I have always been stumped as to how to answer this question, "How many children do you have?"
Should I say, "Um, I have three, but one died?" No, no, who wants to hear that? "Well, I have two children," and in my mind, I think, no I gave birth to three. How about, "I have three, altogether." Then they look at you like what are you not saying?
After a seven-year-long sigh, I can now breathe normal. Here's why.
As my husband and I drove to worship on Mother's Day, the answer came to me as if I had opened a box and there lay the perfect gift from God. He let me know I have three children, but the youngest went on to Paradise.
Now that really surprised me, because I believe no one can know this for sure. We can hope it. We can be pretty certain, when our loved one who has become a Christian, that he will be in heaven one day. But we're not God, and we can't know for a fact.
Only God knows the heart of men. 1 Kings 8:39
So, in faith, that's what I plan to say. "I have three children, but the youngest went on to Paradise."
I continue on the path of loss where the Lord carries me, and when I look down, there is one set of footprints in the sand.
On my next post, I will delve deeper into why Joshua died, which I've not wrote about before. Please check back soon.
Until next time . . . hold tight to Jesus.
