gifts

Jan

2018

Angels Attending – a guest post by Elizabeth Rosner

He will command His angels concerning you to guard you carefully. Luke 4:10 (Tweet this)

By Elizabeth P. Rosner

2 am Friday morning. My husband wakes me to tell me our son, Alexander, has had a wreck. The car is totaled, but he is fine. Mike and I jump in the car to go get Alexander. We arrive and the sight is so scary. Alexander is standing outside his car, in 20 degree weather, shivering and sobbing. I run to him and cling to him, thanking God for the one gazillionth time for the gift of this child and for keeping him safe. I put Alexander in the back seat of our car while Mike calls the police. I go back to Alexander’s car to retrieve the minutiae – garage door opener, university parking pass, phone cords, his longboard. Before I can do that though, I am struck by the fact that there is no front end on the car. It is completely smashed in. The left front tire that was just minutes before perpendicular to the road is now laying flat. From the front it looks as if nothing could possibly survive such a collision. Yet, my son is nestled feet away from me, still in shock and crying, but alive! PRAISE JESUS!

The police arrive and inquire about the accident. The officer says there are many deer on the road and this happens often. He does not issue a ticket nor does he perform any sobriety check. He is calm and reassuring to Alexander that it was not his fault. I get in the back seat with him and hug him again. I ask again if he feels ok, did he hit his head, is anything broken? He says the only thing that hurts is his thumb. I look and it is purple at the nail bed but he can move it. The officer asks Alexander if he needs to go to the hospital and he declines.

The flatbed tow truck pulls up. He says the Mini Cooper has some special device that is needed to tow it. If that is not available, he can just tow from the frame. He goes under the car and the frame is gone. Completely smashed. He has to tow attaching the hook to the engine. As he is pulling the car from the trees, the officer says we can go.

The three of us walk in our house, less than a mile away from where this happened. I tuck my little boy, my 18 year old almost-a-man child, into bed. I cry joyful, grateful, momma tears and thank the sweet Lord Jesus that he is home with us and not in a hospital ICU or worse. A mother’s worst nightmare has been averted.

The next morning when Alexander wakes up, we go to urgent care. The doctor sees the pictures and proclaims my son a walking miracle. While waiting on x-rays, the Lord directs me to Jeremiah 29:11. This is a verse that has been a foundation for both Alexander and I for many, many years. The Lord comforts me that He has great plans for Alexander. Then I read the next two verses.

We have all gotten those middle of the night phone calls that raise us from a dead sleep. I was not awake at 2am praying fervently for my child. I was asleep. My prayers, though, go before me. We anointed his car and prayed over it, asking for angels to attend him every second he was in that car. The Lord promises we can call on Him and He will answer. In this, my prayers were answered before I called on Him.

The doctor comes back in with the x-ray results. Nothing is broken. His thumb just needs a minor procedure to alleviate the pain. We think this happened when the airbag deployed. He bandaged the thumb and we are back home.

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. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:11-13

Dear Jesus, when I look at the pictures of the mangled car my heart drops. When I see those two trees and the fragments of his side mirror amongst the debris I am astounded. When I see his bandaged thumb, knowing it could have been so much worse, I praise YOU! I thank You Jesus for Your plans, Your protection, Your willingness to answer our calls, even before we make them. Thank You for answering this momma’s most fervent prayer to keep her child safe. AMEN

To connect with Elizabeth on social media, click the links below:

Elizabeth Rosner…..
Christ follower. Prayer warrior. Wife, Mom, Hugger, and Encourager.

Dec

2017

Joy and Red Birds – a guest post by Elizabeth Rosner

by Elizabeth P. Rosner

You lead me in the path of life; I experience absolute joy in your presence; you always give me sheer delight.
Psalm 16:11 – (Tweet this)

Have you ever asked the Lord for a sign and He answered? If so, you know the sheer delight I experienced last week when blessing my friend, Joy.

It was Secret Santa week and I had the pleasure of being assigned to give gifts to Joy. She’s one of two custodians on our campus who work hard to make sure our building is immaculate. There were set spending parameters, and I went to great lengths to ensure that she would never suspect her Secret Santa was me until the big reveal. What I didn’t count on was my sneakiness being disrupted by the Holy Spirit!

Every year, instead of resolutions, the Lord gives me a word for the year. In 2015, my word was Joy. At the end of last year, Brighton had a promotional tote bag that was free with purchase. It was a canvas bag with the word “Joy” emblazoned on it with a huge red bird background. I didn’t really need a new Brighton bag and it was Christmas so I should have been shopping for others, but I really wanted this canvas tote. I prayed about it, as I do with every expenditure, and the Lord prompted me to make the purchase. After I received it, the tote sat in my closet, pristine and unused. I would admire it but when I prayed about using it, He said, “Not yet.”

In gathering Joy’s gifts for the week, the Lord reminded me of that tote and asked me to give it to her for her last gift. “Ah”, I thought, “this is why I bought that tote! It was never for me all along. I love getting to be part of His grand plan to bless others!”

After receiving this last gift, but before the reveal luncheon, Joy came into my office. She said, “You’re my Secret Santa, aren’t you?” I said, “I think we have to wait to find out. Why do you think so?” She said, with a glimmer in her eye, “Because I prayed about it and He told me it was you!” She went on to tell me how much that tote meant to her and what a sign it was from Him.

In 2001, her sister’s only child, Derrick, was killed in a car wreck when he was just 21 years old. In 2012, their father was ill and dying. At his bedside, her sister asked their dad to please hug Derrick when he got to heaven and said, “When you’re with him, will you send me a red bird?” The next morning, as her sister was sweeping and getting the house ready for all the family who would come in for the funeral, she opened the front door to find on the porch, sitting intently and still, two beautiful red birds!

As Joy relayed this story to me, we were both crying tears of gratitude for the Lord’s faithfulness. She thanked me again and I replied, “Joy, He had me purchase that tote over a year ago. I had no idea at the time who it was for, but am so happy God had a plan and I could be part of it!”

I always pray with joy in my every prayer for all of you. –Philippians 1:4

Dear Jesus, what a blessing it is to be part of Your plan to bless others! Thank You for allowing me that joy and for including me. Please help each one of us listen to Your still, quiet voice when You ask us to be obedient to Your calling. Remind us that it truly is more blessed to give than to receive, especially when it’s in Your Name! AMEN