“Someone I loved once gave me a box full of darkness. It took me years to understand that this too, was a gift.”
― Mary Oliver
Find Hope in the Unexplainable Times of Life
From the moment I clicked on my video and met Erica Wiggenhorn, pre-taping of our podcast episode, I was captured by her dynamic spirit. She started speaking FIRE to me from minute one.
And I needed that fire.
When podcast guests are booked, I am ALWAYS humbled and grateful.
Somehow, some way, I’ve crossed their path on social media or via shared acquaintances, or on other podcasts, and I take a chance and offer an invitation.
I’m just “the little podcast that could” and immensely grateful when guests say, “YES!”
Typically, I do my homework, study their media kits, read and re-read aspects of their book, pray over what I think our community would most benefit from knowing and learning, and then, create a “working” script.
So, I hope to be prepared.
But, a few minutes into the taping, a violent pain erupted from the lower right side of my head/ear.
I hit the pause button and shared with my guest, my very new friend, that I was having “an attack” of some sort.
“I’m going to need to drink a lot of water,” I said. “Give me a few.”
She says, “Janell, I’ve got this. I’ll tell a story or two.”
Her words dripping with compassion and grace.
As I prayed and waited the attack out, I listened to her story.
And, I begin to cry.
Unknown to me, as I didn’t thoroughly read her three Bible Studies before taping the episode, Erica and her husband had struggled with infertility.
She spoke one phrase that took my breath away, “God told me I wouldn’t have children through biology but through His bounty.”
Wow.
Little did Erica know that my son and his wife are struggling with infertility. And its been a long struggle.
The attack passed and our conversation continued. Her story and words and countenance HEARTLIFTED my “grandmother-to-be” heart more than she’ll ever know.
When you lose someone you love, Your life becomes strange, The ground beneath you gets fragile, Your thoughts make your eyes unsure; And some dead echo drags your voice down Where words have no confidence. Your heart has grown heavy with loss; And though this loss has wounded others too, No one knows what has been taken from you When the silence of absence deepens. -John O'Donohue, "For Grief"
Finding Hope in the Unexplainable Times of Life
Erica and I hope and pray that this conversation offers you the exact HEARTLIFT you need, today.
I really hope that her “Will You Get in the Wheelbarrow?” story, originally created by Charles Blondin, inspires and incites you “to get in the wheelbarrow.”
Learning to trust in Jesus is a continual process. It isn’t a once-and-done process. Salvation in Jesus is, but trusting in Jesus is ongoing. I do believe our trust muscle(s) develop and strengthen and in some ways “trust comes a little easier,” (at least that is my humble experience), but “the trust process” absolutely requires that we wake up every single day with two hands wide open to receive our daily portion.
Heartlifter, know you are loved and that today, you are seen by God.
Go ahead, climb in the wheelbarrow. He knows exactly where He is taking you.
P.S. That shooting pain in my head/ear led me to get a brain MRI. It seems I have “trigeminal neuralgia,” and now have yet another “chronic pain” issue leading me to find hope in unexplainable times. That picture of me getting in the wheelbarrow marks me once again “learning to trust in Jesus.” I hope I lead you by example, Heartlifters, and that together, we can cross the NIAGARA FALLS of FAITH in triumphant victory. We are stronger together and together, we become stronger every day!