Reflecting on the loss of her dad, Lisa Beamer states:

"Slowly I began to understand that the plans God has for us don't just include 'good things', but the whole array of human events. The 'prospering' he talks about in the book of Jeremiah is often the outcome of a 'bad' event. I remember my mom saying that many people look for miracles - things that in their human minds' 'fix' a difficult situation. Many miracles, however, are not a change to the normal course of human events; they're found in God's ability and desire to sustain and nurture people through even the worst situations. Somewhere along the way, I stopped demanding that God fix the problems in my life and started to be thankful for his presence as I endured them."²

I have been following the cancer journey of a two-year-old local little girl since last year. She was diagnosed with stage 4 Rhabdomyosarcoma (a malignant cancer of the muscle) in May 2021 but was declared cancer free in June 2022. However, in July 2022, just one month later, she relapsed. Her parents made the difficult decision of putting her in the Hospice program and celebrate the life she had left. They did all the fun things a two-year-old would enjoy. Yesterday, I woke up to the news that this sweet little girl had passed away. I couldn't contain the tears as I held my own two-year-old little girl just a little tighter.

While I followed this cancer journey, I think most, if not all, of the readers were praying for a miracle. However, as mentioned in Lisa Beamer's description above, many times we perceive a miracle as a "quick fix" to the problem at hand, not understanding God's plan and presence through it all. We live in a sin-struck, sick world and the only place we will be free from suffering is when we get to Heaven one day. So perhaps the miracle for this sweet girl, although painful and difficult for us to accept, was that God, in His great compassion and love, took her home to the only place she could be a strong and healthy girl. Part of the miracle could also be the unity of thousands of people praying for and comforting this family in their great loss.

Let us see the beauty of God's comfort and compassion in the darkest moments. And let us imagine the joy and celebration there will be when we all get to Heaven and see our loved ones again.  

Suggested prayer: Dear God, thank you for Heaven. It is difficult to see our loved ones pass away, but thank you for Jesus, who gave us salvation and the hope of seeing them again. What a glorious day that will be when we get to Heaven and worship together in our Savior's presence. Gratefully, in Jesus' name, amen.  

1. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (NIV).

2. Lisa Beamer: "Let's Roll" Wrestling with the Whys" pg. 69.

Today's Encounter was written by: Crystal B.