LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL

Good morning, dancing hearts! To be truthful, it has been an emotional week for us in our little radius of our neighborhood here in Texas. To begin the week, I watched my little sister, hold her prayed for, miracle baby, my niece, Rose, on the stage at our church for her baby dedication. Rose wore the same gown Katie was dedicated in 32 years ago. I watched my sister and brother in law snuggle that baby and pray over her and it made my heart swell up with wonder at this God we love and are loved by…our Creator.

But sitting in the back of my heart was also the emotion of losing my seven year old’s buddy and classmate from school, Julian. This precious little boy lost his battle with ALD, a rare but aggressive disease. He battled for a year and stepped over into heaven last week. Cooper, my seven year old, keeps teaching me without meaning too that God is real, heaven is really for real, and Julian is okay because he is with God now.

All I know to do when I feel the weight of life, whether it’s the good stuff or the hard stuff, is to write. And so I tap at the keyboard this morning in hopes of encouraging maybe one heart, maybe two….

That life is beautiful. The joy of new babies born, the scent of flowers, the thrill of a new adventure, the love between a husband and wife, the precious things our kids say, the here, the now, the hope of heaven, the security of salvation, the constant knowing of our Savior’s presence. And life is still beautiful in the hard things, but it’s okay to feel the hard things. There will be hard things, dear one, but there is always light on the other side of it. And so we feel it, we let the tears fall, and we sit in God’s lap, trusting when we can’t understand, believing when we can’t see, and hugging a friend when we don’t know what to say.

From brokenness and loss to wonder and happiness, it’s this bundle of life here on earth in these temporary bodies and temporary homes where we find God. And one day we will step over into heaven and there will be no more sadness, no more darkness, and no more pain. Until then, we keep dancing in step with our Savior, holding His hand through the good and through the hard, and He remains faithful through it all.

So to Julian’s family and friends, we continue to pray you on…yes, pray you on…your hearts will dance again. And I know Julian is dancing in heaven as He watches you today.

And to baby girl, Rose, through the dance of life, may you know the fullness of God. Your light already shines so brightly and you bring your mommy and your daddy and all of us such joy and sunshine. May you always feel the hope of heaven and our Savior through all of life’s twists and turns. You bless us, baby girl.

And to my Cooper, when you grow up, know that you ministered to your Mommy through this hard thing, losing Julian. I will always remember your sweet perspective that God is real, heaven is really for real, and Julian is okay. You help me be okay.

Dancing hearts, may you always keep looking up for God’s light in the hard moments, and may you keep dancing through the good moments.