99 Balloons

Wow, I don't even know where to start. I've been sitting here (with my big box of tissues, might I add) watching the youtube video "99 balloons" over and over. I want to throw out a word of caution....this video will make most people out there cry, and if you have recently lost a loved one (especially a child) it may be very difficult to watch. You may want to take that into consideration in choosing whether or not to watch the video. I'd like to add that, despite my disclaimer, this video is actually one of the most touching and humbling things I have ever seen. It is actually a celebration of life, a life that lasted 99 beautiful days.

You might be wondering why I would post a blog about a video that will likely make you cry. It's because I believe that God can use anything to bring Him glory, even situations that seem unbearable to us on this earth. I won't share the whole story as the youtube video does it so profoundly, but the story is about 2 parents, Matt and Ginny, who learned that their unborn child would likely not make it to birth due to medical complications. Despite the grim report, baby Eliot not only made it to birth, but he lived a beautiful life of 99 days. Before I share what lessons the Lord has taught me through Eliot, Matt, and Ginny, now would be a good time to watch this video, if you feel so led (get your tissues!).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=th6Njr-qkq0


Incredible, huh? What an amazing story of life. What a story of unconditional love and joy, and the truth the God's glory is our ultimate purpose here in life. Do you realize the platform that Eliot, Matt, and Ginny had because of their pain? Pain gives birth to platforms. Thankfully, Matt and Ginny are using that platform to bring glory to God. What special treasures they are. I often think of Joni Erickson Tada (http://www.joniandfriends.org/). Mrs. Tada had a diving accident that left her in a wheelchair as a quadriplegic. To many, this would seem unfair and they would shake their fist at God, asking why (I think that's human nature). But look at the platform Joni has had! Her pain has given her a global platform. She now has a ministry to the disabled community and she uses her painful story to spread the Gospel to millions, an opportunity that she likely never would have had if not for her pain. I think of Kim Phuc, an amazing woman that I met and wrote about several blogs ago (Pain's Platform is the title). Her story is born from severe physical and emotional pain, but she has allowed God to use that pain to give birth to a platform that has allowed her to share the Gospel around the world. In fact, I'm sure you have seen a picture of Kim Phuc. Look her up. This week I learned of one from my church who humbled himself and is taking himself to a Christian rehab center so that he can, with God's help, conquer an alcohol addiction. God is going to do great things through Him. I know this because God already has. Even just hearing that he is taking such drastic steps to make things right in his life, my heart has already been stirred over struggles in my own life. Certainly he is going through pain. But through that pain God is giving him a platform. What an amazing help he may be one day to others who struggle with alcoholism! What a platform. And back to the story of Ginny, Matt, and Eliot ... wow. I hope that if I was in their situation I would react just like them. They displayed unconditional love and patience for their precious Eliot. They embraced each day with joy, recognizing that each moment is a gift from above and worthy to be cherished. They gave glory to God. Look at their platform! Their story has been heard all over the world. Through their blog (http://mattandginny.blogspot.com/) they have shared their faith in God. They will probably never know the eternal impact that they are allowing their Eliot to have. It makes me wonder how many times I might have missed pain's platform opportunity because I chose to become angry or bitter over a situation in my own life. What a reminder that my purpose here is to give God glory, regardless of whether or not a situation may appear good to me. I hope and pray that when I face pain, God will give me the strength to use it as a platform for His glory and praise.

There are so many other thoughts that could be shared, but I instead challenge you to ask God to speak to your heart through Eliot's life story. Even more so, I challenge you to think about another Son's life and death: God's Son. God gave His only Son, willingly, so that God Himself could spend eternity with you. Yes, God loves you so much that He wants to spend eternity with you and He gave His Son so that it would be possible. Because Jesus was sinless, He was the only one that could satisfy our sin debt because He didn't have any sin debt of His own to pay. He did that for you. Yes, you. Don't take my word for it though. Take God's Word. The story of Christ's sacrifice for us is interwoven all throughout the Bible. If you're not sure where to start, I encourage you to take a look at the book of John. If you're skeptical about whether or not the Bible can be trusted, I would challenge you to at least pray and ask God to show you in some way that He is real, and that He does love you. I realize that to some reading this, the topic of God/religion is a touchy one. You may think I'm weird for my beliefs. I'm okay with that. I have seen God's work in my life in such an amazing way, and I feel that to not share the joy I have found in my relationship in Christ would be selfish.

I know this is a funny analogy, but I used to work with kids and teens and funny/crazy analogies come with the territory :) But I look at life without Christ kind of like the cheez whiz. Yes, go ahead and laugh. I did too the first time this analogy came into my head, lol. But you know what I'm talking about, right? It's the cheese that comes in a can that we all thought was so cool at one point in time (at least if you're a product of the 80s). Anyways, I digress :) If the only type of cheese you have ever tasted in your life is cheese whiz, you probably think cheese whiz is pretty good. However, do you remember the time you first had Velveeta? After that, cheese whiz ain't lookin so good anymore, is it? Well, .....don't worry, I'm getting to my point :) To me, my life before Christ was the cheese whiz. I really thought it was all good - things were pretty great and I was just living life. But man, after I experienced God and asked Him to become an active part of my life (and namely, my Lord and Savior), my life became the velveeta. What I once thought was good now seemed nasty compared to the real thing...my life lived with Christ in it. I hope that makes sense to you, in it's own funny way. My greatest desire to see others come to know Christ in a personal way. I'm so thankful for people like Kim Phuc, Matt and Ginny, and many others who allow God to use situations that seem hopeless to bring Him glory.