The other night I was driving home late by myself. Life felt heavy, and sadness overwhelmed me. A favorite song of Kara’s came on the radio: Gungor’s Beautiful Things. It tells a story of God redeeming beauty from ashes.
Even with the truth of the song, I felt weighed down by grief and sadness—Kara’s death, my own mom’s cancer, Syrian babies drowning...it sometimes feels like the sky is falling, doesn’t it?
This week, Shellie joined Jill and me in the studio to discuss chapters 4 & 5 of Just Show Up. Friends, the three of us could have sat and talked all day. Shellie truly knows hard—what it’s like to just show up for your dying friend, but also what it’s like to be on the receiving end, having others showing up for her and her family. As she shares in this episode, she went from a hurting, reluctant stranger to dear friend in a matter of weeks, finally having the community her heart longed for. Her story is extraordinary, and I hope and pray that this will be an encouragement to you today.
From an article originally posted February 6, 2013…
Exodus 17
Then Amalek came and fought with Israel at Rephidim. So Moses said to Joshua, “Choose for us men, and go out and fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.” So Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought with Amalek, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. Whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed, and whenever he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses’ hands grew weary, so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it, while Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side. So his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. And Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the sword.
This summer the babies and I spent a morning at the Westside offices helping our dear friend Mona with some tasks to get ready for our all-church retreat. I was in the other room working when I heard Von initiating conversation:
Ms. Mona, where is Simon?
Simon is at home with his mama.
But you are Simon’s mama!
No, I am his grandma. Do you have a grandma?
No. My grandmama and grandpapa are in Heaven with Jesus and Kuhdoot [Kara].
Well, I will be your grandma. You can call me Grandma Mona.
From an article originally posted February 4, 2013…
Last Friday was a hard day of appointments. We have been given lots of differing opinions and stats to drive our next step. The tussle over my treatment is overwhelming. In my appointment with my oncologist, I wanted to cry the entire time. His news was great; he was, as always, gentle and kind. But my next step is unclear and I can get buried in the unknown and fear of making the wrong choice. I hear statistics, I hear recurrence rates, and all I want to say/scream is, “This is my life!” I will, one day, be a statistic, but today I’m Kara Tippetts: wife to one, mother to four, partner in life with many.
