Lauren Sparks

The Sparks Notes

  • Home
  • About
  • Favorites
  • Policies
  • Contact

Emmanuel

November 11, 2015 by Lauren Leave a Comment

Originally published Oct 19, 2011

My Papa had a heart attack over the weekend.  I was over 4 hours away – and so were my sisters.  That was hard.  I got the phone call while sitting in a boat in the middle of the lake.  Talk about feeling helpless to get where you really want to be!  I was understandably worried about my dad, but I think I was just as concerned for my mom as my dad underwent a heart cath to find the blockage, which would immediately be fixed.  I sat in that boat bawling, thinking “what if that was Chuck and I was sitting there all by myself?”  But my mom didn’t really need me.  She is a Christ follower – so she’s never alone.  Emmanuel is a name for God we don’t hear much except around Christmas time, but it’s a comforting name.  It means, “God with us”.  And He always is.  My mom sang praise songs to herself during the entire procedure and really felt the presence of God.  He comforted her (a primary job of the Holy Spirit) and kept her calm.  Had I been where I wanted to be, she would have missed that sweet fellowship and confirmation of Providence’s care.
When Shelby was a toddler, I was terrified for Chuck to go out of town and leave me alone with her.  In those days, every time she had a seizure we ended up in the ER because of the duration and severity.  Looking back, how I wish I had called upon my Savior and allowed Him to wrap his arms around me the way my mom did.  I am fortunate to have her as an example to follow.  I hope the next time a crisis comes (and in this fallen world, it will), I will reach out for what I know is already there – my Emmanuel.  The ever-present, all-powerful God of the universe.
“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”  Psalm 46:1


Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)

Related

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Let’s Connect

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

About Me

I love Jesus, my husband and caffeine. The order of these can change depending on how tired I am. When my two daughters, stepson, and 4 grandchildren get to be too much, I practice yoga. God graciously allows me to share our adventures, victories and flub-ups from my laptop. May He be glorified here.
Read More

Subscribe for Updates

Enter your information below to receive the latest updates from the blog!

Recent Posts

  • I’ve Got Tears in My Ears (and Other Funny Titles)
  • Verse Mapping Joy!
  • Grace Upon Grace
  • First Friday Prayers: Prayer for the Caregiver
  • The Grand Finale of February

Find Devotionals By Me in These Books and Click on Image for Order Information!

A 25-Week Bible Study with Topics from Abide to Zeal
A 26 week journey to a better prayer life.
30 devotionals for faith that moves mountains

For Sharing

Lauren Sparks

Like Podcasts? I’m on This One

…and This One! click to listen.

Click below to get a free trial of my favorite technology monitoring platform

Need More Than Just Monitoring? Find Filters and Accountability Here

Search This Site

Categories

Archives

Copyright © 2023 Lauren Sparks | Design by Traci Michele | Development by MRM

Stop!  Don't Miss Out!

I have a brand new e-book.  This was Not On My Bingo Card:  Essays on Cancer and Related Surprises is available to you FREE by simply subscribing to my blog!  

Invalid email address
I promise not to spam you. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Thanks for subscribing!