The same evening (on the 8th of March) I got a very clear understanding that I have to stick to our normal family routine, so the next morning (on Monday), Nicole and Mila woke up, as usual, I made them breakfast and they went to school. So at least half of a day they were in a “normal” environment. And in the afternoons we all as a family took them to their afterschool activities. We wanted to be together, this togetherness gave us a sense of emotional stability, security, “normality”.
Later Nicole`s teacher told me that the same Monday morning the topic of their Bible lesson at school was “Heaven”, and it was planned at the beginning of the year, what an amazing divine provision!
A few months later we took girls for some counselling to the psychologist, and she told me that sticking to our normal routine was the wisest decision which we, as parents, could make for our children's emotional health at that moment. The only reason why we did it – because the Lord told us. So it was His wisdom, only God can take credit for it.
There is this Scripture: " When you are brought before synagogues, rulers, and authorities, do not worry about how to defend yourselves or what to say. For at that time the Holy Spirit will teach you what you should say.” (Luke 12:11-12)
It is interesting that Jesus didn`t give His followers the strategy of how to defend themselves but He gave them the strategy with Whom they should build relationships. In our situation, we can testify that the Holy Spirit was teaching us how to handle each day, each small practical step of the day.
We all wired differently. For the first three weeks, I couldn't read the Bible, but the Bible which was inside of me was ministering to me. Dirk was just the opposite, each day he spent hours in the Word.
Every time I was thinking of how on Earth will we be able to cope with our loss, only one Scripture was in my head: “My grace is sufficient for you” (2 Cor. 12:9). To be honest I have never understood this Scripture. Paul was asking the Lord three times to remove the thorn in his flesh, and the Lord answered him that His grace is sufficient for him, I thought that the Lord was telling Paul – enough is enough, I have already blessed you so much! Don't ask me for more.
A new understanding came through to me: God is releasing a sufficient amount of His grace for us to cope with the toughness of our situation, it is almost as if the tougher it is – the more of His grace is available for us. So God, in His mercy, is doing everything possible to pull us through.
So even if you are going through a very rough season in your life and it is very tough – just run into Him, into His presence, into His Word, into His throne room …. He is waiting for you, He wants to release a sufficient amount of His Grace which will enable you to stand firm; He will speak His words of Love and it will strengthen your heart; look into His eyes and He will carry you through. Fix your eyes on Jesus, which means that you have to unfix your eyes from everything and everyone else.
The power of the Gospel is very strong, it can pull you through anything... just stick to Jesus.
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