Day 15: Michelle Susanj
Isaiah 48:17
“This is what the Lord says- your redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you is the way you should go”
~
We all have our own hopes and dreams in life. It’s hard to determine sometimes if these dreams match up with God’s dreams for us. The Bible does say that He will give us the desires of our hearts, but Psalm 37:4 says “Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.” Our “dreams” will line up with His as we seek Him and truly Delight in Him.
Anyone who knows me well, knows that my lifelong dream was to have 7 children. I think this dream started in me around the age of 8. I could see them in my mind and heart. I could hardly wait for this large family that I would be the mother of.
Life got in the way, especially for my husband. We were a single-income family so that I could stay home with the children. Financial pressures got in the way. Even my sweet and loving grandmother told me in no uncertain terms that “this was enough!” after my youngest was born. I think she was worried for me yet I know she would have rejoiced with more children.
Nonetheless, I gave up my dream (on the outside) but NEVER in my heart. Never. But God sees. God knows our deepest desires. God loves us so deeply and His love is perfect. He can redeem even the unredeemable. I have six wonderful and truly amazing adult children now because each of our 3 have married wonderful spouses that God has blessed our family with. But if my math is right, that’s 6 and not 7.
Up until this year, we have been blessed with 6 wonderful grandchildren. I love them beyond what words can describe. I “make it happen”. All 6 live out-of-state, but I’ve become the traveling grandma. Each week I drive to Allentown, PA to spend time with 3 of my grandsons. Twice a month you will find me driving to York, PA to spend time with 2 precious granddaughters and Max, who will turn one this January. And it was this past year, 2023, that we found out our youngest and his wife were expecting their first, and our 7th grandchild. Seven!
One morning I was praying for this little one and it was as if God gently showed me a picture of 7 beautiful children all lined up in a row. The line started with our oldest grandson and ended up with baby #7. If you really got a close-up picture of my heart, you would see that I not only wanted 7 children, but that I wanted them close in age. With this new grandchild, we will have 7 grandchildren all 10 years-old and under. How great is our God!
He whispered in my ear that morning saying “I am your redeemer”. He has redeemed me from sin, yes. He also has redeemed my deepest dream in life. “SEVEN”…what a beautiful number. What a Beautiful God! Genesis 16:13 says, “You are the God who sees me”.
~
"Thank you, Lord, for seeing us and our deepest desires. Thank you for knowing us to our deepest core being. Thank you for sending Jesus, Our Redeemer. Thank you for living your perfect life, dying for us, and resurrecting that we too can have everlasting life with you. Thank you that you are able to bless and answer our deepest prayers in your beautiful way and in your beautiful timing. Father, help our desires to line up with your ways. May our hearts line up with yours. Take this life that we have and use it Jesus for Your Glory, Honor, and Praise. I love you Lord."
“This is what the Lord says- your redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you is the way you should go”
~
We all have our own hopes and dreams in life. It’s hard to determine sometimes if these dreams match up with God’s dreams for us. The Bible does say that He will give us the desires of our hearts, but Psalm 37:4 says “Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.” Our “dreams” will line up with His as we seek Him and truly Delight in Him.
Anyone who knows me well, knows that my lifelong dream was to have 7 children. I think this dream started in me around the age of 8. I could see them in my mind and heart. I could hardly wait for this large family that I would be the mother of.
Life got in the way, especially for my husband. We were a single-income family so that I could stay home with the children. Financial pressures got in the way. Even my sweet and loving grandmother told me in no uncertain terms that “this was enough!” after my youngest was born. I think she was worried for me yet I know she would have rejoiced with more children.
Nonetheless, I gave up my dream (on the outside) but NEVER in my heart. Never. But God sees. God knows our deepest desires. God loves us so deeply and His love is perfect. He can redeem even the unredeemable. I have six wonderful and truly amazing adult children now because each of our 3 have married wonderful spouses that God has blessed our family with. But if my math is right, that’s 6 and not 7.
Up until this year, we have been blessed with 6 wonderful grandchildren. I love them beyond what words can describe. I “make it happen”. All 6 live out-of-state, but I’ve become the traveling grandma. Each week I drive to Allentown, PA to spend time with 3 of my grandsons. Twice a month you will find me driving to York, PA to spend time with 2 precious granddaughters and Max, who will turn one this January. And it was this past year, 2023, that we found out our youngest and his wife were expecting their first, and our 7th grandchild. Seven!
One morning I was praying for this little one and it was as if God gently showed me a picture of 7 beautiful children all lined up in a row. The line started with our oldest grandson and ended up with baby #7. If you really got a close-up picture of my heart, you would see that I not only wanted 7 children, but that I wanted them close in age. With this new grandchild, we will have 7 grandchildren all 10 years-old and under. How great is our God!
He whispered in my ear that morning saying “I am your redeemer”. He has redeemed me from sin, yes. He also has redeemed my deepest dream in life. “SEVEN”…what a beautiful number. What a Beautiful God! Genesis 16:13 says, “You are the God who sees me”.
~
"Thank you, Lord, for seeing us and our deepest desires. Thank you for knowing us to our deepest core being. Thank you for sending Jesus, Our Redeemer. Thank you for living your perfect life, dying for us, and resurrecting that we too can have everlasting life with you. Thank you that you are able to bless and answer our deepest prayers in your beautiful way and in your beautiful timing. Father, help our desires to line up with your ways. May our hearts line up with yours. Take this life that we have and use it Jesus for Your Glory, Honor, and Praise. I love you Lord."
Posted in Boast in the Lord \'24
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