Faith says, “Paste it, Daddy!”
I must admit that my heart is not as healthy as I’d like it to be. No, I’m not speaking about cardiac health. I’m talking about SOUL health.
Have you ever gotten to the place where you know that you should pray… you need to pray… you MUST pray… but unbelief creeps in and steals your confidence? And you secretly realize that it’s easier to expect the worst so that you won’t be disappointed again?
Proverbs 13:12 says it this way, “Hope deferred makes the heart sick.”
That’s how I’ve been feeling this week. But where did that come from? I’ve never been a skeptical person. I’m a glass-half-full kind of person.
But then again, all it takes for faith to fail is for disappointment to steal your hope and confidence. Can you relate?
All it takes for faith to fail is for disappointment to steal your hope. Click To TweetAnd I ask myself, why is it that children are born with an unwavering confidence that their mommy and daddy can fix EVERYTHING that’s wrong in their life?
What is faith?
// Do you remember the classic movie, “It’s A Wonderful Life” with Jimmy Stewart?
In the movie, George Bailey (the troubled and melancholic dad) accidentally damages his daughter Zuzu’s rose that she got as a prize from her teacher. She’s upset and exclaims,
“Paste it, Daddy.”
Well, that’s how I feel today. It’s been weeks of trauma and crisis, and my heart is tired.
- Starting with the brutal DROUGHT that has been ravaging South Africa for the past few years. It’s critical now and we’re desperate for rain!
- Following that has been the crisis with our friend, JENNA, who suffered a massive cardiac arrest last week despite only being thirty-one years old and in ‘perfect’ health. We’ve prayed around the clock since that terrible moment when we heard that she’d just been resuscitated and was on her way to hospital.
- And if that wasn’t enough, the last two days have been devastating for South Africa. Across the nation, we’ve suffered an onslaught of horrendous STORMS, gale-force winds, flooding, and now raging FIRES—destroying property and taking lives.
The unexpected has caught us by surprise, and I hear my heart crying out, “Oh God, help.”
You know, sometimes the most spiritual thing you can do is simply cry to your Heavenly Father out of your weakness and desperation. He doesn’t need fancy words or eloquent prayers, nor does He demand that you be strong or confident.
He’s a Good Father who loves to take care of His children… you and me.
And He simply invites us to ASK for help. Sometimes faith looks like a little girl, innocently asking her Daddy to fix something that seems unfixable to the natural eye.
Faith is like a little girl, innocently asking her Daddy to fix something that seems unfixable. Click To TweetMy friend, does this sound like you today? Are you desperate for help but are scared to be disappointed again?
Why not just stop,
take a deep breath,
and whisper…
“Paste it, Daddy.” //
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Update on Jenna:
Thank you to ALL of you who have been praying this week for our precious friend. We went to see her today and she is a walking miracle! (Happy tears!)
- When doctors predicted heart and organ failure, she actually experienced heart and organ renewal.
- Her heart strength has improved from 18% to 40% in the last few days.
- The have now inserted a defibrillator into her heart to help regulate the rhythm, and jump-start it should it stop again.
- She is talking and walking, laughing and joking around. And although she is still confused as to what happened and where she is (with random gaps in her memory), this should improve with time.
The doctors can only shake their heads in amazement and use the word “unexplainable” to describe this obvious Miracle!
Please continue to pray for 100% healing for this beautiful wife and mother.
God is so good!
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♥ HOORAY!
My book is available on Amazon and Kindle. And yes, you NEED to read it. God is speaking some incredible things to his children!
In South Africa, you can order a physical copy from me. Send me a personal message and we’ll make arrangements.
For more info, check out the book page here!
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Every Friday, I join an inspiring group of writers to write for FIVE MINUTES on a one-word prompt. No editing. No revising. Just WRITE. This week, the prompt word was EXPECT.
// indicates the start and stop of the timer.
For more information on Five Minute Friday, check out the new Five Minute Friday website!
I recognized that quote instantly: we watch that movie every year and practically have it memorized! I know that feeling, otherwise expressed as “Fix it Jesus” or “Jesus take the wheel”! 🙂 We can bring anything to our good Father because He loves us. Thanks so much for this reminder. I love it.
Jeannie (next door to you at #45 today)
Truly kindred spirits, Jeannie. 🙂 We’ve watched that movie every year for 26 years, specifically while we set up our Christmas tree. It’s the perfect length of time to set it up, string the lights, and hang the decorations. And yes, we’ve got it memorized too! 🙂
I love how creative God is in that He loves to speak to us, anytime and anyplace, and using anything to get our attention. So much comfort in simple faith prayers.
Have a great weekend, my friend.
If my husband compliments what I’m wearing I often respond like Violet: “Aw, this ol’ thing? I only wear it when I don’t care how I look!” 😀
Bahahahaha…. do you ring bells on purpose? And sing “Buffalo Gal, won’t you come out tonight…”?
Definitely kindred spirits! 🙂
I can so relate. What an amazing story of Gods goodness that Jenna embodies! Thanks be to God. I’m in front of you at the linkup this week.
Thanks Tara. He really is an amazing God! I’m so grateful that He WANTS to answer prayers so much more than we even want to pray them. He’s such a Good Father!
Thanks so much for visiting today. Heading over to read your post now. 🙂
Shauna, you guys have been through it. I’m sending up a prayer for you, and I’m sending you a virtual ((HUG)). When so much hits our lives at once, and there’s not time to process and work through things, our hearts do grow weary. I love the movie line, and the reminder that we can bring our hard things and ask God, “Paste it, Daddy!”
Oh, my friend, thank you. I’ll take that ((hug!)) I’m so grateful that our Father understands our weakness and offers us grace grace to place one foot in front of the other and keep going. And how kind He is to encourage us with out-of-the-box things like a favourite movie… “Take courage, my darling girl. I’ve got this.”
Thanks so much for visiting today! I’m always delighted to see your comments here.
Have a great weekend!
Oh, Shauna, I love this post! The fact that we can call our Heavenly Father “Daddy” is so precious, isn’t it? Prayers for South Africa and your friend Jenna. “Paste it, Daddy.” xoxo.
Thanks so much, my friend! There’s been so much loss, but God has been uniting a nation through it all. Thank you for your continued prayers. So grateful for “Daddy” and His constant care.
Have a great weekend.
Shauna,
I find that our expectations are paralleled with God’s expectations.He redeems, He never wastes anything, He brings good out of bad situations, even if it is in us. He is growing us. Praise God for Jenna’s recovery! #65 this week.
That’s so good, Mary. He NEVER wastes anything, does he? I’m so grateful!
We went to see jenna at the hospital today again. Wow wow wow! She’s a walking, talking, joking, reading, texting, miracle. (I posted a pic on my Facebook page, Shauna Muth Blaak)
We’re still praying for the right side of her body to catch up to the left side, and of course for her memory and neuro function. Doctors are beyond stunned, and we are so grateful. Such a kind God. ❤️
I appreciate you, my friend. Thanks for faithfully visiting me.. your encouragement means so much!
Shauna, first, thank you for the picture of Jenna. And please tell her that random gaps in memory are no big deal. I often, now, confuse barb with someone else (so she says)…I asked her how well she remembered her Urdu and she claimed never to have learned the language, and I could have sworn…
In terms of losing faith, yeah, especially when I listen to idiot ‘prosperity gospel’ or ‘health and wealth’ preachers.Name it and claim it is a perversion. God’s no brass idol whose belly you rub to get your wishes.
I think back to Sierra Leone circa 2000, and the bodies we recovered in whose hands rosaries were still clutched. That’s rock-bottom and tall-standing faith.
I’m so sorry, Andrew! I thought I replied to you already. Sheesh, I’m having my own gaps in memory.
We went to see jenna at the hospital today again. Wow wow wow! She’s a walking, talking, joking, reading, texting, miracle. (I posted a pic on my Facebook page, Shauna Muth Blaak)
We’re still praying for the right side of her body to catch up to the left side, and of course for her memory and neuro function. Doctors are beyond stunned, and we are so grateful. Such a kind God. ❤️
God bless, my friend. I continue to pray for you too!
Shauna