The movie was almost over. Sitting in the theatre, holding my granddaughter on my lap, cell phone in hand, I waited anxiously for a text to explain why my daughter was summoned home.Cindy Richardson

The dreaded text came, “Please pray! Audrey was run over.”

Oh God no! I found myself rocking back and forth, whispering “Have mercy Lord. Praise You Jesus” over and over. I was almost paralyzed with grief and fear.

I texted back, “By whom?” The one word reply multiplied my grief and fear, “Dad.”

Audrey’s size made it impossible for my husband to see her walk into the side of his truck as he pulled into the driveway.  By God’s grace, our two year-old granddaughter had been struck, but not crushed.

In God’s providence and tender mercy, neighbors immediately began to pray and put Audrey on various prayer chains. Our church and social media provided us with immediate access to hundreds if not thousands of people who prayed.

Strangers prayed even before I knew about the accident. Surely our God is good to provide us with hope. 

Time seemed to move in slow motion as we waited for Audrey to be life-flighted to Children’s Mercy Hospital. Unwelcomed, anxious thoughts swirled around us as we waited for the results of scans and tests.

A long road of recovery lay ahead, but we had much to praise the Lord for. He provided the hope we needed to make it through. Despite the head trauma, Audrey miraculously had no brain bleeding or swelling.

Audrey - Cindy Richardson's grand-daughterWe hung on to the hope of God’s promise to never leave us or forsake us. We were grateful to be planning for her care instead of her funeral.

James reminds us, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1:2 NIV).

This scripture took on a whole new meaning that week. Consider this accident pure joy? Are you kidding? 

No, we did not consider the accident pure joy. What has become pure joy is how God used this trauma to do a new work in each of us.

I cannot hang on to hope for anyone else. We must each reach out to hold on to Jesus, the anchor of our hope.

What a joy it was to watch my family walk through God’s door of hope for themselves!

Most likely, this will not be the last trial I will walk through on my journey. But the promise of joy gives me hope for my future.

©2015 Cindy Richardson