The Account | Previous Challenge Entry

how it works

TITLE: The Account | Previous Challenge Entry
By Stacie Snell
01/31/14
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Her life on earth was over, and as she entered the Kingdom of Heaven it was time for her to give an account for her life. The Lord took her by the hand and led her over to a giant unending bookshelf. He pointed to a section of books on the bookshelf held up by two bookends. He explained to her that this section was her life, one bookend signifying her birth and the other her death. Each story was composed of the experiences and journeys she traveled through her life, and each season of life was divided by its own set of bookends.
He pointed to a section of books that seemed to be very bright and colorful, but also stained and tattered. He said, “This season was your favorite wasn’t it?” Puzzled, she looked closer to see that this season was labeled, “Motherhood.” She nodded her head in agreement, and a smile crossed her face as she considered how many wonderful stories could be found in each book.
God picked up one of the books and they began reviewing the story within. This was the story of her first daughter’s birth. She told God that it was one of the happiest days of her life, and like two friends chatting over coffee they discussed all that happened that day. New revelations of God’s providence came to her as He explained why the event happened the way it did and why He allowed five months of bed rest leading up to that day. As they closed that book she knew without a shadow of a doubt that that day was purposed by God to grow her in her faith and to teach her one of her most important lessons in life.
Then, skimming the shelf with his finger, He stopped a few books down. As He picked it up she noticed that this book appeared to be tear-stained. He picked it up and started reading it. This was the story of her youngest daughter being ill and hospitalized in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at the young and fragile age of 3 months. Parainfluenza had led her tiny baby into respiratory failure, and she spent a week and a half sedated and on a breathing machine. This story was quite familiar to this mother, and she recalled how uncertain she was while she was in the midst of the trial, yet reading it back with God it seemed so certain that He knew exactly what He was doing by allowing it. This specific situation is what God used to deliver her from her biggest fears regarding her children. Then, He grabbed her hand and squeezed it tightly as He read the part where she and her husband gathered around their daughter’s hospital bed numerous times with family, church friends and pastors and cried out to Him, Jehovah Rapha. A new kind of peace passed over her as they closed that book and moved on to the next.
After reading countless stories together, they came to a story that stuck out as quite insignificant. Just as she was opening her mouth to ask why they were reading it, God began explaining,
“This day may seem insignificant to you. It was just an ordinary day at home with your children, and you were busy sweeping up cheerios, wiping runny noses, and balancing your work and your job as mom. This day is actually quite significant. It answers the question, were you faithful with little? Were you faithful with the little time you had with your kids that day? Did you put down your cell phone and pay attention to their giggles when you felt the Holy Spirit prompting you to? Were your words kind and peace-loving? Were you quick to listen and slow to become angry? When your husband came home from work that evening, were you loving, gentle, and patient, or did you unload on him because your day was hectic and you got nothing done? See, it was your actions in the most seemingly insignificant times that can answer the most significant questions about you.”
With His gentle and unfailing love and grace they sat together and worked through the answers to those questions. Moving on passed the bookend into her next season of life, she realized how quickly that season passed her by, but she smiled at the thought that her legacy of faith would live on because of that season.

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