Evidences of God's mercy

Well, my good intentions of going to bed by midnight are shot, so here's a quick post... it's quick to copy and paste a letter for an update. Probably most of the people who read this blog will get the email anyway, but it will be a good testament for my own memory, in case I forget this story or need to be reminded of it. I am certain God will use the following in whatever way He sees fit.


Dear Friends,

I feel compelled to share with you some recent evidences of God's mercy and preservation in my life with the hope that you will respond with joy and praise to God for his goodness, and acknowledge His hand at work in our lives. May my story strengthen your faith and cause you to seek a more ardent walk with Him.

Background/setup
This past weekend I visited TMC to see many special friends, two in particular being Randy & Phyllis Cook, beloved IBEX staff. The Friday evening dinner, attended by more than 50 IBEX alumni from many different semesters, was a HUGE blessing as we reminisced and rejoiced at the privilege God has granted each of us to go to Israel for a life-changing semester.

The Story
Saturday morning I played Ultimate Frisbee at the intramural field with a bunch of students, an event to which I had eagerly looked forward. Long story short, I dislocated my right pinky during an almost-glorious dive (it would have been a great play, had I completed it, but my hand found the ground instead of the disc). My little finger was bent at an unnatural angle, I could not move it at all, and I knew something was wrong. It was cool to look at, in a morbidly fascinating way. Reportedly, I said something to the effect of, "Guys, you have to come see this!"

But in the whole situation, God was gracious and merciful!!! Here are some ways I have pinpointed rays of His mercy, while I am sure there are more:

--Because of a women's soccer game at TMC that day, a trainer was there at the campus and looked at my finger right away, even splinting it and giving me ice before we went to the ER.

--The ER was not busy that morning, so I was in and out in 2 hours flat— an incredibly quick visit, in my estimation. The staff was also very efficient and helpful.

--There was neither blood nor broken bones, for which I was very grateful… and the pain was never excruciating.

--We live in a country where access to medical help is readily available, and I am covered by my parents' health insurance still, so I didn't have to worry about how I was going to pay for it. (We should never worry, of course, but it was nice to have that taken care of.)

--Becca Boone (IBEXer, sweet girl) and Gunner (an impactful RD at TMC) kindly accompanied me to the ER, and blessed me incredibly with a profitable & encouraging conversation, an opportunity we would not have had otherwise. I cannot even tell you how much it meant to me to be able to spend time with those two people.

--In the past few years of playing Ultimate weekly as a student, I am aware of no major injuries. That we have all survived each Saturday morning is a minor miracle.

--I drive an automatic, not a stick, so I didn't have to worry about shifting gears with my right hand on the drive home.

--This is a little thing, but I appreciate it: it happened around 9:45 am, so we had already played for a good hour and a half. I was definitely ready to stop, not disappointed at the brevity of play.

As you can see, there are many reasons to rejoice! I'm almost glad it happened, just so I could look for the 'blessings in disguise' in the situation.

Comic relief
God helped me see the humor in the situation, too: wearing cleats in a hospital was definitely cool, but I felt a bit conspicuous as I trailed a nurse down the hall very un-silently (can't you see me grinning sheepishly, clomping along the tiled floor?). The three of us also found humor in my shivering, caused by a combination of God's efficient A/C system for the body (sweat), the hospital's A/C, ice on my hand, and the ice water I was drinking because of thirst. It was in fact a blessing to be kept cool on a 100-degree day in Southern California. :)

I am able to use a fork and brush my teeth and do many things still! Some tasks are kind of awkward, but it could be so much worse.

Reflections
Through the whole thing God gave me peace, and I know without doubt He is sovereign and in control of all things. Again, it could have been so much worse, but really, it could not have been better. God has crafted human bodies with many parts that coordinate so intricately, parts composed of different materials functioning together… and we are amazingly resilient, yet surprisingly fragile. It reminded me of Romans 12, how we are each a member of Christ's Body, the Church-- what an amazing analogy to consider. No matter what happens, He is worthy of praise. I love the song, "Blessed be the name of the Lord," because it's true-- He gives, He takes away, He's God. In good times or bad He is present, He is unchanging, and He is good.

Thank you for listening; I really tried to tell "the story" as briefly as possible, which isn't very brief, if you know me. :) Please join me in thanking God for his mercy and lovingkindness, manifested in so many ways throughout our days. This instance in my life has made me acutely aware of Him, yet I know He is always at work. Each day of life is a gift directly from God, who continually showers us with various, lavish manifestations of his grace.

Our God is trustworthy. Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good and his love endures forever! And as my good friend Philippe would say, Rejoice!

Because He has given us abundant life,
Marisa