Some of you know the hardship that my oldest brother has had to face and how hard it has been for him to have to go through that. Recently, my family and I realized that we needed to do more for him because he needed it desperately.
I know that I've been praying for him hardcore to get to know Christ and the hope He brings. I started to realize that all of this that my brother was going through was for God to simply bring him to his knees and help him realize that he can't rely on himself...only God has control and only God can bring him through this. Unfortunately, as these tragedies kept coming his way, he only seemed to be driving farther from God--I even thought for good reason. It was hard to sit by and watch all of this inflicted on my big brother who has always protected me.
Well, after our family realized that more needed to be done Wednesday morning, we all gathered at his side. My other brother, mom, dad, and me went to his house Wednesday evening just to be with him, comfort him, and love him.
Sitting down across from me in an empty room he told me that he felt like Job in the Bible. This made me laugh a little, on the inside, because when I was on my way home from Bloomington I knew that I wanted to talk to him about Job and his life. Shortly after that thought, my sister told me that I should read him Job 5 and she never even read the book! Okay God, you're working here, I see it.
Well, he went on to tell me that he didn't finish Job...I smiled and I told him that the end is where we find hope. God revealed to Job that He was testing him and that he was trying to get Job to realize that God alone is who he should depend on--not himself. After a conversation with Job, God gave Job EVERYTHING that He had taken from him and even doubled it. In the second part of Job's life, God blessed him so much greater than the first part.
My brother had tears in his eyes and I continued to share with why God is likely doing this same thing with him. He wanted him to come to God with 100% of his life. I went over and I cried with my brother...yeah, we cried a lot. My other brother came in, who is the reason why I'm even a Christian today, and told him, "She's telling you the truth man." The three of us sat there and we cried hard, my mom walked in from the other room and cried too.
My other brother and I continued to share our experiences and why we knew God was the answer. Becoming a Christian won't take these situations away, but man oh man does God give you hope like never before in those situations! To be honest, I can't remember much of what even came out of my mouth that night...they had to of been God's words, not mine (thankfully).
At one point, my brother even grabbed me in a huge bear hug where we just wept in each others arms.
He told us that he wanted to change, that he didn't want to do it on his own anymore. He wanted God to be the center of his life. WOW!!!
We prayed with him, for him, and helped him to accept Christ into his life and to take his burdens on His shoulders. My brother told us that he felt like a huge weight was lifted off of his shoulders already. Ha, oh yes!
It was probably the best night of my life to witness that, be a part of that, and to finally have the six of us in our family back together again--just each other (once my sister came after she got off work). We ate a very late dinner together, reminisced, and laughed like we were a true family. It will be forever ingrained in my memory, THANK GOD!
I couldn't stop smiling, laughing, thanking, and praising God ever since and I hope I never do. My God is a God of miracles, love, grace, and power.
Don't give up, don't quit, and never EVER think God can't move an entire mountain range...or even that pebble. God is love, AMEN!
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