Using All Things For Good

It's Good Friday and we hadn't a service to go to.  Weird.  I feel so strange to not have a sermon or a message to chew on on such an important day as this.  Makes me a little lonely for a some holy.

So what did I do?  I took the big kids to see the movie"Soul Surfer".  Not necessarily the heavy, "He died for you" kind of spiritual message, but Jesus was there and glory was definitely given to Him through Bethany Hamilton's story.  Seriously.

We all knew that there was going to be a shark scene - sorry for the spoiler alert and all - but if you know the story at all, you know that a shark has a cameo at least.  The problem about knowing is the anticipation.  We spent the first ten minutes in deep anticipation of an attack.

Bethany at her first contest (is this where it happens?).
Bethany sneaks out to go night surfing (oh this is FOR SURE where it happens...).
Bethany paddling out (huh, is this is when it happens?)
Bethany hanging out on her board with ONE ARM IN THE WATER (insert scary Jaws music here).

Oh yes, it happened, and I'm sure it was just like it did in real life.  I was so stinking stressed out from it, it took me a little while to notice the sobbing that was coming from the seat to my left.

My sweet girl, was sobbing, gut-wrenching painful sobs that started when the shark attacked.  And I'm not kidding, they haven't stopped since.

I'm certain that in the beginning it was the stress and shock of the shark attack that induced the tears.  What seemed like horrific injustice at the time, just was unfathomable to her.  That God would allow something like this to happen - it made her question her own mortality and purpose.  The fact that something like that could even possibly happen to a "good girl" rattled her to her core.  Her heart just cried literal tears at Bethany's pain turned strength during every moment that followed her surviving the attack.

My arm ached from holding her and soothing her tears.  When the movie ended, her tears continued on and off, usually with her head in my chest or her in my arms.  She would recall a moment or scene and the tears would start fresh.

We had some little-big moments.  Realizing how BIG God really is.  Words like "perspective" and "strength" were explored.  Great moments for Jesus to be seen.

She patted the side of her bed and beckoned me to sit.  Her questions that followed were HEAVY.

"Why did God LET the shark bite her arm off?"

"How do you know if God is real? "

"Who wrote the Bible?"

"How do you know the Bible is real?"

Whoa.

There were some incredible things that happened in the darkness of the movie theater.  There was some light that was shining through that movie.

Her heart is being molded by the potter himself.

Thank you for this amazing and memorable Good Friday.  You, once again, have shown me that you aren't in a church.  You are everywhere.  And moving into Lucy's heart for good.


http://bethanyhamilton.com/