A Place for You

Over the past couple of years I’ve been asked to write a few devotionals for booklets that have been printed for various women’s events at my church. I stumbled across one today and thought I would share it with you. I’m not sure when I wrote this but I think it must have been leading up to Easter.


A Place for You
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.” John 14:1-4 (NIV)

In April of 1980 I was a young woman about to go through a life changing experience. After 39 hours of labor I gave birth to a 7 pound 6 ounce screaming bundle of joy. As most mothers know there were nights without sleep and days that seemed to last forever, and those were only the first couple of years. Christy grew into a typical teenager, full of excitement over a cute boy one minute and devastated by a bad hair day the next. She graduated from high school and moved out for college. Then she met her prince charming. They married and started their life together living in seminary housing. God called them to a small country church where Christy flourished, she always felt most comfortable when she was surrounded by ‘home folk.’ Life couldn’t have been much better as Chris and I were anxiously awaiting news of grandbabies to spoil. My only prayer was for the arthritis that had ravished Christy’s body to be miraculously and wondrously healed.

Then, on October 11, 2008 at 8:45pm, Christy left us for the place He had prepared for her. The place where she is miraculously and wondrously healed! The place where she will forever be joyful in the presence of her Lord. You see, Christy knew the Way. She knew him intimately and loved him fully. Our earthly lives have been forever changed by this tremendous loss, but we certainly have great hope. Our hearts will never cease crying for Christy’s earthly presence, but we can look forward to a future and the promise Jesus gave us. He was speaking to us as well as to his disciples in the 14th chapter of John. Our hearts must not be troubled for He has prepared a place for each of us who are called to be sons and daughters of God.

Father, I thank you so much for the gift of Christy and the 28 wonderful years you shared her with us. Thank you Jesus for going to prepare a place for us. For the promise of coming back for us so that we can live our eternity in your presence. Amen.

Hau’oli La Ho’omakika’I
Me ke Aloha,
Julie