I signed up to participate in the Ultimate Blog Challenge at the beginning of the month, and did a great job of blogging every day for a week. But something unexpected happened on Sunday and my whole world changed... and I didn't blog this week. I wasn't even sure I would participate in Five Minute Friday until I saw the prompt.Present
There are no words for the flood of emotions that went through my heart and head on Sunday. I just knew that I wasn't where I wanted to be. I wanted to be with my family... with my sister and her family, and with my parents, and with my other sisters. Because my niece was suddenly "present with The Lord."
On Sunday, while she was at church, serving Jesus, loving on little kids, helping out moms with little kids, being in one of her favorite places to be, God called my sweet niece Home to Heaven. Sixteen years young, and with a testimony that puts me to shame, God wrapped his loving arms around this wonderful young lady and said, "Welcome home, Child." and "Well done thou good and faithful servant."
And while I want her here and while my kids are missing their cousin and while humanly there is no explanation and it's hard to understand, I know that my God is working in the lives and hearts of those who knew Julia and those who have heard her story and he will continue to do so. And while we may not know the how or the why here on earth, we know the Who that is writing the story and He is present with us and carrying us through these days.
