Memorial Box Monday: One Year Ago Today

These next few days are extremely
significant days in our family’s life…
and there are three important days we remember…
but they will be told in the days ahead…
today is actually a very special day in our home 
and in our hearts.
Along with the other stories,
come to think of it, 
January is a pretty big month for our family 
in many ways.
What’s weird is that as a young girl I always
dreaded the approach of January.
Many years later, through counseling,
 I realized why,
however, when I was young I just
thought that it was probably because
it was cold, snowy and seemed to always be dreary.
If you’ve ever lived in or been to Buffalo, 
you know what I’m talking about.
But God is faithful and He redeems
even months that once were dreaded.

This being the first Monday of the month
we are inviting others to link-up in hopes that  
sweet friends will  
share their stories of the faithfulness of God.
Each story encourages our souls.
Today is
January 6th
and
today marks the one year anniversary of our
Emma 
permanently moving to Africa.

A few days ago while cleaning I came
across a cover of a notebook that Emma
had had a few years back when she 
was in high school.
It was totally random to find the cover
as it just kind of appeared out of nowhere
without the rest of the notebook.
 But as I stared at it I felt like 
the Lord whispering to my heart once again,

“Linny, I called her a long time ago, 
when she was just six and a half years old.
All through the years I was continually wooing
her heart to Africa.  Her doodling reminds 
you of the love
she has for the land I’ve called her to.”
Yes, it was one year ago today, at right about 
this moment that we were leaving for the airport
to take our precious girl to fulfill the desires
Almighty God had placed in her heart
years before.
It has been one year since she was home and 
we continually miss her laughter 
{she has a hysterical sense of humor}, 
the yummy things she would make
{she’s an amazing cook/baker…},
her thoughtfulness,
her wisdom,
her unending optimism,
her kindness to all
and her boundless joyful presence.
A few of the kajillion reasons why we 
love 
and 
miss
 you so much….

Our last picture as a family 
{graciously taken by friends who came to the airport with us,
such a beautiful gesture of love} 
before Emmy walked through the airport security…
Oh sweet

girl…

how we miss you.
We are thankful that Emmy has found
such favor in her new homeland
and we are forever grateful that 
God has allowed us the privilege
of a front-row seat as to all that 
He has called her to.  
Emma Joy:  
We are so very proud of you
and so very honored to call you
our daughter, sister, aunt, and precious friend.
Many painful things have transpired in the last
year that most of the world has no clue about…. 
Yet you have faithfully endured
and risen, by God’s grace, above  
each of these circumstances.
You are running the race well.
You have put your hand to the plow
and kept your eyes on the prize.
We honor you for your life of obedience
and thank you for the example you have
set for all.
You are our family’s hero
and we love you immeasurably
and we always, always, always miss you.
I am going to put the cover in our Memorial
Box as a continual reminder of how God
calls us all to a life of obedience,
whether 6-1/2 years old or 96-1/2 years old.
How about you?
What things has the Lord done in 
your life?
Please share your Memorial Box stories
so we can celebrate the faithfulness of God.

7 thoughts on “Memorial Box Monday: One Year Ago Today

  1. Love this post! I knew the date was coming up, but didn't know the specific date. Love how God's fingerprints are all over Miss Emma's life, and the rest of us for that matter. Soon you will get to hug the neck of your girl, in just a matter of weeks. 🙂

  2. ((hugs)) sweet friend.

    Your anniversary post reminds me that I have now been lurking around your place called simplicity now, for going on I think 3 years. Glad I found you when I was researching adoption that summer.

  3. Praying for your family and Emma always! Rejoicing in the miracle that God did over the holidays. My medically fragile daughter got a bacteria in her blood stream from a dental procedure and it never got to her very special, surgically patched up, three chamber heart! No valve damage, no muscle damage! Glory to God for spareing my daughter and that no damage was done. For her health and life. Blessings to all! May we all remain steadfast and faithful to a faithful and steadfast God!!

  4. I love this story Linny…..amazing, and something so powerful for you to hold on as a mom (and dad) . She is right where God has directed her…living out her deep desire to make a difference. Oh, Linny, with a mother's heart I am hugging you and praising God for your courage as you place her in HIS hands day after day.

  5. Catching up on your blog and now I am bawling. I am so proud of your Emma. And so proud of you for supporting her in God's call. My sweet 10 year old is called to the mission field, so my tears are not just for you, but also in anticipation of missing my Lilly. But I am oh-so-thrilled that God has called her to do His work and so excited to see where He will take her.

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