Even When it Rains, He Reigns

Hallie called me when she and Corey landed in New York City.  "Doing good, can't wait to get to Chaurley's!"

Text:  "Got to Chaurley's on UBER"

Remember when not only did you NOT GET IN CARS WITH STRANGERS, you also didn't ever TALK TO PEOPLE YOU DON'T KNOW ON THE INTERNET.

Somewhere along the line between the beginning of my parenting to now, we've learned to get in cars we don't know, with people we meet on the internet.

For.the.love.

Anyway, I finally slept some last night.  Fell asleep about midnight and woke up in a cold sweat at 4 am.

Did I pack enough socks for her?  Will she remember to ........ (fill in the blank).  Should she get some stuff out of her 38 pound backpack?  

I mean.

And about 5:30 am I just was as frustrated as heck, and grabbed my phone and started scrolling through my stuff.

I remember at the lunch I had had with the Dewey's on Monday after Hallie's doctor appointment, asking Greg Dewey, "You think this broken toe is a sign?  I'm terrible at signs.  If God is sending me a sign, I need it to be a BILLBOARD.  a big ole freaking, fraking BILLBOARD."   He assured me, "He will."

So fast forward through the torture that was yesterday, and this morning.  I'm reading all the INCREDIBLE comments from my friends, encouraging us, and loving us and thinking to myself, "This is why I held it together so well, because of all my prayer warriors, standing in the gap for me, holding me up, while I was weak".

Then a notification popped up on my facebook.  My friend, Melba Pulliam (my bestie from Georgia, who has a very UNCANNY knack of knowing $hI& is going down with me, posted this video from Elevation Church (Steven Furtick's church in North Carolina)

He Never Saw it Coming    Please spend the next 25 minutes with me and watch this.  It will leave you speechless.

Now hang on to your hats, because it's about to get REALLY REALLY GOOD.

I'm watching this, and tears are rolling down my face, a message pops up at the top of my phone (interrupting my VIEWING!) and it's Lacey.  Sharing her post from this day 4 years ago.

Anyhoo.

I got my billboard.

As I went on through the day, and started to think..."Man I need to get her this..." or "Man I need to tell her this...", I just thought about what the message said  "Even when it Rains, He REIGNS".

Guys.

The peace that passeth understanding that only having Jesus Christ securely in your heart, flooded my soul today.

That Broken Toe doesn't define Hallie's future.  God Does.  If that toe is broken for a reason, God's plan is perfect.  We will look back in a few years and be able to say,  "OOOOOHHHHH, that's why that happened."

If she ends up coming home in a few weeks, it's OK, because it's part of HIS PLAN.

H.I.S. Plan.  Not OURS.  HIS.

So, back in His pocket I'm sitting.  Exactly the same place I sat during Laynie's precious months with us.  Trusting Him in all things, and just along for the ride of my life.

It's so much easier to hand the wheel to Jesus and let him Drive Drive Drive, than navigating a road I'm not even familiar with.  He loves Hallie more than I can even imagine, and He will give her the strength she needs, when she needs it.

Peace that passeth understanding, because EVEN WHEN IT RAINS, He REIGNS.