I remember hearing the phrase “who says you can’t teach an old dog new tricks” as a kid and thought it was the strangest saying ever! But as I got older I actually began to understand somewhat of the meaning behind the saying. But it was never until last month that the saying hit home with me.
Last month my daughter Gracie Faith was born and we were so excited!!! My wife and I had all these dreams, visions and plans for our family and we couldn’t wait to get her home and start this new adventure in our lives. But our dreams were put on hold when we found out that our daughter was sick. She was then rushed to a children’s hospital in Charlotte where we found out she was diagnosed with Hirschsprung’s disease. And then to find out that to fix the problem was going to require surgery!!! Life at that moment had changed and halted all of our plans!
So for two weeks we traveled back and forth to the hospital, not being able to take our baby girl home. It was the most difficult time in my life! But this is how God taught an “old dog new tricks.” As a pastor, I know all the verses and all the sayings that you can hear while going through difficult times in life. I’ve quoted them more than I can remember… As I sat at the hospital one day I read Romans 8:26-28 and I was reminded at that very moment of all the people who had been praying for us. literally, people all over the world were lifting up prayers for my daughter, someone they had never met before and I was brought to complete humility at that moment. See, romans 8:26-28 says, “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”
As I read I was reminded that God has a bigger plan for Gracie’s life than I can imagine. Sure I may not understand all that we went through and I may not like it, but I understand how God’s hand was at work during this time. It is very humbling to see the number of lives that one little girl has already touched!
I’m reminded everyday that we serve an amazing and all powerful God! I’m so thankful for a living and active God, because my family could not have made it through during this difficult time in our lives without his presence and without him interceeding on our behalf!
I know God has an amazing plan for Gracie’s life and I can’t wait to see what it is…
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