Today is our daughter, Erica Gayle’s birthday. She was born at 5:30AM on a Sunday morning in 1972. Richard and I had recently bought a piece of property in Dix Hills on Long Island. Richard, Elisa, and I were spending every weekend at my parent’s house in South Huntington. We lived in West Hempstead. During the week Richie commuted to NYC and was all consumed on the weekends and most evenings with the construction of our first home. We were building an extensive addition to a small cottage which was present on the property which we purchased.
My parents had just returned from a wonderful trip to my Dad’s birthplace in Flekkefjord Norway. When I went into labor, my Mom and Dad were there to take care of Elisa and they were there for Erica and me when we were discharged from Syosset Hospital. Life was busy and we were so very blessed. Today, the memories of this day and this time in our lives played in my mind all day long.
Erica was a beautiful child and has become such a beautiful young woman; a daughter, a wife, a mother, a teacher, and a special friend to so many. I have always stressed that external beauty is a gift from God but internal beauty results from the development of our character and who we are on the inside. Erica is beautiful on the inside and the outside. She knows and loves the Lord. This love shines through her life.
We celebrated Erica’s birthday this evening. Richard and I and our family; Erica, Trevor, Trevor, Hunter, Christa and Kris went out to eat at a local restaurant. I look forward to the times when we can all be together. They give me such happiness. They are my legacy. They light up my life.
I want to share with you the words on the Birthday card which we gave to Erica. It is a special birthday message to a daughter by Emily Matthews.
“If” for a daughter says:
If you can value truth above approval,
And friendship over beauty, wealth, or fame,
If you can share your gifts and talents wisely,
Leaving someone better off than when you came,
If you find happiness in simple pleasures,
And see the rainbow, not the falling rain,
If you have faith to keep right on believing in miracles that no one can explain,
If you look until you see the good in others and keep your spirit honest, true, and free,
Then you’ll be, not just happy and successful, but the woman only you were meant to be.
The verse on the card goes on to say:
If you could see all the flowers in the world,
If you could hear all the laughter in the universe,
If you could make all the dreams that were ever wished come true,
Then you would know a little part of the joy of having and loving a daughter like you.
Happy Birthday Erica, and
Thank you Lord for our daughter Erica, on this her birthday, and always.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Friday, October 15, 2010
Undying Love
God is love. Many are the afflictions of the righteous. These two sentences seem so contradictory. God loves His children unconditionally but suffering comes into each of our lives in different ways and in varying degrees. The Old Testament book of Job speaks about Job as God’s most beloved servant. God allowed him to be tested and afflicted with all kinds of trouble. When Job was questioned he said, “shall we accept good from God and not accept adversity?” The bible also tells us that God never allows more trials into our lives than we are able to endure. God will prove Himself. As we experience God’s grace and we grow in our faith, our little faith will become bigger faith.
2Corinthians 1:3,4 says, “What a wonderful God we have – He is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the source of every mercy, and the one who so wonderfully comforts and strengthens us in our hardships and trials. And why does He do this? So that when others are troubled, needing our sympathy and encouragement, we can pass on to them this same help and comfort God has given us”. When we know God’s grace and receive the gift of faith, we want to share our testimony and God’s love with others.
Psalm 34:18 says, “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted, and saves those who are crushed in spirit”.
Psalm 147:3 says, “He heals the brokenhearted, binding up their wounds”.
Isaiah 49:13 says, “The Lord has comforted His people, and will have compassion upon them in their sorrow”
Psalm 23:4 says, “Even when walking through the dark valley of death I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me, guarding, guiding all the way”.
Christ suffered and died for us. 2Corinthians 1:7 assures us that when we share in Christ’s suffering, we will also share in His glory. What a wonderful promise!
I found a bookmark in my bible. The verse on it, in uncomplicated language, explains what I have been trying to say:
God has not promised skies always blue,
Flower strewn pathways, all our lives through;
God has not promised sun without rain,
Joy without sorrow, peace without pain;
But God hath promised strength for the day,
Rest for the labor, light for the way,
Grace for the trials, help from above;
Unfailing sympathy, undying love.
2Corinthians 1:3,4 says, “What a wonderful God we have – He is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the source of every mercy, and the one who so wonderfully comforts and strengthens us in our hardships and trials. And why does He do this? So that when others are troubled, needing our sympathy and encouragement, we can pass on to them this same help and comfort God has given us”. When we know God’s grace and receive the gift of faith, we want to share our testimony and God’s love with others.
Psalm 34:18 says, “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted, and saves those who are crushed in spirit”.
Psalm 147:3 says, “He heals the brokenhearted, binding up their wounds”.
Isaiah 49:13 says, “The Lord has comforted His people, and will have compassion upon them in their sorrow”
Psalm 23:4 says, “Even when walking through the dark valley of death I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me, guarding, guiding all the way”.
Christ suffered and died for us. 2Corinthians 1:7 assures us that when we share in Christ’s suffering, we will also share in His glory. What a wonderful promise!
I found a bookmark in my bible. The verse on it, in uncomplicated language, explains what I have been trying to say:
God has not promised skies always blue,
Flower strewn pathways, all our lives through;
God has not promised sun without rain,
Joy without sorrow, peace without pain;
But God hath promised strength for the day,
Rest for the labor, light for the way,
Grace for the trials, help from above;
Unfailing sympathy, undying love.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Memories Which I Ponder in My Heart
The Scriptures, when speaking of Mary, say “But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart”. After the Angel Gabriel came to her, Mary praised The Lord and rejoiced in her Savior but could not have understood all of God’s plans for her life and for her baby’s life. After Jesus’ birth, the shepherds in the field came to her with words spoken to them by The Angel of The Lord. St. Luke says that all who heard, wondered at these things, and Mary pondered them in her heart.
One event in my life, which I have pondered in my heart, is the birth and death of my baby, Carrie Marlene. Exactly 30 years ago, she was in Nassau Medical Center. I had just been discharged from Central General Hospital in Plainview after having had a Caesarian Section in an emergency delivery. Richie was traveling between both hospitals and keeping me updated as to Carrie’s condition.
Carrie was born on September 25, 1980. It was the day of our 16th wedding anniversary. She only lived for two weeks. She died on October 8, 1980.
It is hard for me to recall and write about that time in my life. God has brought me so very far in my faith walk. I know that He will give me the grace and strength to talk about the things which I have been pondering in my heart. I don’t know if my story can help someone else but I feel the call to share some of my most inner memories and feelings.
When my first daughter, Elisa Lynn, died one month after her ninth birthday in 1979, I told The Lord that I wanted another child. This was the immediate desire of my heart for myself, and for Richie, and especially for Erica. God heard my cry but brought me through many more trials before answering that prayer.
God wanted to grow my faith and show me so many things. It was during this time that the words in the Bible came alive to me. I knew that God was talking to me and bringing me into a place of peace and understanding which I had never entered before. My pain was so intense that no physical person could comfort me. I thanked The Lord every day for my daughter, Erica Gayle. She gave me reason to keep going, even though at times, I was only going through the motions of daily living. I had to keep functioning for her. Richie went into a hopeless, reclusive, angry, depression. We needed him but he could not help us because he was hurting so much himself. It is during times like this that one’s marriage can be strained to a breaking point. God gave me the strength, insight, love, and forgiveness to keep on persevering into the future. It had to be a supernatural strength! Erica had to be cared for, our lawn business had to be run, my parents had to be comforted, and life had to go on.
I did become pregnant within a few months of Elisa’s death but miscarried within the first trimester. After a trip to the hospital for a D&C, and waiting the required time afterward, I became pregnant again. I had an amniocentesis. Our baby was a girl and she was due early in September. We named her Carrie after a very special person in our lives, Richie’s Aunt Carrie. Carrie would not replace our Elisa, but she would give our family new hope for the future. I knew that Elisa was with The Lord and that she had been given to us, to enrich our lives, for nine short years. My faith would not have been where it is today if I had never known her.
On September 24th, I was 3 weeks past my due date. I had been going to the doctor daily. No signs of labor. I was 38 years old and at risk because of my age and history. Needless to say, I was getting very anxious. The doctor wanted to wait a little longer, but I came packed for the hospital and insisted on my admission. My dear friend Bobby was with Richie and me. I was admitted, attached to a fetal monitor, and was started on a pitocin drip to induce labor. I was given medication for anxiety. Richie went home, and Bobby stayed at my side. Bobby and I are both registered nurses. Bobby’s expertise is in the field of Lamaze, and labor and delivery, as coach and instructor. She was not only at my side now; she never left me physically or emotionally during my present suffering. I will be forever grateful to God for giving me such a special friend.
I will not go into the specific details of Carrie’s birth. When the doctor finally broke my water, he said, “pea soup”. The amniotic fluid is supposed to be clear. This indicated that the baby’s first meconiam stool had been passed into the fluid. Carrie was post mature in utero and should have already been born. I will never know why I didn’t go into labor in time, or why the doctor whom I trusted treated my situation so lightly, or why he waited a few hours before doing an emergency section. These are questions which will never have any answers!
When I think of Carrie, I remember calling out loud to Jesus in the delivery room. I heard the doctors working on her, suctioning her, and then, I finally heard a faint cry coming from the area behind me where they all were. The next thing I remember is being on a stretcher, in the hall, outside the delivery room. Richie was at my side. Carrie was in a baby transporter incubator. We were wheeled near to each other and I have a clear memory of her eyes looking up and connecting to mine. I can see that moment again now. It was all horrible but I never doubted that God was aware of the situation. I kept on repeating Romans 8: 28 to myself and out loud. Bobby was still at our side. We all felt so helpless. Nothing we could do now would change what just happened in our lives
Carrie was transported to The Nassau Medical Center where she was fighting for her life. She had aspirated meconiam causing respiratory distress leading to failure of all of her systems. The doctors did everything to save her. I was so sure that she was going to survive but late one night we were awakened by a call from the hospital informing us that nothing else could be done and Carrie was dying. She died on October 8th.
Where was God? How could this be happening again? Are non-believers right? I stayed in this confused place for a short while. It is a place where I had never been before. I have never been so lonely. What is life all about? Am I in charge of my own destiny? Is there not a plan for my life? or a God who understands the pain which I am feeling? Pastor Mech told me, “The God who was there for you before, will be there for you again”. I read my bible for answers; answers which I could not find from any other source or person. God spoke to me through Job and the Gospels. He told me that Job was His most beloved servant. If God allowed so very much suffering into Job’s life, I realized that God loved me too, knew my pain, and would see me through. In 2Corinthians He told me that He would be able to use me to help others who will experience even greater suffering than I was going through. I read, I listened, and I believed. God was always with me. He never did leave me. As related in the poem, “Footprints in The Sand”, God would carry me through my time of suffering and trials. I knew that He was real and He took away my loneliness. I knew, because I knew, because I knew. I never have to be in that place of doubt again.
I continued to pray for another child, but my body had to recover from the Caesarian Section first. I had one more miscarriage before my prayer was answered. I was now under the care of a high risk OB-GYN specialist.
I was about 5 months pregnant. Early one morning, I had a dream. I dreamt that I was going to have a miscarriage. The sac came out, but it was empty, there wasn’t any baby in it. I knew that the pregnancy was over but I heard a baby crying in the distance. When I awoke, I miscarried. Richie brought me to the doctor. When the doctor examined the miscarried tissue we were told that the baby never did develop, the sac was empty. I knew that God prepared me in my dream and I knew that He was with me.
Now my prayer became, “Lord, if I am not to have another child, please take the desire away from my heart”. I put it in His hands. I would accept His will but He had to change my longing. I continued to think about my dream and the baby’s cry which I heard at that time.
God heard my plea and did not take away my heart's desire. On May 25, 1983 our fourth daughter, Christa Grace was born. Erica has a sister, and our lives became complete.
Thank you Lord, for Elisa and Carrie. They are with You and I will join all of you someday.
Thank you Lord, for Erica and Christa. They light up our lives. They are gifts from you. Richie and I thank you every day for them, their husbands, and our grandchildren.
Thank you Lord, for the gift of faith, and for growing my faith as I search for a closer walk with you. In my times of weakness and pain, you give me strength and peace. Use me and my testimony in the lives of others to your glory. I love You, Lord. Amen
One event in my life, which I have pondered in my heart, is the birth and death of my baby, Carrie Marlene. Exactly 30 years ago, she was in Nassau Medical Center. I had just been discharged from Central General Hospital in Plainview after having had a Caesarian Section in an emergency delivery. Richie was traveling between both hospitals and keeping me updated as to Carrie’s condition.
Carrie was born on September 25, 1980. It was the day of our 16th wedding anniversary. She only lived for two weeks. She died on October 8, 1980.
It is hard for me to recall and write about that time in my life. God has brought me so very far in my faith walk. I know that He will give me the grace and strength to talk about the things which I have been pondering in my heart. I don’t know if my story can help someone else but I feel the call to share some of my most inner memories and feelings.
When my first daughter, Elisa Lynn, died one month after her ninth birthday in 1979, I told The Lord that I wanted another child. This was the immediate desire of my heart for myself, and for Richie, and especially for Erica. God heard my cry but brought me through many more trials before answering that prayer.
God wanted to grow my faith and show me so many things. It was during this time that the words in the Bible came alive to me. I knew that God was talking to me and bringing me into a place of peace and understanding which I had never entered before. My pain was so intense that no physical person could comfort me. I thanked The Lord every day for my daughter, Erica Gayle. She gave me reason to keep going, even though at times, I was only going through the motions of daily living. I had to keep functioning for her. Richie went into a hopeless, reclusive, angry, depression. We needed him but he could not help us because he was hurting so much himself. It is during times like this that one’s marriage can be strained to a breaking point. God gave me the strength, insight, love, and forgiveness to keep on persevering into the future. It had to be a supernatural strength! Erica had to be cared for, our lawn business had to be run, my parents had to be comforted, and life had to go on.
I did become pregnant within a few months of Elisa’s death but miscarried within the first trimester. After a trip to the hospital for a D&C, and waiting the required time afterward, I became pregnant again. I had an amniocentesis. Our baby was a girl and she was due early in September. We named her Carrie after a very special person in our lives, Richie’s Aunt Carrie. Carrie would not replace our Elisa, but she would give our family new hope for the future. I knew that Elisa was with The Lord and that she had been given to us, to enrich our lives, for nine short years. My faith would not have been where it is today if I had never known her.
On September 24th, I was 3 weeks past my due date. I had been going to the doctor daily. No signs of labor. I was 38 years old and at risk because of my age and history. Needless to say, I was getting very anxious. The doctor wanted to wait a little longer, but I came packed for the hospital and insisted on my admission. My dear friend Bobby was with Richie and me. I was admitted, attached to a fetal monitor, and was started on a pitocin drip to induce labor. I was given medication for anxiety. Richie went home, and Bobby stayed at my side. Bobby and I are both registered nurses. Bobby’s expertise is in the field of Lamaze, and labor and delivery, as coach and instructor. She was not only at my side now; she never left me physically or emotionally during my present suffering. I will be forever grateful to God for giving me such a special friend.
I will not go into the specific details of Carrie’s birth. When the doctor finally broke my water, he said, “pea soup”. The amniotic fluid is supposed to be clear. This indicated that the baby’s first meconiam stool had been passed into the fluid. Carrie was post mature in utero and should have already been born. I will never know why I didn’t go into labor in time, or why the doctor whom I trusted treated my situation so lightly, or why he waited a few hours before doing an emergency section. These are questions which will never have any answers!
When I think of Carrie, I remember calling out loud to Jesus in the delivery room. I heard the doctors working on her, suctioning her, and then, I finally heard a faint cry coming from the area behind me where they all were. The next thing I remember is being on a stretcher, in the hall, outside the delivery room. Richie was at my side. Carrie was in a baby transporter incubator. We were wheeled near to each other and I have a clear memory of her eyes looking up and connecting to mine. I can see that moment again now. It was all horrible but I never doubted that God was aware of the situation. I kept on repeating Romans 8: 28 to myself and out loud. Bobby was still at our side. We all felt so helpless. Nothing we could do now would change what just happened in our lives
Carrie was transported to The Nassau Medical Center where she was fighting for her life. She had aspirated meconiam causing respiratory distress leading to failure of all of her systems. The doctors did everything to save her. I was so sure that she was going to survive but late one night we were awakened by a call from the hospital informing us that nothing else could be done and Carrie was dying. She died on October 8th.
Where was God? How could this be happening again? Are non-believers right? I stayed in this confused place for a short while. It is a place where I had never been before. I have never been so lonely. What is life all about? Am I in charge of my own destiny? Is there not a plan for my life? or a God who understands the pain which I am feeling? Pastor Mech told me, “The God who was there for you before, will be there for you again”. I read my bible for answers; answers which I could not find from any other source or person. God spoke to me through Job and the Gospels. He told me that Job was His most beloved servant. If God allowed so very much suffering into Job’s life, I realized that God loved me too, knew my pain, and would see me through. In 2Corinthians He told me that He would be able to use me to help others who will experience even greater suffering than I was going through. I read, I listened, and I believed. God was always with me. He never did leave me. As related in the poem, “Footprints in The Sand”, God would carry me through my time of suffering and trials. I knew that He was real and He took away my loneliness. I knew, because I knew, because I knew. I never have to be in that place of doubt again.
I continued to pray for another child, but my body had to recover from the Caesarian Section first. I had one more miscarriage before my prayer was answered. I was now under the care of a high risk OB-GYN specialist.
I was about 5 months pregnant. Early one morning, I had a dream. I dreamt that I was going to have a miscarriage. The sac came out, but it was empty, there wasn’t any baby in it. I knew that the pregnancy was over but I heard a baby crying in the distance. When I awoke, I miscarried. Richie brought me to the doctor. When the doctor examined the miscarried tissue we were told that the baby never did develop, the sac was empty. I knew that God prepared me in my dream and I knew that He was with me.
Now my prayer became, “Lord, if I am not to have another child, please take the desire away from my heart”. I put it in His hands. I would accept His will but He had to change my longing. I continued to think about my dream and the baby’s cry which I heard at that time.
God heard my plea and did not take away my heart's desire. On May 25, 1983 our fourth daughter, Christa Grace was born. Erica has a sister, and our lives became complete.
Thank you Lord, for Elisa and Carrie. They are with You and I will join all of you someday.
Thank you Lord, for Erica and Christa. They light up our lives. They are gifts from you. Richie and I thank you every day for them, their husbands, and our grandchildren.
Thank you Lord, for the gift of faith, and for growing my faith as I search for a closer walk with you. In my times of weakness and pain, you give me strength and peace. Use me and my testimony in the lives of others to your glory. I love You, Lord. Amen
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Teaching Our Children
God wants us to teach our children well. In the Old Testament book of Deuteronomy, Moses gives a series of addresses to the people of Israel. He reviews the Ten Commandments. In chapter 6, verses 4-9, He says, “Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, The Lord alone. And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are away on a journey, when you are lying down and when you are getting up again. Tie them to your hands as a reminder, and wear them on your forehead. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates”. It is up to us as parents to teach our children The 10 Commandments. Along with the entirety of the Bible, they are no longer mentioned in the schools. Secularists are in the process of eliminating their display in the court room or any public building. These ten very good rules for living were the basis for western morality and the laws of our nation. It is us parents who give children values and show them how to act, behave, make the right choices, and know the difference between right and wrong.
When children are given a moral foundation and guidelines to live by, they will grow in character and in the awareness of the needs of others. Political correctness tells us that there are no absolutes. The Bible does give us absolutes. We are also told that truth is what you perceive it to be. Our children have to be taught to be honest. Truth is truth. We must be honest with our children even if it means admitting our own mistakes. Our children learn by the example which we give them, not just by our words of instruction. They will be real with us if we are real with them.
A person’s moral code develops throughout childhood and is ultimately shaped and determined by thousands of little decisions being made every moment of every day. Every situation becomes a teachable moment. Many times it is easier to give in to a child’s demands or tantrums than it is to stay steadfast and consistent knowing that you are helping them to develop into an unselfish adult with a healthy self image and respect for others. God wants us to teach and train the children He has blessed us with. He is loving and we are to be loving. We are to speak blessings over their lives and pray for wisdom and God’s guidance in everything thing we say and do.
As believers, we want our children to seek and know God, know the Bible, know truth, and know right from wrong because God says so. We want them to be wise and make wise decisions. The book of Proverbs was written to teach us wisdom and discipline. It begins with the reminder that, “to have knowledge we must first fear the Lord”. The book then goes on to deal with matters of religious morality, common sense, and good manners. Qualities such as humility, patience, respect for the poor, loyalty to friends, self-control, family relations, and business dealings, are found in short sayings throughout the book of Proverbs. If you have not started to read the Bible on your own, The Proverbs is a good place to start.
Richard and I have always been honest with our children. As children, they were taught to always tell the truth. They are now trust worthy and very honest young women. I now witness this trait being passed on to my grandsons. 7 year old Trevor is open and honest at home and in school. He is quick to report any situation which has happened in school, good or bad. Trevor and Hunter have observed politeness at home. They are both very quick to say please and thank you. I have passed on my faith to my children and now faith in God is being passed on to my grandchildren.
I prayed with my children and now Erica prays with her children. When we talk to God about everything, any time, and all the time, they grow up feeling God’s presence and know that He is always with them. Erica and the boys, on their drive to school or when they get to Erica’s classroom always say a prayer for God to help them through the school day. God honors them as they honor Him. Little Hunter (4) had surgery this past Sunday to repair a bad break in his left arm and elbow. He knew that God was with him and would help him. His mommy prayed with him and both Hunter and Erica were given the “peace that passeth understanding” which is promised in God’s word. Everything went smoothly and he is recovering. Now God is healing his bones and Hunter is going back to school to show his classmates the cast on his broken arm. And, I know that all things aren’t good but “all things work for good” (Romans 8:28), and that God gave Erica the “strength” (Philippians 4:13) and “peace” (Philippians 4:7) which she needed to help her son.
When children are given a moral foundation and guidelines to live by, they will grow in character and in the awareness of the needs of others. Political correctness tells us that there are no absolutes. The Bible does give us absolutes. We are also told that truth is what you perceive it to be. Our children have to be taught to be honest. Truth is truth. We must be honest with our children even if it means admitting our own mistakes. Our children learn by the example which we give them, not just by our words of instruction. They will be real with us if we are real with them.
A person’s moral code develops throughout childhood and is ultimately shaped and determined by thousands of little decisions being made every moment of every day. Every situation becomes a teachable moment. Many times it is easier to give in to a child’s demands or tantrums than it is to stay steadfast and consistent knowing that you are helping them to develop into an unselfish adult with a healthy self image and respect for others. God wants us to teach and train the children He has blessed us with. He is loving and we are to be loving. We are to speak blessings over their lives and pray for wisdom and God’s guidance in everything thing we say and do.
As believers, we want our children to seek and know God, know the Bible, know truth, and know right from wrong because God says so. We want them to be wise and make wise decisions. The book of Proverbs was written to teach us wisdom and discipline. It begins with the reminder that, “to have knowledge we must first fear the Lord”. The book then goes on to deal with matters of religious morality, common sense, and good manners. Qualities such as humility, patience, respect for the poor, loyalty to friends, self-control, family relations, and business dealings, are found in short sayings throughout the book of Proverbs. If you have not started to read the Bible on your own, The Proverbs is a good place to start.
Richard and I have always been honest with our children. As children, they were taught to always tell the truth. They are now trust worthy and very honest young women. I now witness this trait being passed on to my grandsons. 7 year old Trevor is open and honest at home and in school. He is quick to report any situation which has happened in school, good or bad. Trevor and Hunter have observed politeness at home. They are both very quick to say please and thank you. I have passed on my faith to my children and now faith in God is being passed on to my grandchildren.
I prayed with my children and now Erica prays with her children. When we talk to God about everything, any time, and all the time, they grow up feeling God’s presence and know that He is always with them. Erica and the boys, on their drive to school or when they get to Erica’s classroom always say a prayer for God to help them through the school day. God honors them as they honor Him. Little Hunter (4) had surgery this past Sunday to repair a bad break in his left arm and elbow. He knew that God was with him and would help him. His mommy prayed with him and both Hunter and Erica were given the “peace that passeth understanding” which is promised in God’s word. Everything went smoothly and he is recovering. Now God is healing his bones and Hunter is going back to school to show his classmates the cast on his broken arm. And, I know that all things aren’t good but “all things work for good” (Romans 8:28), and that God gave Erica the “strength” (Philippians 4:13) and “peace” (Philippians 4:7) which she needed to help her son.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
