Everything's Going to be All Right

Last week I decided to go to a grocery store a little further from the house to see if they had one particular flavor of yogurt. This gave me time to turn up the stereo and jam a little, especially when "No One" by Alicia Keys came on.

"People keep talking,
They could say what they like.
But, all I know is,
Everything's gonna be alright."

That last line became a melodic motto as I sang it to Abbie a hundred times during the week. Each time it left my lips, a little off-tune but heartfelt, I was speaking to my own spirit as well. The recognition that truly, one way or another, everything is going to be all right quickened my heart and released me enough from the strain and seriousness to laugh with, play with and truly enjoy Abbie.

After church on Sunday a friend caught up with me from behind, calling out my name rather insistently. Roberta said, "Oh, Tiffany -- those pictures...that one of Abbie in the pool. The only word that keeps coming to me is "Alright!" "Everthing is going to be alright. She is right there, she is OK, and this is all going to be alright!"

I giggled as I told her about the song, and how it still astounds me how God can use one chorus, one word to remind me that He sees, He knows, and He cares.

Yesterday I got an email from Roberta. Without knowing anything about our exchange on Sunday, a friend of hers had been compelled to send her the following devotional.

The Response of Faith
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 1 by Os Hillman
Monday, August 18 2008

..."Everything is all right".... 2 Kings 4:26

The prophet Elisha often would travel through the town of Shunem, and in that town was a well-to-do couple who extended hospitality to him. At first, they simply offered Elisha a meal when he came through town. Then, seeing that Elisha needed a place to stay and study, they built a room for him above their house so that each time he came through town, he had a place to stay. He was so appreciative of their kindness that one day he asked the wife what he could do for her. His servant Gehazi later informed Elisha that the woman was barren and her husband was old. " 'About this time next year,' Elisha said, 'you will hold a son in your arms' " (2 Kings 4:16). A year later the son arrived.

One day the father was working in the field, and the son became ill and died. The woman ran to meet Elisha to inform him. When Elisha asked what was wrong, she did not panic and react in fear. Her response to Elisha seemed almost unnatural. "Everything is all right," she said. Elisha went to the boy and raised him from the dead. It was a glorious miracle. (See Second Kings 4.)

Faith looks at situations through God's eyes, not the eyes of our limited understanding. This woman did not panic, for she knew something more than the current circumstance. Faith does not panic, but realizes that what looks like devastating circumstances may be God's plan to bring glory to Himself by demonstrating His power. When Jesus appeared on the water to the disciples in the middle of the night, they exclaimed, "It's a ghost!" (see Mt. 14:26) First appearances can bring great fear upon us even to the point of paralyzing us. Find the Lord in your circumstance today. Exercise your faith today and trust Him for His outcome in the situation.

I just had to giggle again.

I think this trio of messages was the perfect lead-up to scheduling Abbie's surgery, which we did yesterday. We've set it for September 29. This will give us a couple of extra weeks to work with the neurologist to get her tone as under control as we possibly can.

Abbie's song continues, more beautifully every day, and you know how each chorus ends.