Thanksgiving on Thursday...

...everyone should have a sister.

My sister and I in a recent rendevouz in OH

Today I want to share the story of how I got my sister. 

It's an amazing  story, and if I 'wax eloquent' today, please bear with me. 

I am completely overwhelmed with the gift God has given me.

There once was a couple who adopted many children.

 Having both grown up in homes that opened their homes in summer 

to children from New York City thru the Fresh Air program, 

they decided to follow suit.

 One girl in particular came at the tender age of 6, 

and continued coming to our home

until she aged out of the program at age 12. 

Her mama often would send her on school breaks, too... 

That home was my parental home.

I grew up knowing very much the foster sibling world.

I don't remember her much from those years (she is 5 years older than me).

 I remember her from pictures and stories, 

but there are not many memories of doing things together 

(I think I was the pesty little sister back in those days!)

Fast forward 20ish years.

 I had gone through 'crushing distresses' and also had been gloriously saved from 

eternal destruction by the blood of the Lamb, praise GOD. 

I had become a mother of 2 beautiful girls, and she was the mother of 2 children as well. 

She had been out of our lives for all those years, until one day, 

she found a card from my parents, and her family decided to visit my folks. 

In that time, I was in desperate need of a big sister to disciple me and to teach me 

to observe all things that Jesus had commanded. 

So He sent me Bettina, the "Fresh Air" sister from years before 

who had in our years of separation,
found God and salvation and was allowing Him to radically transform
 her own life  into one that honors Jesus Christ. 

Her heart was wide open for the ministry God had for her: Me. 

Yes, I was a very needy, broken little sister in great need of some teaching and loving. 

This sister has tirelessly led me through thick and thin...summer and winter seasons...

always presenting the Gospel and the Way of eternal life to me.

 She has let me be who I  am while at the same time

 'provoking me to love and to good works', not content to let me stay unchanged.

cookies our daughters made together recently

This wonderful lady has prayed with me from afar over 

the awesome invention we know as the telephone. 

She has been an example to me in many, many areas of life, including 

being  joyful in life in the midst of her own incompleted dreams. 

I have been encouraged many a day by the largeness of  her faith,

in a God who is bigger than this mad, wild world we call home.

I have been taught by her example of obedience in everything

she hears her Lord asking of her.

wonderful plant strong food I enjoy on a daily basis

In a time when I was struggling

with a serious sickness and disease,

this 'pioneer' sister of mine helped me to learn

the ills of the Standard American Diet,

and the blessings and benefits of  eating whole foods.

She has kept me learning and growing

and following what I know in that department.

I think I am well today,  thanks in part to 

her efforts and example,

and always, of course, thanks to the Healer of healers.

How I have been the privileged recipient of such a precious gift 

can only be answered in one word:

 GOD.

Only God knew,

 30 odd years ago when a single mother needed a place to

 provide a safe experience for her daughter,

 that one day her daughter would turn around and rescue a woman
who was broken and bleeding,
a little sister from years before,
 from  being sucked into certain doom forever. 

GOD knew that one day, 

we would be sisters in the truest sense of the word...

because of Jesus

by the power of Jesus

for the glory of Jesus

our daughters...

 I am totally grateful for this gift and soberly consider where

 I would be

 if this dear lady would have been too wrapped up in her own 

struggles and self 

to see the ministry 

God 

was giving her.

So today, I bow my  heart, with tears flowing from my eyes

 and I thank the God of heaven for doing what only He can do.

And I say...

friends, be who you must be

 in HIM. 

There is work 

He has for you to do. (preaching to

 myself here).

"God setteth the 

solitary in families: 

he bringeth out those which are bound 

with chains: 

but the rebellious dwell in a dry land."

Psalm 68:6

I am so glad that I heeded the counsel of this sister

God sent to grow me into someone more

like Jesus...

I know that I enjoy the benefits of heart peace

and the leading of God in my life

because of it.