The Works of God

I was reminded this week of another reason it is a good for those of us dealing with disability to have a long-term connection to a church:  long-term church friends.

We spent a wonderful Thursday with friends of ours who now serve overseas as translators for a people-group in south-east Asia.  We first met them in a Bethlehem small group years ago.  We had Paul and they did not yet have any children.  Over the next seven years before they went overseas, our other three children and all three of theirs were born, each “pair” within months of each other.  Dianne and I are so grateful for their friendship and support through some very hard things.  The hours we have spent in prayer and bible study together would be difficult to count!

So the rare opportunities to spend time together as families are precious. And in the middle of our Thursday gathering, Paul went into one of his spells.

That could have ruined everything.

But, experienced friends that they are, they trusted that we knew what we were doing for him.  There was no unsolicited advice offered.  And they did not freak out.

They also demonstrated their usual deep compassion, which looks nothing at all like pity.  God has granted them a special kind of wisdom which displays personal care and affection, yet without their being intrusive or uncomfortable with our unusual family situation.

So, we made Paul as comfortable as possible and continued with our day, well into the late evening.  He was as safe and comfortable where we were as he would be anyplace else.

So, God gave us the gift of a good day along with a reminder about how unusual our friendships are going to be because disability is part of who we are as a family.  Thanks be to God for his gift of the church from which this friendship flowed!