Today marks the two year anniversary of losing our home to a fire.
This is a sobering day for us. As I was pondering and praying about it all, it hit me. I am certain when the Israelites ran for their lives after the angel of the Lord had passed over {now celebrated by the passover feast}…I just don’t think they had a big bash. I am guessing they remembered the gravity of all that had transpired and how lives were forever changed.
It reminds me of one of my most favorite worship songs ever. We will remember.
We have friends whose wife was in a plane crash. She survived, but everyone in the rows in front of her were killed. Her row was the first that had survivors. When they talk about the plane crash they talk about it being “a holy place”.
Their thoughts echo mine. Our fire is a ‘holy place’. No doubt, the angel of the Lord was truly present that night. Preserving and protecting. But the ramifications have been much from it all. Emotionally, spiritually and physically.
A couple of my closest friends did not want me to be alone tonight. They offered to come and bring dinner. I told them that I wanted to spend some time in prayer and thankfulness for the Angel of the Lord and God’s sovereign hand. They are coming and bringing dinner. We will, again, dedicate this home to Him.
To all who remembered that today was the anniversary and have been praying for us, thank you. Our children’s pastor, Jen, was telling me a story the other day at our staff meeting. She was subbing in Isaiah’s class and she asked the kids if God had ever surprised them. The answers quickly shot out, “A trip to Disney, a fun time here, etc.” She asked Isaiah. His said, “Yes, Our fire.” She had not been thinking about things like that at all. Sobering, and yes, we are all affected.
We will remember, we will remember
We will remember the works of Your hands
We will stop and give you praise
For great is Thy faithfulness
We will remember the works of Your hands
We will stop and give you praise
For great is Thy faithfulness
You’re our creator, our life sustainer
Deliverer, our comfort, our joy
Throughout the ages You’ve been our shelter
Our peace in the midst of the storm
With signs and wonders You’ve shown Your power
With precious blood You showed us Your grace
You’ve been our helper, our liberator
The giver of life with no end
[Chorus]
When we walk through life’s darkest valleys
We will look back at all You have done
And we will shout, our God is good
And He is the faithful One
Bridge
Hallelujah, hallelujah
To the one from whom all blessings flow
Hallelujah, hallelujah
To the one whose glory has been shown
[Chorus]
I still remember the day You saved me
The day I heard You call out my name
You said You loved me and would never leave me
And I’ve never been the same
Linny I remember it as if it was yesterday. My thoughts and prayers are with you today. Hugs and love
Wow, I guess time fly's even when it's not so fun…
have been saying prayers for DW and your family.
I will never be able to put into words how very thankful I am that God saved you in that fire. My life would not be the same without you. <3
I had only been following the blog a few weeks when the fire happened. I remember reading about it on another site and screaming at the computer, "NO! NO!" I'm so thankful you were protected.
Oh Linny, I know that holy place well. Praying for you today as you remember God's faithfulness, rejoice in His protection, and celebrate His grace and mercy.
I'm so glad you have friends bringing you dinner and coming to pray with you. If I lived on your side of the US, I'd be one of them.
Still praying for your family in Uganda. Still praying for your health.
Much Love,
Kathie
Yes, dear Linny, I too have prayed for you and your children today. I do remember that day, as it was the first day I started reading your blog. It is also our youngest son, Caleb's Birthday…He is 25 today and running from the Lord…Left his wife…they are not living for the Lord today, that is for sure….I have asked for many prayers for them…Still no breakthrough….I have cried most of the afternoon at hearing of Abi's heartbreaks over her past HORRIBLE behavior toward Caleb and now he has HORRIBLE behavior toward her….God is Faithful, as I keep telling myself….He will work this out…
Thanks for your faithfulness with your openness…It has helped my open my heart…
I noticed the date was coming up just the other day and began to pray for you and your family knowing it would be a sober time of remembrance. I am so glad you have set the example with a grateful heart. God took something that would have crushed some families and used it for thousands of others to learn a lesson on perseverance, hope, trust, and reliance on the one true God. Thanks for sharing and allowing us all to witness your great example.
Linny,
Today I remember with you. Today is the 6 year anniversary of the day I was living in Malawi, Africa and held an orphaned babe as she slipped away to be with Jesus. A holy place indeed. I am no longer [or at least not right now] living on African soil, but every time I see that picture of me and that sweet babe, I remember. So thankful she is in the arms of our precious Lord!
Hallelujah, hallelujah. To the one whose glory has been shown.
Blessings,
Karly
Love that song, too! What a promise we have in Jesus! Praying for you all today!
Thinking of you and praying for you tonight.
I still remember finding out through Stefanie and Lori (Ni Hao Ya'll and Joy Unspeakable) and in fact I think that is how I came to find your beautiful family in bloggy land.
What a 2 years it has been…filled with joy and sorrows and such trials and always the Lord being with you, so many many miracles and answered prayers and so many who have renewed faith in God and who have given their lives to Him as they've watched His faithfulness unfold in YOUR life.
As you share it on this blog of yours. So very thankful that He has surrounded you with such thoughtful people for such a time as this.
He loves you and he truly has brought much beauty from the ashes. Literally.
Thank you for sharing your life with so many.
love,
Holly
Praying for you sweet friend. Knowing this is an emotional time. Your post was beautiful. I feel our car was a holy place last year when we were in our car accident. Yes, we walked away from the accident, but I have had a year and a half of injury, dizziness, numbness, etc. It changed our lives forever. But God was in that place and He is still with us.
Love to you,
janet and gang
oh sweet isaiah. yes, i cannot imagine how deeply you're all affected. i'm so thankful for your family's committed to praise & steadfast faithfulness. you are true blessings.
i know this is a sober time, but i know it is also a time of celebrating His protection & faithfulness. i just got the biggest smile wondering just how many orphans will be loved on by their forever families because of the fire. just think about all the places posting about your family and the fire to ask for prayer. i "found" your blog because of a post about the fire & we were already in the process of a Ugandan adoption, but the Lord used you to show us Elizabeth & Elijah's orphanage so we could find Clayton. forever thankful for how He has woven you into that part of our journey and how you continue to be so dear to me. you and your family are so loved & i hope you feel so much peace as many of us pray for you during this time!
Thinking of you and your family tonight as I thank God for His amazing protection of your lives.
Hugs…just hugs and prayers…
Linny – praying for you all! It was a post on another blog about the fire which brought me to your blog. I remember just being so moved by your faithfulness in the midst of such a trial. You have been a blessing since! Thank you!
Oh how I remember that day. Hugs and prayers.
Linny – I didn't realize it was the anniversary of the fire, and I wasn't on the internet yesterday, but God did lay it on my heart to pray for you. How awesome is He?!?
that song touched my heart…who sings it?
I will never forget that morning when I pulled up your blog to find your prayer request, as your house was on fire……disbelief! Look how strong you and your family are….the way you all have handled, been transparent and witnessed to the rest of us has been a blessing and a reminder of what truly is important.
(((((((HUGS))))))) my friend!
I came along just this past summer so didn't know you then. I have been reading the OT again – I read about 20 pages a day as I am so ADHD that I never get through the Bible in a year the usual way !- and like you have been reminded of the days God has told us to remember. They are sometimes not ones we would like to remember and yet it is those times that we see God's deliverance, His love and mercy shining so strongly in our lives.
I am sure you can look back and see how God has strengthened your faith and love for Him in the midst of this tragedy- what a testimony-
Bee blessed Friend and feel His arms holding you tight as you remember-
mary
praying for you and that sweet family! so glad you are here to inspire and remind us readers of all He does for us in all His different ways!
Linny,
We also have lived through a fire- ours was in 1997 and there are still days when I find myself missing something, like a scrapbook or other sentimental treasure from our past. I also know that the fire was sent to prepare us for something worse just 3 months later- the car accident that killed our 11 year old daughter. After that, the fire lost it's significance and even though we weren't devastated by the fire at all, it really enforced the realization that it's all just "stuff" and that even the unreplacable items are expendable. It helped me to not sweat the little things now like I used to. (Do I care if the kids are jumping on the couch? Not so much anymore!)
Anyway, blessings to your family on this anniversary, and as you look around at your true Treasures, I know you are so grateful that God watched over all of you that day and night.
Michelle
PS. Isn't that inventory paperwork a pain?? Why do they make families go through that anyway?
Dear Linny, I am starting to understand the pain that comes with a house fire tragedy. My precious in-laws lost their home to a house fire this morning… my father in-law is hospitalized with burns and smoke inhalation issues… he's stable in the ICU, we are so thankful that God spared the only thing lasting – LIFE. It is extremely cold here right now (-40) at their house when it started. Praying for your family as you remember, and so thankful my precious family was saved today. ~Amanda
http://www.bacontidbits.blogspot.com
Thank you for sharing Linny. Thank you too for the sweet little basket I have now received. I love your thoughtfulness. I am a huge tea drinker and many of our kids are tea drinkers (all types of tea from around the world).
Prayers for you today,
Sharon