My Little Girl and Me
The day was beautiful as we drove east, my little girl and me. We had decided to take Sheila up on her offer, so we put on our clean but “grimy-looking” clothes and shoes, packed a bag of clean clothes, and grabbed a bag of supplies: snacks, water, flashlights.
- We were set.
- We were nervous but excited.
- We were determined to do this “something new,”—My Little Girl and Me.
At the time, my husband was deployed to Iraq; that’s how we met Sheila. At the time, she was the wife of another Seabee who was also deployed. One day (prior to that day) we had sat talking as the ones left behind are prone to do, and, as we became sudden-friends somewhat due to the lives we were now temporarily living, that’s when Sheila began to tell me about her volunteer work as a spelunker.
Immediately—I was fascinated.
- Sheila lived in Carter County, a county that sits along I-64 in the eastern part of the state.
- Sheila worked in a bank, a place that seemed so far removed from the work of a spelunker.
- Sheila did not have any children; yet she invited both my little girl and me on an adventure that day.
Today is my little girl’s twenty-fourth birthday.
Happy Birthday Sydney!
As I read my Bible and reflect upon her life, that summer day, that experience at Carter Caves comes racing into my mind.
In the Bible, we read of a shepherd, a warrior, a King, a man named David—a sinner—just like you and me. See with me what God gave David to share with us, to help us understand the truth of who we are, what God has done for us, and how we are to worship Him, to praise Him ALWAYS for the work of Jesus Christ—the Son of God!
“How blessed is he whose
(Psalm 32: 1-5 NASB)
wrongdoing is forgiven,
Whose sin is covered!
How blessed is a person whose guilt
the LORD does not take into account,
And in whose spirit there is no deceit!
When I kept silent about my
sin, my body wasted away
Through my groaning all day long.
For day and night Your hand
was heavy upon me;
My vitality failed as with the
dry heat of summer. Selah.
I acknowledged my sin to You,
And I did not hide my guilt;
I said, “I will confess my
wrongdoings to the LORD” ;
And You forgave the guilt
of my sin.” Selah.
Like a shower after a hot day of work in the sun—
God’s cleansing comes to ALL who repent!
Like a crawling on our bellies through a totally black cave—
God’s cleansing comes to ALL who repent!
Like a darkness so dark that I can hear my breathing deep within my being—
God’s cleansing comes to ALL who believe in Jesus and repent!
My heart-pounded in fear when Sheila whispered, “Move closer to the left rock & do not lean over to the right. Shine your flashlight over there, to the right; so I did, but the floor of the cave where we crawled was a black cavern, a deep, dark void!
“Oh God, keep my little girl Sydney safe,” I whispered to myself.
Behind me, she crawled.
I remember reaching behind me for her six-year-old arm, and once I touched her skin, my fear quadrupled, for the reality of what remained to our right grabbed my heart.
- I could not shake the panic.
- I could not shake the regret.
- I could not shake the “what-if.”
- I could not shake the prayer upon my lips.
She would be gone, head-first into that deep cavern if she moved ever-so toward the right.
She would be dead, long-lost to her dad and me if she leaned even a “smidgin” to the right.
And just like that, we crawled forward, following the sound of Sheila’s voice as she led us from the darkness into the sudden, brilliant light found at the entry-way of the cave.
God’s cleansing comes to ALL who believe in Jesus, repent & confess their sins, & accept Him into their hearts!
Matt Maher sings a melody that resonates deep within me today, one that I believe God’s Word display. Pause and listen with me & Be Reminded!
“Now I am changed & HE was the in between!”
I was one way/but now I’m different.
There was a clear change, in—a holy collision.
Who I was & Who I forever [will] be—YOU are the in between!”
“The In Between”
Yesterday was a day to attend church, so we sat beside one another, My Little Girl and Me. In-between us sat another one.
As I listened to the worship songs and pondered the pastor’s message, the Lord spoke to me and I heard Him say, “Nancy, God is so good! God has saved your little girl’s soul for all eternity!”
“Thank You, God,” I shouted aloud inside my heart, “for nothing will ever separate us—My Little Girl and Me!”
“We will share eternity—forevermore—with our Lord & Savior!”
- Sydney has grown into a beautiful, young woman. She is sure and confident in what she knows and believes. I am so ever-thankful that she knows the Lord Jesus Christ in intimacy.
- Sydney has married a godly man, and together, they are walking in the Lord. I am ever-so thankful that they both know the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior.
- Sydney now lives close enough to hug without boarding a plane; nevertheless, whether living in America or in Europe, I am ever-so thankful she knows Jesus Christ as her Lord.
In God’s Word, Almighty God gave the Apostle Paul these words to write, ones that remind us of who we are & what Jesus offers.
“But the fact is, Christ has been raised from the dead,
(1 Corinthians 15: 20-26 NASB)
the first fruits of those who are asleep.
For since by a man death came,
by a man also came the resurrection of the dead.
For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ
all will be made alive.
But each in his own order: Christ the
first fruits, after that those who are in Christ’s
at His coming,
then comes the end, when He hands over
the kingdom to our God and Father, when
He has abolished all rule and all authority
and power.
For He must reign until He has put all
His enemies under His feet.
The last enemy that will be abolished
is death.”
- And again, the Apostle Paul reminds us of what we are to do, ALL who believe in Jesus.
- And again, the Word of God causes me to lift my hands and exclaim: “Thank You God, for saving My Little Girl and Me!”
“Hold on to the example of sound words
(2 Timothy 1: 13-14 NASB)
which you have heard from me, in the faith
and love which are in Christ Jesus.
Protect, through the Holy Spirit who
dwells in us, the treasure which has been
entrusted to you.”