Waymaker

 "Way maker, miracle worker, promise keeper, light in the darkness... my God, that is who You are." 

Those lyrics depict my life as single mom when my girls where children living at home. I struggled raising my children, and I struggled hard.  Struggling was not a choice I made; it was a reality of a single mom working long hours on low wages.  As very young children I do not believe my girls realized the struggles their mom had, but as teenagers I know the reality was front faced for them both.  

Seeing what some of their peers had versus what they may have lacked in material things broke this mama's heart time and time again. 

 I know material possessions are not the end all be all of life, however for a teenager it can be in their world. And it caused some resentment in my home.  Teenage years are tough. Not only for the parent but for the teenager trying to find their way and their purpose in life. There were times, I believed I had failed my children. And I probably did.  Human efforts can cause one to feel unworthy, and less than. Coming up short is not for the faint in life. I fell down daily in one fashion or another. ...tried again the next day and cried in my pillow more times than I want to admit. 

There was a time when one of my children made the comment she had purposed to grow up and never be like me. She would never struggle as I had and was.  For a time, her words stung deeply to my core.  I had hoped she had witnessed my faith and hope in Jesus instead of the struggles and pain. As parent, I never wanted my children to struggle as I had. I wanted them to go further in life then I could have ever hoped to. They have.  I am more than proud of them both and every success they have accomplished in life thus far. However, I want them to see no matter how hard life was or is, their mom never quits. And the anchor that I hold on to is Jesus. 

Looking back over my life and the struggles I have endured I can see the fingerprints of my Jesus in each and every one of them.  We never went hungry. We always had a roof over our heads. Clothes on our backs and an army of family and friends there supporting and cheering us on. But most importantly we had our "way maker."  The One whose faithfulness never waivers, nor fails. He pulled me up and through for every storm that raged against me.  I learned to thank him for what we did have instead of stress of what we did not have.  I trusted him to provide when I could not. I believed in his promise of never leaving me nor forsaking me. I still do. 

Luke chapter 12 verse 24 reads.

Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them.  Of how much more value are you than birds? 

He has been my way maker in times I could not see him.

My way maker when I could not hear him.

My way maker today.

My way maker tomorrow.

And He is yours.