Together Again

Family—it can be the one aspect of our lives that makes us or breaks us. For the last nine months, my family has been broken apart. My older sister and my four-year-old nephew were estranged from the rest of us as a result of a lifelong feud between her and my younger sister. With no idea where my older sister and nephew were living, what the conditions were like, or if her seizures had caused her to fall in a way that claimed her life, I was distraught and in constant prayer for their protection and provision.

At night, I would lay in bed wondering if my sweet little nephew was being bullied by other kids like at his last house. If he had clothes and toys and food, all the things a child should have. If, when I saw him next, he would be all grown up and too big for me to scoop up and hold. Would so much time have passed that he doesn’t even remember me?

I would reach out to my older sister through Facebook, but she would only ever read my messages, never reply. And for nine months, I’d often cried myself to sleep, clenching pillows, completely inconsolable, wondering how my family had gotten to this point. My only comfort was in the Lord’s arms, knowing He would take care of them in the quiet.

After nine months of praying without seeing any results, there had certainly been fear that my family would be stuck like this—torn apart and hating each other. But I had seen God do miracles in my life that prove nothing is too great for Him. And I clung onto that faith, onto Christ so tightly, believing that He was working behind the scenes in my sister’s life and heart. I kept the image in my head of my little nephew running into my arms as a present hope, and I never gave up on the possibility that it would be a reality again one day.

On February 25th, 2024, Jesus walked my sister and nephew to me. For the first time in almost a year, I got to hold my nephew in my arms. I got to hear his voice call out my name, I got all the cheek kisses and “I love yous” my little heart could handle. I got to squeeze my sister and hear her testimony on how God had swept in to provide for her when she couldn’t do it for herself. To hear her utter the name of Jesus and profess His goodness for the first time in thirty years of my life, I was brought to tears instantly.

Jesus heard my prayers, and He answered them. He healed my family. He brought us together again.

Prayers don’t always happen instantaneously. There were things my sister needed to do inwardly before she could be reunited with me. God was on the move for those nine months, healing her and rebuilding her life. And when she was ready, she made the call I never gave up hope on receiving.

God’s timing is perfect. Trust Him. Just because you haven’t seen your blessing yet doesn’t mean it’s not on its way.

Never give up hope. Keep praying.

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