“No, thank you. I’m not really interested in that.”
This was my first (and second and third) response when I was encouraged to use the Hope After Loss material I had written to start a blog.
But slowly I started to open up to the idea and before I knew it, despite my doubts and hesitations, the whole thing was in motion. It has been amazing to feel God’s hand in everything and the confirmation He has given along the way — the treasures He keeps giving.
One example is the development of the name and logo. After brainstorming with my family, I chose the name “Treasures in Trials” because I am continually amazed at the good that has come from the worst years of my life, and I wanted each post to reflect the lessons, or “treasures” I’ve learned along the way. My friend Heidi came up with the idea of using a diamond in the logo, and then my friend Analise developed it into the design with the swirls, which I thought was beautiful and perfect.
A few days after the logo had been added to the website was the anniversary of Lexi’s heaven day. I was reading through some of the poems and letters she left and came across a letter she wrote to Mike and I, thanking us for being such loving parents and always being so supportive of her. What a gift. Then something caught my eye at the bottom of the page that I had never noticed before – a sketch she had made. It was a diamond surrounded by swirls.
God continues to give treasures.
This week we will celebrate Lexi’s birthday with our seventh annual Links for Lexi and Lost Loved Ones dinner and golf tournament, and the theme will be “Treasures Come Through Trials.” It’s true that we can’t experience the reward of the treasure without going through the trial. “For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.” (2 Cor. 1:5) I have experienced such an abundance of God’s comfort, love, and presence. And it all happens through Christ and His own willingness to suffer – for us.
God continues to remind me that those treasures only come when I am staying close to Him. Just as a friendship is developed by spending time with a person and intentionally making efforts to get to know him or her, God can only reveal Himself to us when we are making the effort to get to know Him and spend time with Him. How can we see Him if we aren’t looking? How can we feel Him when we don’t know Him? James 4:8 says, “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.”
And when we do, we will be amazed at how real and close and awesome our Creator truly is. When we seek Him and lean on Him, He will not disappoint. He gives little glimmers of hope, signs of His love, and reassurances of His faithfulness and goodness. Over and over and over again.
Your reference to the verse in James reminded me that a couple of weeks ago, as I sat in the car before work, I was praying for God to give me the attitude of Jesus for meetings I had that day. He gave me the phrase, “turn into him”. Not that I should try to become Jesus but that I should spiritually turn towards him, the way a toddler turns towards the parent who is holding him when someone new or scary approaches. What do most parents do then? While embracing their child they turn so that they are bodily in between their child and the “scary-ness” so that the child is able to see, over his parent’s shoulder, that things really aren’t as scary as they seem. I think God was inviting me to do the same: to turn towards him so that he can turn me around and allow me to face the situation with him between me and the world. All of your kids are lucky to have you and Mike as parents; similarly, we are all lucky to have God as our heavenly parent. May we all strive to love and guide as he does.
What a great mental image. If we are leaning into and looking over God’s shoulder, we can face the scary things. Thanks, Ryan.
I love the “just so happens…” moments. You know, like the logo Heidi suggested “just so happens” to be what your daughter drew some time beforehand in a letter to you.
I’m collecting all the “just so happens..” I can.
This is so true and so well put! God is continually giving us the gifts of his peace and his understanding if we are spending intimate time with him 💕💕🙏🏼thank you Kris for
Saying yes to this blog and sharing your gifts!
This is so true and so well put! God is continually giving us the gifts of his peace and his understanding if we are spending intimate time with him 💕💕🙏🏼thank you Kris for
Saying yes to this blog and sharing your gifts!
Love this so much, what a precious letter from sweet Lexi. Brings me to tears. Thank you for sharing, Kris, your words are so encouraging. Thanks for this very timely reminder!!