A Family Gathering Miracle – Sue DeRaad
Ten Years Ago I didn’t know if we’d even have a family.
Monday morning, I marveled as I considered the past weekend. Wow God, you really did care for us as a family. You had a work to do and you used our family to show us just how big, wide and vast your love really is! Thank you Father!
Ten years ago, I didn’t know if we’d even have a family. In the midst of our deepest struggles, there was so much pain, so much hurt…so much forgiveness needed to find our way back to each other. Could it ever be, would we even get there? Could life ever be found again aside from the severe pain and confusion we were in?
Jeremiah 29: 12-14
“Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. And I will be found by you,”: declares the Lord, “and I will restore your fortunes and will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord. “
Watching Roger’s parents drive away, I smiled, what a beautiful weekend. Our family had been separated for nearly 10 years. Derek married and starting his family in SD, Cassidy and Jason in TN for 6 years and then to Owatonna, MN near us. Our parents and sisters had remained in International Falls the whole time. It was great having our daughter Cassidy, Jason and Levi, near us, but we still felt unsettled because our son Derek, Laura and their girls were still 7 hours away.
You might be saying, “Many families are separated, that is not so unusual.” But in spite of all the hurt from our past, we loved each other and didn’t want to settle for being apart. God wasn’t finished with us yet and we began to pray and seek after Him for direction! I felt certain that our family must be gathered back together to bring the kind of healing that God desired and that would glorify His name.
I began doing a lot of reading in the Old Testament. I read about how God scattered the Israelites because of their sin, but in the end he gathered them from where he had sent them, to take back the land that was stolen from them by the enemy, Our “Land” was “our hearts and our relationships”
Today, as I reminisce about our recent move to South Dakota and this past weekend with family, I am humbled and stand amazed at His great love for us. The weekend was filled with excitement and laughter. The grandmas were in the kitchen cooking a Chinese dinner for everyone. With 15 adults and 12 children, our work was cut out for us! The mom’s with young children were watching and learning, sharing adult conversation while keeping one eye on the 12 children squealing with excitement over being together with their cousins. Great Grandparents watched in delight and the men in the living room anxiously awaited the call to dinner.
As the “Grandma” of the house, I rang the old brass bell in memory of our great great grandma who relished each moment she had her family around her table. Ringing the bell meant it was time to gather and ask God to bless the food we were about to eat and to give thanks for the family gathering around.
There is a picture stamped on my heart forever. I will go back to this day often and be filled up with the memory of our children, their families and our parents sitting around our dining room table feasting not merely of His provision, but also of the breath taking aroma of our of love for one another, as forgiveness permeated the air around us.
This, my friend is what Grace Rivers is all about – God building and restoring broken relationships that seem impossible! It is all about providing the tools, and sharing the joy of seeing others experience the Grace that our heavenly father so freely gives. This will require a willingness to trust God to do His work in us and through us. Trusting God to heal our pain is a risk worth taking!
Jeremiah 31:1-2a, 3- 4a
“At that time,” declares the Lord, “I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be my people.” Thus says the Lord, “the people who survived the sword, found grace in the wilderness…” “I have loved you with an everlasting love; Therefore I have drawn you with loving kindness” “Again I will build you and you shall be rebuilt,”
October 17th, 2009 at 8:13 pm
Sue:
I did not know that you and Roger moved to SD. I send you Blessings. The message above is incredible. I read it and am responding on my daughter’s computer in Missoula, MT.with tears of joy streaming down my face. Jerry and I are here visiting our daughter, grandson and Paige’s partner this week. Paige came to my room Thursday evening after dinner ( and a few drinks) and related that she does not feel my love. She has head knowledge but not heart knowledge of my love for her. She wants “it”. I consider this statement from our daughter to be tremendous progress. God in in the process of restoring.
Tell Roger hello for me. I send my love to you both my sister.
Judy Williams
In His Time Ministry
Clinton, MS
October 20th, 2009 at 9:31 am
This is an amazing testimony, Sue. Thanks for sharing it, and your heart. It’s exciting to see how the Lord truly works in those who lay down their lives for Him. You and Roger have done that. I sincerely wish you the very best.