Two years ago today, my sister suffered a traumatic brain injury after falling off of her horse during a ride with our cousins. Last year, with much on my heart, I wrote of my personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. I am sharing it here in honor of my sister on this day, that could have so easily been even more tragic.
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Today is a day of wide-ranging mixed emotions in our family. Right this minute a year ago today none of us had any idea that in a few hours we would face the traumatic brain injury of our sweet sister or the possibility that she might not survive the night. We did not know that Farm Girl as we knew her would not be 'with us' again for a long time, or that her experience would be so transformative.
Looking back on that frightening night a year ago we are filled with a sobering joy. Our lives are richer, happier, more blessed with our beloved Farm Girl in them! This day could easily have been one of heartsick remembrance after a year of trying to help mother precious children who were left behind. Instead, it is a day of quiet reflection and tearful joy. Some part of me physically feels the need to rush over [out of state] and grab her up into my arms. I want to give her a squeeze and make sure that she is real!
We would be remiss not to note how this day a year ago was also the start of something else. Prayers literally flooded in from people across the nation and then from different parts of the world, as well. With every new test result, the predictions for her quality of life became direr. The doctors wanted us to know to expect months of ICU, hospitalization, and time in a rehab facility. They warned that people do not typically recover well from such complex brain/skull injuries. At one point, we were even told if she did not recover well enough in the rehab center that she could possibly live out the rest of her days in a nursing home.
God knew better, as His children hit their faces claiming promises of healing, mercy, and grace. Farm Girl did not recover in increments, even though it felt intense and slow at the time. Medically speaking, she recovered in leaps and bounds! We rejoiced as a family and as a Christian community with every improvement she made!
My heart aches within me as I write this, knowing that several other families this year were not so lucky. We have seen recovery happen in some families and shocking sudden loss in others. Still others live with permanent injuries at a much higher scale. I grieve even as I worship the Lord above. Surely His ways are not our own. Surely we cannot understand the thoughts that He thinks or why life happens in one way for some and another way for others.
What we do know about Christ is this: He is necessary to and for life!
Were my sister to spend today with her beloved family or were she to be looking down from Heaven, she would want you to know this. We *all* need a Savior!
The Bible says that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. It says that no man can come to the Father without Him. (John 14:6). It tells us that staying in His Word is essential to living a life of truth, honesty, and above reproach. (Psalm 119:11) It says that we have all sinned (your sin is the same as mine in His eyes) and are in need of a Savior. (Romans 3:23) We are told that this sin comes with a price... death. (Romans 6:23) That is not just the physical death of our body, but also the eternal death of our soul. (Revelation 21:8)
We are told that eternal death in the lake of fire is not necessary! God has a place for the righteous (His blood-covered children) to go! (Matthew 25:26) He said that God Himself has made a way into Heaven! (John 3:16) This way involved allowing His Son, Jesus - who was without sin (1 Peter 1:18,19; 1 Peter 2:2; John 8:29; 1 John 3:5; Luke 1:35; Hebrews 4:15) to take the burden of all of our sins on Himself (2 Corinthians 5:21; Peter 2:24) Do you understand this? God took ALL of the sins you and I would ever commit to the cross with Him! (Isaiah 53:5) We are told that He took the keys of death and hell (Revelations 1:18)! Death no longer has power over us (1 Corinthians 15:55) even though we all will eventually die (Heb 9:27).
We can be good people by the world's standards our entire lives and yet still be accountable to God for our sin. (Romans 5:12) This is why Christianity - while we do try - is not about 'being good'. Simply having good works cannot bring us to God. (Isaiah 64:6; Ephesians 2:8,9) We are told that salvation comes by grace alone through faith alone (Ephesians 2:8a... For by grace are ye saved through faith;) with Christ alone (Ephesians 2:8b,9... and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God).
We are told that if we:
1. Believe and confess that Jesus is the Christ, the sinless (Hebrews 4:15) Son of God (John 1:14; 1 John 4:15; John 10:30; 1 Corinthians 8:6;)
2. Acknowledge that we are sinners whose sin comes at the price of death. (Romans 6:23; James 1:15)
3. Confess those sins to the Lord (1 John 1:9, John 2:2)
4. Repent of your sin - - which means stopping/turning away from them (Acts 2:39; Acts 3:19; Luke 3:13; Acts 17:30; 2 Peter 3:9)
5. That we will be a new creation, an accepted child of God. (2 Corinthians 5:17)
We would direct your heart towards prayer to make your confession and repentance to the Lord. This looks different in every person but involves the steps listed above. Often a person will ask the Lord to cleanse their heart and to save them from their sin. These prayers are very personal. It is more than just speaking a set paragraph of words. It is truly talking directly to God Himself (Romans 8:26) about where you are and where you want to be in Him as His child.
Life changes after salvation. (Colossians 3:1) Christianity (the desire to be like Christ and live for Him) is a process of sanctification whereby we spend time in our Bibles and in prayer in effort to draw closer to Him and to discover what He wants in our lives. (Isaiah 60:4) It is a living, breathing relationship we invest time in. Often, a new believer will find a church family to help them learn and grow in their faith. Our family believes in baptism (Romans 6:4; Colossians 2:12; ) as a visible testimony to the world that we have chosen this new identity in life as a child of God.
If you have read through this today and have questions about discovering a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, please feel free to contact any one of us at any time. There is such joy to be found in knowing the Lord. There is peace for times both good and bad, comfort for pain, outreached arms for sorrow, and otherwise a Friend who will never leave you or forsake you (Hebrews 13:5).
If you have read this today and realize that some of the joy of the Lord has faded away as the cares of life have driven you away from the Lord, please feel free to reach out for prayer. Surely our God would have us to care for, encourage, and restore one another for His glory. I guarantee you will find prayer support and friendship in us and in Him.
One year ago today tragedy struck our family. God meant it for good. May this date always be used for His glory.
