Immeasurably More Than I Could Ask

Oh my goodness.... I can't believe it has been over a year since I last posted. I always seem to have a thought or urge to post an update or to share more of our journey and somehow I always get side tracked with a diaper change or a "urgent" need from someone.

Several years back I spent a weekend with my church gals at a "Going Deeper" event. The speakers included Beth Moore, Kay Arthur, and Priscilla Shirer.  To this day, I can not read Ephesians 3:20 ("Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us")  without a reminder of how Priscilla Shirer encouraged us to proclaim this verse in our lives. You see, as she said the verse, she took a giant step with each phrase. As she said each phrase, she proclaimed it with more emotion. Something like this.....(think about the capital letters and font size as her emotions)
             
      "now to HIM       who is ABLE      to DO     IMMEASURABLY MORE     than all we ask"

Man, I wish I could verberally say this to you to help get the idea. Anyways, this has stuck with me and I truly believe our journey these past 4 years is a real life example of how God can do more than we could ever imagine.

4 years ago my life was just sailing along with no clue of a major ship wreck coming. All was great and I almost felt untouchable when it came to the thought of anything bad happening. Suddenly on August 6, 2010, my ship wreck came and my life came crashing down.

But I survived!
Landen and I survived!
Mylea survived!
Our families survived!

God showed that He was able to do more than we could ask. No, we didn't get the healing that we wanted for Leightyn. Yes, we questioned why God didn't hear our prayers. But He did hear them!! Leightyn got her eternal healing without the pain and suffering here on earth. Many came to Christ, turned their lives around, and trusted Jesus as their one true Savior.
God heard our prayers and answered them in a way we never could have imagined.

I will never ever forget the way God proved Himself during my hardest moments as a mom. The overwhelming response of people at Leightyn's viewing. People that we had never met before and still they heard our story and came to share with us how it effected and changed them. The next day, Landen and I led our family into our church sanctuary for our final good-byes and instantly the tears came as I entered the doors. Not from sadness (I was still in shock and not everything had sunk in from the past few days) but from sheer joy and disbelief that our entire sanctuary was packed from front to back and all around with people who joined us to say good-bye and to support us on our new journey. And I get that that's what funerals are for but it's amazing the peace that came from seeing how God answered my many cries for this day.

But the biggest out pouring of God's "ableness to do immeasurably more than we ask" came towards the end of the funeral. Landen and I knew ahead of time that Bro. Mike would offer the plan of salvation and I had prayed and prayed that five people would choose Jesus that day. Five people for the five years we had Leightyn. I will absolutly never forget when Bro. Mike asked those who had accepted Christ to raise their hand. Slowly he begins to count the hands going up. He says "1". I'm thinking "yeah". He countinues to count to 4, I'm thinking "one more, just one more". He says "5". I begin to get teary. My prayer was answered. I got my 5. But oh me of little faith. Bro Mike continues to count and the numbers are coming quicker. 7, 8, 9, 10. Ten?? Really ten people. Now I'm getting ansy in my seat. I look at Landen and we just smile with tears in our eyes. But it's not over yet. Bro. Mike continues to count and now he's crying while saying "18, 19, 20, 21". Did you get that? 21 people willingly raised their hands and said they got saved at a funeral. Yes, my "God is ABLE to DO IMMEASURABLY MORE than we ask".

So none of this is what I had in mind to write about but once again, God has let my heart feelings roll off the keyboard for all of yall to see how Mighty He is.

So, how are the Holmes family? We are great! Life is great! Crazy, hetic, LOUD, busy and a great big beautiful mess. I just finished working through the Bible study "Beautiful Mess: Motherhood for Every Moment" and it's true the Holmes family is just a beautiful mess. For us, and probably you too, life has thrown us hurddles and challenges that seem to make a mess in our plans. My life is a mess. But it's a mess that God can make beautiful things out of. A mess that once again God has shown that He can do more than we could ever imagine.

Mylea is about to turn 7 in about a month. She was a month shy of 3 when Leightyn died and I cannot belive she is almost 7!!! How can that be?? Mylea sure is an awesome young lady. She loves God with everything. Her humor and imagination keep us laughing. Landry is 2 1/2 and has the personality of well Landry. She is her own unique 100% stinker and sweetie. Landry is the child that I prayed for. The little one I begged God for and He provided. My littlest Maribette is 1 1/2. Oh my sweet Maribette. She was a suprise and a great one at that. We also are an open foster home. During the past year and half we have had 5 children come in and out for short or long stay, Currently, we have a 2 year old boy that has been with us for about 6 months.

So why do I share how great things are going? As a reminder, for you and myself, that God can do more than you could imagine. So many times you hear of people and families that don't get over the loss of a loved one. And I get it. There were many of days that I could have stayed in bed but my sweet Mylea Jo taught me that I still had more life to live and memories to make. God taught me that He would never leave me. God knew my pain. After all, He sent His only Son to die for me. And you.
Do I want to paint a perfect little family picture for you? Not at all. I am no where near perfect. I yell at my kids. I have attitude. My house isn't always clean. My kids yell....and scream.....and hit....and bite. And we have two in the potty training stage (need I say more) but life is GREAT!

I have a God that loves me. A God that forgives me. A God that saved me. A God that has changed me. A God that will never leave me. And I have a God that has given me the promise of Heaven. A promise to one day see my Leightyn again.