I was talking to a friend the other day.
She is in the midst of a trial. The kind where it is impossible to know what the outcome with be. I have a hunch what God’s gonna’ do for her and her husband, but ya’ know how it goes, an obstacle has been thrown into the works and it makes it seem like the road could be impossible.
I told my friend that she needs a Memorial Box. {She reminded me she has one.} I said, “Well you need to get it out and review each item and then memorize the things in it.”
It has been a long, long, long time since I did a Memorial Box Monday post and since that time, many of you have been visiting our Place Called Simplicity.
So let me explain to those who are new to hanging around here….
In the Old Testament Almighty God told the Israelites to take stones and put them in a pile as a reminder of exactly what miraculous thing God had done. Then when they would pass pile of stones they were to tell the story of God’s faithfulness again. And when they had children, they were supposed to retell the story over and over to them. And on and on. Each time reminding each other of God’s faithfulness.
Surprisingly each time the Israelites got into a struggle, they would grumble and complain or become fearful and forget all about what God had done in the past.
And aren’t we just like the Israelites?
Totally and completely forgetting what God has done!
That’s why we need a Memorial Box.
Then when God moves a mountain in our lives, or heals, or provides something so magnificently we can take a little symbol of that God-provision and put that little symbol in our Memorial Box.
In our family’s Memorial Box we have all kind of things. A rubber duck, a lead from a heart monitor, a small plastic shark, a red heart, a plastic mountain lion, a little sign, a cancelled check, and the list goes on…
Each of them representing something God
has done in a powerful way!
I know I’ve mentioned it before, but about 2.5 years ago I had driven Isaiah to Iowa City to have surgery for his Arthrogryposis. Dw had come with me, but Dw was very sick and I had told him I didn’t want him to come {it was such a long way!}, because he was already so sick.
As it turns out, while Isaiah was in the hospital, Dw became even more violently ill and ended up going to the ER and being admitted to the hospital as a patient as well. They immediately put him in the hospital and began to run tests.
I will never forget, here I was in a strange city half way across the country. My little boy had just had surgery and now my husband was desperately ill and admitted into the same hospital on the opposite side.
Dw was having tests run and he texted me,
“It’s my liver. They are saying something is really wrong.”
I remember feeling like throwing up when I read that text. I knew how sick Dw had been and how he had lost about 15 pounds in the previous 2 weeks. And I am old enough to know that we only have one liver and we definitely need it healthy!
I became overcome with fear in an instant
UNTIL
all of a sudden, in a matter of seconds, the Lord flashed before my eyes item after item from our Memorial Box.
I felt an instant peace.
The thing was
nothing had changed,
BUT
I was remembering the faithfulness of God
and
that
gave me great peace!
and
that
gave me great peace!
He was reminding me:
He had not left me when the mountain lion came.
He had healed Emma when she was dying in my
arms as a little baby girl.
He had not only provided a swimming pool out of almost
nowhere but for almost next to nothing!
He had protected the kids and I when our
home was burning down…
and so on…..
And I don’t know about you, but it is way too easy to forget – that’s why I have to purposefully, intentionally, and with great detail remember Him, remember His healing, remember His provision and always we remember His faithfulness.
So although many months was the last time we did a Memorial Box Monday….I’m thinking it’s time to start remembering again.
And frankly, you need to remember again too.
No matter what your circumstance,
God HAS BEEN faithful to you and yours.
So this Monday {tomorrow!}
let’s do Memorial Box Monday again.
I would love, love, love you to link your story on my post, just like we used to do.
That will enable others to be encouraged by your story and bring new people to your blog to meet you as well!
If you have done Memorial Box Monday in the past, please feel free to copy, paste and relink an old story of yours.
BUT
if you are able, tell a new story.
I have a new one to tell.
It’s an amazing story of God’s beautiful provision.
Oh, Linny! I have SO been missing MBM! I'm so glad that you're bringing it back. 🙂 Love you, lady! Can't wait to link up and share tomorrow. Now to decide what story to share…
I miss MBM too! Keep it going!
this is a fantastic idea! i am so quick to blame God for the bad and forget His hand in the good! what a sweet, great way to stay remembering!
this post makes me so glad! 🙂 🙂 I so needed to hear people share the amazing things God has done for them.
I have never heard of this, but please bring it back. We are such forgetful children of God.
I'm so excited Linny! I've been wondering for awhile now if you were going to bring MBM back soon, so it makes me very happy to hear that you will be 🙂
YAY!!!! I love to read through these. It reminds me that we are never to stop meeting together and encouraging one another. I am so encouraged when I see God's work!!! Thank YOU!!!!!!!
Oh Linny, you have no idea how timely this is! We are in the midst of our own trial.. and oh how easy it is to take our eyes off of Him and look at the big scary things in front of us. I need a trip down memory lane to remind me of the times that He has already brought us through!
Wow! What a perfect way to remember to rely on our Lord. I have never hear of this but am excited to join in.
I'm so excited to share something that happened JUST LAST WEEK. 🙂 And I think our family really needs to start a memorial box, especially now. Thank you for this.
Thank you, Linny! So needed this reminder! blessings to you! Can't wait to read your post! <3 He is faithful!
Yay! Thanks for the reminder of Memorial Boxes and why they're a great idea! I believe tomorrow I shall begin by finding a box and starting one for my family. There is so much to tell…. I have a something similiar to share tomorrow.
BTW, As if reading your blog and praying for your family wasn't enough, I am always edified by your "playlist".
Oh I've missed your MBM so much!!!!
YAY!!!!!
Great news, SO missed memorial box mondays. Have written a few down just need to get head round writing a blog!!!!! Will get there. Looking forward to reading it and all others that link up. Love Hugs and Prayers for you all xxx
My precious husband and I were talking about this last night. God keeps reminding us to keep our eyes on Him as we are walking on water. Thanks for doing this! I can't wait to read your MBM this morning. I also have one to share as God is in the process of bringing our little treasure home:O)
lots of love,
jenn
i just love you 😛 and i cant wait to remember, and to write new stories 😛
I don't comment often, but I'm writing a MBM post for today. I NEED to remember the faithfulness of God, especially during this season of my life.
I don't know what you typically put in your box (other than the examples you listed before) but having one of the children draw a face of a clock & then putting Autumn's thumbprint on top of it would possibly make a great memorial box addition.
Just a thought. 🙂