I AM PRAYING! When such tragedy and disaster strikes, I feel so helpless. I'm sitting miles and miles away watching the unthinkable happen before my eyes. I cannot do one thing except the best thing...PRAY! God KNOWS what we cannot, can DO what we cannot, and MOVE where we cannot. There is no better relief plan than His.

People are dealing with loss on so many levels and it's hard to wrap my mind around it all. To think that someone gets up in the morning and later that day, their house is gone, their neighborhood is gone, and worst of all, people are gone. When I saw the parents gathering at that school, my heart ached. Imagine the terror of trying to get to your children through a tornado and breathlessly wondering if they're okay...some were not.

Where do we put these feelings? Isaiah 53:4 is a good start. "Surely our griefs He Himself bore, and our sorrows He carried." We can pray knowing God is faithful to His Word and will carry the sufferings of those affected by this devastating event. We can stand strong for those who are struggling in the most adverse of circumstances. I want them to know they are NOT alone!

I'm asking you to show what the family of God is like by leaving three words in the comment section...I AM PRAYING! I'd like to see hundreds of these messages of prayerful support to those suffering right now. We are moved with compassion for our brothers and sisters...and we are praying.

What exactly is a milestone and why is it supposed to be so special? I don’t know why my mind would wonder such a thing. I guess it’s because I’ve thought so much about this past weekend and I can’t stop thinking about it. My daughter graduated from Liberty University with a Master’s Degree in Human Services. This was, as they say, a milestone.

Another interesting fact about most milestones - they usually come with tears. It’s defined as a significant event but who determines what’s significant? Is there an unwritten social law that has listed what is seen as a milestone? We do seem programmed to notice certain moments in life…think about it. A child’s first steps is an event that warrants the video camera, calls to the grandparents, tears of joy and wonderment, and squeals of excitement. I know because I did all of the above! However, no one sees the first sleepless night, as the baby fusses and cries, as a moment to remember…oh, but I remember. Who bothers to record in the baby book when the little one surprises you with projectile vomiting that either goes all over you, the wall, or the car? I know because I had all of the above! All I can remember is wondering how that much could come out of one little baby.

Nonetheless, I guess milestones are celebratory occasions that mark something momentous. Such was this graduation. We were in the stadium watching and waiting for a glimpse of our daughter. Even though there were thousands of graduates, we were determined to see her. I was so focused on finding my daughter, out of all those students, that I wasn’t prepared when I finally saw her enter the stadium…it took my breath and the tears began to flow. Her dad and brother were waving and screaming her name as I was trying to speak but all I could do was wave .We were her fan club in the crowd…we always have been and always will be.

As she began walking in the processional to “Pomp and Circumstance,” the first thing she did was look up. We had text earlier to tell her the general location of our seats so she kept looking our way and finally spotted us. She broke out in a smile, waved and pumped her fists in the air to symbolize the victory in reaching this personal goal and then, kept walking. That was the killer…she kept walking and we kept cheering.

I was there for that milestone of seeing her first steps. While her dad was waiting on one end with his arms open, I was holding her hand and let go. She started wobbling but kept her balance and did it! She walked right into her dads waiting arms. She kept walking and we kept cheering.

After so many milestones and moments, here I was watching her take her first steps into the future that was waiting with open arms. She’s been a student for twenty years and it had finally come to an end. There was a certainty in that for me and thereby, a safety too. Now I was the one wobbling.

I heard very little after I saw her walk in. I thought and thought and thought some more. Sure this was a milestone, but life with my daughter has been filled with so many moments that every day felt like a significant event. There were times I looked at her and felt like the only mom in the world.

So many of the firsts our kids experience become some of our lasts. Every first means a parent is needed just a little less or a little differently. So it’s the moments in-between the milestones that are the ones that matter most. Those are the times when kids look up or look our way and need to see us cheering as the greatest fans of their lives. That’s when they need a bigger hand to hold, during uncertain times, and to know when it’s safe to let go. More importantly, it’s in these moments they need to see us doing the same thing by showing that our Heavenly Father waits for His children with open arms. He is, after all, a parent too.

Well, I have to face it. Another chapter has closed but I’ll never forget that day. I'll never forget that smile when she looked up and found us, and those steps she kept taking while we kept cheering…what a moment.

It’s the first day of May already! When I was in elementary school, I remember May 1^st was called May Day and we would go into the gymnasium and do some dance around the “maypole”. I never really knew why we did it but if it got me out of class, I was happy! Apparently, there is a great deal of controversy on its origin and some even say it’s a pagan ritual. Does it really matter? I’m not dancing around a maypole anytime soon nor have I since my childhood!

Mayday, as a word, is also a signal of distress that’s used in an emergency. I researched (actually, I admit that I Googled it) why that particular word was used and it’s derived from the French venez maider, meaning “come help me”. Hmmm…how interesting! This word was created for mariners and aviators but is used by other transportation vehicles too. The call is to be given three times in a row and is supposed to be loud enough to drown out any other noise. A mayday relay call is made on behalf of someone else in distress. Often, one vessel would make the call for another vessel needing immediate attention. I think you know where I’m going with this!

For us, this last month has been a series of events that were unexpected and critical. These situations occurred on top of those we deal with on a daily basis. It’s though we get up in the morning expecting the day to go one way and it takes a detour into strange waters with a strong current. When I woke up today, I wondered if I should hide under the covers or get out of bed to face it all…just being honest. There are those moments when your faith hasn’t kicked in to tell you anything different. Our faith does speak but in my case, it was yelling, “Mayday Mayday Mayday”! I didn’t ask my faith to be a cheerleader chanting, “You can do it, You can do it, You can, You can”! I wasn’t “stirring up the gift within me” or allowing my faith confessions to take over. I simply cried out to God, “Come Help Me”!

I remember an episode of “Brady Bunch” where the boys were competing with the girls in building a house of cards. This was one of my favorite shows as a kid…we only had three channels back then! Anyway, the winner won the stamps to redeem something they wanted. In the “old days”, we used to have green stamps that could be collected and then redeemed at a center. I always loved going there and remember my sisters and I having to put all the stamps in these little booklets before we could go. To continue, the Brady boys wanted a boat and the girls wanted a sewing machine because the place was going out of business. The competition gets intense as each sibling builds the tower and we were breathless as we watched! As they neared the top it was time for poor Jan, the gawky middle sister, to have her turn but wait…she was wearing a charm bracelet that nearly upset the whole thing! Whew, that Jan! The boys were ready to win but suddenly, Tiger (the family dog) runs into Greg as he’s placing the last card on the stack and the house of cards tumbles down-OH NO! MayDay Mayday Mayday!

Well, you guessed it, the girls won! They went to the Redemption Center to get their sewing machine but, as the wholesome show would have it, the sisters led by perfect older sister “Marsha, Marsha, Marsha” (Brady fans inside joke) felt bad for the boys and decided to get a color TV for everyone to enjoy! Applause! Cheers!

I said all that to ask this…Is there nothing to drown out all the noise in our worrisome minds? Is there a Tiger running toward us? Does life feel like a house of cards and we are competing with the enemy for our “stuff”? By stuff I’m talking about everything that belongs to us as children of God; what His Word promises those who have been redeemed. Those stamps entitled the Brady girls to get something. God’s Word is our book of stamps and redemption center all in one! It also entitles us to claim those promises for someone else and shout that Mayday relay call.

No matter who’s in distress, we can shout “come help”! He knows before we even ask but…we are the ones that have to realize who we are and whose we are. We may be in the boat, being tossed to and fro, but so is Jesus and He never shouts, “Mayday”! He goes to the bow of the boat, as He did in the gospels, and shouts, “Peace, Be Still.” That peace enables us to pick up our house of cards and build, once again… and even have the steadiness of Jan Brady!

Today in our beloved country, terror has struck, once again. On a beautiful spring day, attention of sports enthusiast,, world-wide, focused on the popular Boston Marathon. Runners from many countries had spent countless days training for this event and made the trip with great excitement and expectancy. The race began with joy, anticipation and friendly competition. However, the race didn't end as expected. The horrible happened…a nightmare that woke up a nation.

At the finish line, two bombs were set off in the midst of many people in a city where over a million had come to participate or watch. Suddenly, the unexpected happened and left three dead and many severely injured. One child was killed and two others-all who were loved by people. I always think that. There are people completely devastated tonight; a surreal experience I simply cannot wrap my mind around…nor do I ever want to. They’ve lost someone, that they dearly love, and they died in such a horrific manner. Other family members and loved ones, fill hospital waiting rooms where limbs are being amputated from the injured. Can you even imagine that feeling?

The day was meant for enjoyment yet ended in a traumatic, terrifying event that has caused a nation to tune in to all of its news and social media outlets. We are waiting for information, maybe some answers, some comfort…some way to make sense out of a completely senseless act. Not only is this act senseless, it is heartless.

Only a heart cloaked in sin and deception could be so influenced by the prince of darkness. We need to fill our churches, fill our pulpits, fill our streets, and preach the truth of this Gospel. Moreover, we need to stop wanting to be massaged with motivational messages that keep us comfortable and thus, ineffective. Those messages are, “All about us” but the Gospel is “All about others.”

One of the young ladies in our church tweeted something very profound, “And just like that, my entire life was put in perspective.” Often, it takes tragedies like this to jolt us back to personal inventory but the trick is…keeping that perspective entact. Live ready! Help someone else to be ready! We have the promise of Heaven, but we don’t have the promise of every day on earth.

Nonetheless, a city is stunned, a nation is shocked, families are mourning, and people are hurting in many ways. It is a solemn moment. It is a time for reflection and meditation. It is a time to love and show love. It is a time to crawl up on that throne wrapped in the Comforter. Maybe you can talk or just sit there in His presence. However you choose to be with Him, He’ll be with you. Because it’s in times like this, we look to our Father and there we find safety …in every sense of the word.

We bow our heads, humble our hearts, and pray to our God for the people of Boston and all those affected by this tragic event. You are not alone…in any way.

*I received an email a few weeks ago that touched my heart so deeply I had to share it. It was written by a precious lady that serves wholeheartedly in our church. Her heart is so tender and pure that I knew her story was earnest while reflective. Thank you to Gabriella Nagy for writing this beautiful story and allowing me to share it with the Journal family.

The Treasure Box

A few weeks ago, God reminded me of a “little story” that I wrote more that fifteen years ago. I kept it in the back of my Hungarian Bible for so long and never shared it with anyone, except my family.

I married a missionary and that life came with a lot of moving. When our daughter was three years old, we moved back to America. We told her she could only bring a few of her favorite toys that could fit in a small box. Once we were back in the states, we moved three times in six months. Our daughter still carried her little box with her everywhere she went; we started calling it her treasure box. Gabriella wouldn’t let anyone touch this box; it was very precious to her. In her eyes, everything in it was extremely valuable.

One day, we moved into my brother in-law’s basement so I was very busy cleaning, unpacking, and moving things around. I was determined to finish everything by the time my husband came home from work. In the middle of my work, little Gabriella came to me holding her treasure box and said, “Mommy, here is my box. You can pick anything you want from my box and keep it but please, will you play with me?” I told her I was busy right then but I would play with her when I was done.

The day went by quickly, and it was nighttime, before I realized my daughter had fallen asleep. As I covered her with a blanket, I looked at her sweet face and thought she looked like a beautiful little angel. In that moment something caught my eye beside her pillow…it was the treasure box. Only then did I remember my promise to her. My heart broke and tears filled my eyes. I realized that when she offered me that box, filled with her precious little toys, she had offered me her love. It was though she was saying, “Mommy, I love you and I’ll give you anything you want if you’ll just spend time with me.” I was so hurt knowing that I’d ignored her and now, it was too late…I’d missed a valuable moment.

Just then, I sensed God speaking to my heart and teaching me an important lesson. “My child, He gently whispered, I also have a treasure box sent from Heaven filled with many gifts; I gave it to the world out of my great love. This treasure is Jesus. Many people are too busy to take the time to accept what he offers. They may take the time to take a glance at him but they never open the treasure nor accept it as their own. In Him, are the treasures of love, peace, forgiveness, healing and so much more! I gave my greatest treasure to the world…my son, Jesus Christ. All people have to do is accept this gift by opening their hearts and receiving it.”

I learned a life-changing lesson that day. What will we do with this treasure offered to us by God? I hope you won’t be like me; too busy to stop, look at my daughter’s treasure box, and accept it with love. To us, Jesus is that treasure box. He wants us to realize that we can access all the great treasures found in Him and just like my daughter did, we can carry it with us wherever we go.