Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6,7
Good morning, friends! Let me share something which I read in the book by Leann Albrecht, ‘Screaming on the inside.’ Let me write the same just like she narrates but a little shortened to include the basic essence of her inner heart.
It was the second time I became pregnant after I lost my first unborn baby after many years of my marriage. My body released another unborn child when I was in the middle of a double-header live worship event with Ron Kenoly and Don Moen. It was hard to concentrate on singing. I don’t know how I survived the long hours of agony before we finished the recording and the rehearsals. The longing for children persisted as and when we visited doctors and the specialists we could and had surgeries. We even tried adopting a child, but somehow God said ‘No’ to every child I thought would be Albrechts’ child.
Our hearts were filled with joy when we dreamt about the unborn Jonathan Zachary Albrecht who was inside his 19 years old mom April’s womb who already had a little baby girl. She told that she could not raise her son. We spent countless hours in waiting rooms and birthing clinics with her. Our fingers cramped as we signed and signed the huge stack of legal documents for adopting Jonathan.
Amidst of the excitement, all of a sudden I felt so uneasy and the Lord said to me that April has changed her mind. I didn’t want to believe it at all. The next morning the adoption lawyer confirmed the same and I stood frozen. I was broken to the core asking whether God was not noticing our desperation. I just wanted answers to my prayers. I even felt like God has played with my emotions.
On a chilly January day April called me and said, “Leann, this is April. There’s not been a day that is gone that I haven’t thought about you and Carl and how sorry I am that I hurt you. In fact I pray for you every day. I also wanted you to know that I would never have known Jesus if I had not come to your home. I am so grateful for you and Carl pointed me to Him. Because of you, I am raising both of my children in Church. We attend Church every week.”
I personally know this wonderful husband and wife who serve the Lord throughout all these years irrespective of their situations. I strongly believe that they really have many spiritual children across the world by their musical ministry including me. I could realize their love for others. It’s so stunning to me when I read about Leann undergoing such a stressful situation when she sang for ‘Worship with Don Moen’ live worship event. Because I’m a great fan of that album and have watched in innumerable times. All I see is just her joyful celebration in the presence of God.
Friends, as I wrote in my other email, anyone can praise God when everything is going right as we expected, but it is so very tough to thank and praise Him when nothing is working as we expected. But still when you praise Him in all your situations, God’s peace would rest upon you and after a while you would travel on the mountain of joy and would understand why you have gone through the valley of shadow if death. You and I will see only the present and long for many things but our good God holds our future in His hands and He has plans to prosper us and not to harm us. So let us praise Him when the sun is shining and even in the dark of the night and when the battle rages! He will give us power to overcome! By that time you’ll bless the people with your testimony and with your life!
May God bless you!
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