Just Pray
When Avery died, it was as if the entire stadium of my world went silent. People had heard about the accident, word spread, whispering through phone calls and hushed run-in's at the grocery stores. It wasn't until I pressed publish on my first blog post that the stadium community let out a collective breath and began that slow clap as I began to slowly rise. It would take a long time for me to heal, to stand and to be able to take confident strides, but I was moving. Even if all I was doing in that moment, figuratively speaking, was barely wiggling my pinky toe.
I found that it didn't matter what side people were rooting for - they showed up when it mattered.
The dynamics of my family - aunts, uncles, cousins, extended family, children, children's family, ex-boyfriends, current boyfriend and everybody in between - I swear have been taken from a soap opera plot. And yet, they were all there. Because even though there's all this crap and bad decisions and jealousies, blaming, hurt and hate, decent humans know that in the long run, none of that matters.
Deep down we all know that our turn for being the injured player on the field is just a matter of time and we just pray that we have a stadium full of decent people to hold us up when it does. Because no one, I don't care how macho or callous you try to make yourself, no one wants to be lying out on that field alone. It's knowing that we're surrounded - surrounded by prayers, by well wishes, good jou-jou, positive vibes and whatever else you call it, that gives us strength and comfort.
On September 9th at 5:43pm, my friend, Amy, posted these words to her Facebook page:
"Someone who I love more than life needs prayers. Please send prayers.... just pray."
Amy. Sweet Amy. Who always wears a smile and who always has a laugh! She has been diligent in supporting me since Avery died. The unexpected private message. The encouraging word at just the right time. She is the fiercest cheerleader I know, seeing so much good in others, especially when they don't see it themselves. She fights for the underdog and won't allow you to quit on yourself. See, she knows a truth that most of us don't, and that's that we give in to the lies of the devil more than we accept the truth of our worth in Christ. You might not believe in yourself, but she does. And she knows God does, too, so you're worth fighting for. And she is going to show up every single time, because that's just who she is.
She's a private person and respects the privacy of others, but in this case, I think she knows people are trying to knock down the gates and pile into her stadium and she needs them. She needs them to pray with abundance and without ceasing for her son, Austin.
Austin was in a car accident - and don't get me started on that because the second I heard I fell apart but I quickly pulled it back together because one thing I will NOT let happen is let a mama think she has to do this all by herself. Not on my watch.
Austin has had several surgeries already so specific prayers right now are for absolute restorative healing and also the complete ability to walk. Austin is a young, good looking guy with a wicked sense of humor and a life story that will hurt your heart, but he's a fighter and a warrior and he just needs to keep on fighting and not give into any of the lies trying to fight for space in his head.
I believe in the power of prayer.
I believe in Our Almighty God who performs miracles even today.
And I believe that Austin is going to look up and see that stadium overflowing, filled with neighbors, community members and strangers with prayers on their lips. His family and friends kneeling on the field, eager to stand when he does.
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