Wednesday, July 13, 2016

Reconciliation and Restoration-Peace!
By Jeannine Sawall

 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”


Seeing the two of them sitting next to each other, smiling and chatting brought tears to my eyes. For the first time in my 41 years, my mom and bio-dad were in the same room with each other sitting and talking like old friends. I felt compelled to take of a picture of the two of them but hesitated to do so. I didn’t want to make their first meeting feel awkward.

I sat down with them and began talking with both  my parents! I pulled out pictures of my family’s recent vacation and shared them with Larry while my mom looked on. Later in the evening, my mom, stepdad and a couple of friends were sitting in the family room with Larry…still talking! I asked if they were going to join us for the fireworks. My mom smiled and said, “We’ll be down in a minute. We’re working on getting Larry saved!”

The next day, I told my mom how proud I was of her. She seemed so at ease with Larry after all these years, despite the initial emotional struggle after he contacted me. She said it was good to see him after all that time. I asked her if she had found “closure,” and she said she hadn’t, but God had given her a peace that she hadn’t had before. She shared how good it was to see Larry and me together. “He really does love you, Bean. I’m so glad I had a chance to see that.” Sixteen days later, my mom died in a car accident.

As I look back at that time, I see the hand of God so very clearly in every detail. He brought Larry into my life in His timing, not to replace my mom but to offer me the opportunity to develop a father/daughter relationship I didn’t even know I was missing at a time I would desperately need it. While my mom had experienced healing in many areas of her life, Larry was the one “loose end” she struggled with. God, in His goodness, allowed her to experience peace with Larry before she was called home, and God allowed me to witness that process. God’s plans and timing may not always be clear to us or easy to walk. But we can be sure His plans are for our good, for hope and for a future, if we trust Him and allow Him to work in our lives.

GOING DEEPER:
  1. With whom does God desire you to reconcile?
  2. Where do you need to trust God with your future?


FURTHER READING:


Jeannine is a wife and mother of four great boys. She works in the property management business. Jeannine serves in several behind-the-scenes ministries at Oakwood and has a heart for those who are grieving.