Letting Go and Watching God Work

Have you ever had to let go of a family member and let them make decisions that could destroy them?

I have been there with my own niece. This was the child that was born when I was 18. The little, curly headed girl with those big, brown eyes that I loved so dearly. My brother and his wife divorced when she was little so she spent a lot of weekends with us. We cuddled, watched cartoons, and read lots of books.

I finally hid the book One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish because she made me read it soooo many times. My children know about this so each time they pull it out for me to read it, they laugh and remind me that I had to read it over and over to my niece.

She was the little girl who cuddled and slept with me the night before I got married and looked like a princess as my flower girl.

She was the young lady that I watched excel at school and at soccer.

I was blessed to take her and my oldest son to Chicago when she was in high school…such wonderful memories from that trip!

Then she was the girl who went off to college, met the wrong people, got hooked on drugs, and became someone I didn’t know anymore.

My heart broke…it broke for her…it broke for my brother. There was nothing we could do but give it all to God and pray.

The hardest part was when she was arrested with some others for stealing. They were stealing to buy drugs. It was devastating for us for her to be in jail but I knew in my heart that she had to hit rock bottom before she would start looking up.

I can finally say that this story has a happy middle…not end…because I believe God has a plan for her and I can’t wait to see what He does through her.

I was so inspired and so proud of her last month. She invited us to Celebrate Recovery at our church and she received her 1 year pin. One year of being clean…one year of slowly giving her life to God…one year of repairing relationships.

It was hard to hear her say that she couldn’t remember the last few years of her life, but what a testimony she has now.

God works miracles…I have seen it with my own eyes!

Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?” John 11:40

Sometimes when I am feeling down or not sure if I can do what God is asking me to do, I think of my niece. God can change people, He can do extraordinary things in your life, you just have to be willing and believe.

Blessings to You!
Melissa