thoughts. Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.”

I see those words so clearly. When there appears to be little hope, there is God. When life seems to be a dead end, there is God. When our human perspective is small and limited, there is God. Faith is believing all things can work together for good even when you are scared beyond words.

But God…

He wants to be invited into our messiness; even when He isn’t, Jeremiah 29:11 will still hold true.

People will always be imperfect and they can always be forgiven.

But the bigger picture is this: God is the same yesterday, today and forever. His love and forgiveness still nurture hope and a bright future in spite of our human flaws.

Phil and I didn’t invite God into our situation; we didn’t know He was real, He had a plan, and He loved us in spite of our flaws. No one told us when we needed that truth more than anything. Yet, His love was there and He remained true to His words in Jeremiah 29:11. God had a plan even when we did not; that holds true for everyone. Your plan may not look like ours but it will fit the “bigger picture” for your life. It’s never too late to invite Him into your world and He will make it better.

Today our faith is strong, our love for each other is strong, and our family is strong.  What began with “her”, grew into “we”.  All I can say to that is….

But God!