One of my great loves and ways to unwind it to ‘lose myself’ in a good book, imagining myself as an integral part of the story, being present in every moment, the cogs of my imagination being able to run away with themselves creating wonderful imagery and thoughts provoked by the clever use of language and the story that weaves it’s way through the pages.
Arriving at the end of a book I have relished, is akin to finishing a race for me. The discovery of a plot, fresh learning, poignant lessons learned, real life stories, historic background, etc. take me to ‘the End’ with a sense of purpose and achievement. And yet, what unravels for me between the pages may be very different for another reader, as we each interpret things through our own perspectives, life experiences, emotions, language, culture and the many assortment of things that makes us the unique individuals our Creator wove us together to be!
One thing that never ceases to amaze me is how God doesn’t only work through those who seem to have it all together, who are eloquent of speech, dynamic in character etc. I certainly would have thrown in the towel long ago if that were so! The Bible is full of God’s power being released and shown through those who felt ‘not good enough,’ ’inadequate,’ etc. Those feelings for me have been and are very real in my life journey, yet as I have placed what I have so often seen as the tangled web of the mess I’ve made into the hands of a loving Father he has turned it around for good and left me amazed time and time again!
In the same way as delving into a book can reveal much that the cover only gives maybe a glimpse of, so I realise time and again that I need to do that with those I come into contact with; a lesson poignantly learned through a young boy with physical, cognitive and emotional challenges from birth…….
Our journeys had taken us from the U.K > South Africa > Zimbabwe > Northern Mozambique, each with their own share of learnings and unprecedented character building for us. In each place we went to serve and to give, but time and again, what we received from those we engaged with far outweighed anything we ‘gave!’ Zacc was a young boy whose parents we lived and worked with, a walking miracle after his parents were informed of the many ‘normal’ life milestones he would never reach. Their personal story warrants a book in itself of their walk with God through the hills and the valleys, a testimony to God’s faithfulness and grace as they have trusted in him.
Zacc didn’t judge anyone by their cover, he seemed to have an innate ability to see beyond to the person’s heart. He took someone at their word, never doubting they would follow through; he displayed the childlike faith Jesus spoke about when he admonished the disciples for jostling to be the greatest. This blonde haired, exuberant young man inspired me in praise and worship; always the first to abandon himself as the first notes of a praise song was played. He may not have known all the words or been able to speak the meaning, but his face glowed like a star lit galaxy.
He may not have been very coherent in speech, but he found ways to make himself understood, and sought to understand others. He loved being part of a team, maybe seeming to run his own race in his way, but deep down, loving being part of something greater than himself, of being included.
To be told that your child is not going to be able to develop ‘normally,’ is one of the hardest things to hear and to navigate. Yet, as I have both worked alongside such children and parented children with learning difficulties & struggles, I find there are things ‘beneath the cover,’ that both challenge and inspire me in my own life journey.
As I interacted with Zacc and his parents, the relationship between them was one of the closest things to seeing the Father heart of God I have ever seen… constantly cheering him on, accepting him totally for who he is, encouraging him to take steps forward into the more, his safe place, and so the list goes on. Their complete trust in Zacc’s and their creator to partner with them in nurturing and developing the precious gift they have been given into all that he was created to be both inspired and challenged me, to see them in the midst of discouragements and setbacks, never to lose hope!
May I learn more and more to listen and attend with the ear of my heart, to look ‘beneath the cover’ to the so much more than I ever saw before!