The t-shirt…

This post has been many years in the making. However, I will only share a tidbit today.

Really, it’s been a story of perseverance, HOPE, faith, discipline and obedience.

As a mother, I feel a deep urge to share this to spur you on in your own faith journey. At times, I just wanted to hold these things close to my heart.

However, I believe God desires us to share our stories. To encourage each other and help light the path for each other when it is hard to see.

I will praise you, LORD, with all my heart; I will tell of all the marvelous things you have done. Psalm 9:1

This is a part of some of those marvelous things Our Great God has done. Thank you for letting me share.

When my son was in high school, he sat across the table from me one day and shared that he felt like God was calling him to be a doctor.

I was not taken by surprise one bit. His father and I saw this coming a long time before.

He expressed in that conversation that the road would not be easy. He said “Mom, everything counts.”

Meaning, every grade, every action, every step…would be important if he were to fulfill this desire of his heart.

Little did we know just how long and narrow this journey would be.

Fast forward, skipping many stories ahead, he graduated from college last May.

The next step was getting into medical school.

Joseph had warned us many times that this was the hardest part. He told us that he was one in a million kids that had good grades and good resumes. He said that even with good academic standing, it could still not happen.

We were prepared for the outcome God had planned.

If you could see my prayer journal during these 6 or 7 years…whew!

Prayers upon prayers. Upon prayers. Upon prayers!

Joseph submitted all of his test scores, applications, essays, etc to his number one choice in medical schools.

He got a call back for an interview and we were so excited!

However, we knew he still had a long way to go in this process.

The day before his interview he and I sat on our back porch talking. We were going over everything that they may ask him and just talking about everything under the sun.

I could see the anxiety in his eyes. I could see the doubt starting to form.

He had expressed his struggles with doubt and we prayed through all of them.

Through this entire process I told him that I had enough faith for the both of us. If he struggled and wrestled with doubt, it was okay. My faith would bolster his and God would show us the way. I meant every ounce of those words.

As he looked down and became quiet on that porch that afternoon, I felt my heart stir.

I felt a nudge to show him just how much faith I had for him.

I wrestled for a second or two because I wasn’t sure how this would go.

“What if he didn’t get in???” “What if this isn’t God’s plan for him??”

I decided to walk by faith and not by sight in that moment.

I told him to stay on the porch, I would be right back.

Running to my bedroom, I opened up the bottom left drawer of my dresser.

Neatly folded at the bottom of that drawer was a shirt that I had bought him in faith, months before.

It was a shirt with the name of the medical college he desired to attend embroidered on it.

Thoughts were swirling in my mind. What if this isn’t God’s plan?? What if he doesn’t get in and I look foolish for getting this for him??

All the thoughts screaming doubt into my heart.

I took a deep breath and remembered why I had purchased it.

The story of Joshua.

God told Joshua to march around Jericho 7 times and the walls would crumble and the city would be his.

For 6 days Joshua and his men marched around Jericho.

How silly he must have felt at times. What if this doesn’t work? Surely he was thinking those thoughts.

On the 7th day, he and his men marched around the town 7 times.

Guess what happened?

Yep.

The walls came crashing down. The city was theirs.

My heart swelled with faith.

I took another deep breath and prayed for God’s will to be done. No matter what that looked like.

This was my Jericho moment.

With the shirt in hand, I walked back out onto that porch.

I handed him the t-shirt.

He gently unfolded the shirt.

His green eyes welled up with tears.

“I have enough faith for both of us, Joseph. I bought this months ago. I trust God has a plan in all of this”

He gave me a hug and I told him that God was with him and would never leave him.

A month after that interview, Joseph received the good news that had been many years in the making…

He was accepted.

In his words, it was the best day of his life getting that news.

In my words, it was a huge faith builder for my mother heart.

A mother’s faith is crucial. Our prayers are powerful. Our tears are never wasted.

God can and will do immeasurably more with just a mustard seed of faith.

Maybe you have a child struggling, doubtful, unsure, lost….

Your faith can help their faith.

Sometimes it looks crazy. Like marching around a town for 7 days…

Or buying a t-shirt.

Whatever it is that God asks you to do in faith….

Do it.

Just do it.

He will not fail you.

Leave the consequences and the outcome to him .

Pray and never stop pleading for your children.

Day after day.

Year after year.

Joseph still has a long road ahead of him.

However, the gate has been opened. Just like God did for Joshua in Jericho.

The story is not over.
That is the good news.

For all of us.

God’s stories always end well.

They just often take time. And prayer. And faith.

Keep walking in faith. No matter how dark the night becomes…

He is with you. He will never leave you or forsake you.

buying more t-shirts,

jill