ann kiemel

i'm sitting in panera's, doing this blog.
there is a big guy..young..at a table across from
me, with these words on the back of his teeshirt:
"struck down but not destroyed".

a young mother i treasure has just learned
that her two year old son fits into the spectrum
of autism. somewhere in that diagnosis.
how vulnerable i would feel. my baby. my
pride and joy. with something extra difficult to
cope with in his life. fearful. where will this lead?
life is hard enough without a handicap. will everyone
still embrace him as much as always?

struck down but not destroyed.

another beautiful mother i know has four, little
children, ages five and under. on her first real
check-up since her latest baby, she found out she
is pregnant again. she feels overwhelmed! how does
she take five babies to the grocery store? or drop off
the oldest at kindergarten when all four of the others
are safely fastened into their seat belts, quiet? and
she has serious trouble with varicose veins that force
her to pull on tight, elastic leggings before she even puts
a foot over the bed to get up.

unprepared and unnerved and fearful and exhausted
and coping with morning sickness. discouraged and
confused but not ruined. not buried.

must run.
forgot a doctor's appointment.
but know i love you and Jesus is with us, and
victory is ours. Jesus is our Partner, running and
calling us to Himself. run and never give up.