One Year Later

Today marks the one year anniversary of the earthquake in Haiti.
I woke up a year ago, and prayed for my son and his team that had just arrived in Haiti.
I made plans with my husband to go be part of a surprise birthday party for my pregnant daughter in love.
I continued along with my day until late afternoon when I got a facebook message from my friend Kaylee, who told me there had been an earthquake in Haiti, and wondered where Billy was in Haiti.
I called my husband over, it took about one minute to turn our lives upside down.
The information we found on the internet told us what we feared most.
My son was five miles from the epicenter of the quake.
We jumped into the car, called our daughter in love as we headed to her home, to break the new to her.
We were praising God because before we could make the twenty minute trip to her, my son was able to text message her he was alive.
We spent that evening realizing just how catastrophic an event this was, then we packed up my son's pregnant wife, and 3 toddlers and brought to our home until this crisis was over.

I blogged my daily journey while my son was in Haiti. I encourage you to read them to understand what I was going through at that time.
Shaking But Held  Sitting By A Well Road Construction Ahead/Standby The Hardest Day Of My Life Hostages And Surrender Sometimes No Words Are Better
Today a year later, this is what have I learned.

God is faithful. He always does what He says He will do.
God's plans do not always look like my plans. His plans are better.
Miracles are messy. There may have to be a big mess before the glory of God shines through.
I must be willing to sacrifice what is dearest to me if God asks. He won't always require it, (Abraham and Isaac), but I must be willing to sacrifice it.
God can see all situations, past ,present and future, all at once. I can't. Watching how God interweaves each life together is wonderful. Sharing that after the crisis, when my son was home, was amazing.
God answers prayer. Telling my son what we prayed for and when, then listening as he shared how God answered, was truly a faith builder.

For the people living in Haiti, the crisis is not over.
They are still living in tents.
They are still living on barely enough food to survive.
They are living, and dying, with an out break of cholera.
They still need help.

What has God led me to do as I have walked through this past year?
He has led me to be part of a massive fund raising effort to get food and supplies to those who need it.
He has placed in my heart a love for a people that my son loves dearly.
He has called me to go meet and serve these people with my son this April, all in the name of Jesus.

What I have learned most however, really doesn't have to do with the Haitian people at all.
It has to do with my relationship with Jesus.

^{1 John 4:17-19}

¹⁷ This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. ¹⁸ There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

 ¹⁹ We love because he first loved us.

Earthquakes in my life will come.
Some will be catastrophic, some will be tremors.
God is always there, and God will always hold on, and God will never, ever let me go, even when the shaking stops.
The following songs speaks to my heart today and truly is what I have learned the last 365 days!
You Never Let Go- Matt Redman

Chasing After Hearts,
Glenda Johnson