We looked just about everywhere. We looked under things, in things, outside, inside, tearing apart our house looking for a stuffed fox. We were on night number two of great heaving sobs and floods of tears. As a parent, you want to fix what is ailing your child - let’s be honest, we looked on amazon to see if we could get another one by the next day. But we couldn’t. The first night she prayed that God would help her find it the next day… but that day came and went and still not foxy. Last night she sobbed, “Why didn’t God answer my prayers?!” How do you explain to a child that Jesus is still just as present when he says yes than when he says no or wait. But I tried my best and we prayed. This may feel like an insignificant prayer to you. Who cares about a stuffed fox? Joy. So even though I too felt like it was insignificant, I pled with the Lord, not because I care about the fox, but because I deeply love my child.
Steven tore apart the house looking for that fox to no avail. He told me that we were going to have to brace ourselves for tonight when she cried herself to sleep for yet another night. As I threw clothes in the laundry, I thought, “Maybe it fell behind the washer…” Nope. And then I saw a big box of balls the kids had played with and put away and I thought… maybe? As I dumped the balls out, I spied the beloved fox in the midst of the balls just hanging out, not even knowing we had all looked desperately for him for days.
When I brought him downstairs and told Joy, she screamed for joy and snuggled him tight. My prayer for my daughter is that this would just be one step in her learning to trust that Jesus is for her and that he loves her; even if he doesn’t answer her requests in her timing or in the way she would like. He. Loves. Her.
