Friday of Week Three
God Is With Us
“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.”
—Psalm 34:18
January 11, 1997. One of my darkest days—the day my daddy died. He had been suffering from what is now called COPD, but his death still came as a shock to all of us. He unexpectedly went into the hospital on Friday night and sepsis took him late Saturday night. We were in the middle of an unprecedented ice storm, so I wasn’t able to get to the hospital to say my goodbyes in person. I was devastated.
I was the classic daddy’s girl. Growing up, I was my daddy’s constant shadow. We still spoke on the phone every day. Whenever I was sad or upset, my daddy would say, “Be still and know that I am God.” That God was always with me to keep me safe and sound. It was so hard for me to think of that now that my daddy had left me alone, but I tried. I sat in the dark by the phone and thought hard of the scripture. Then I heard a voice say, “Katrinka, I am safe and sound.” Then I knew that my daddy was with God.
To this very day, I know that my daddy is with me because God is with me. There is a belief that when you see a cardinal, you are receiving a visitor from heaven. I have a bird feeder, and every day a red cardinal comes to feed there. It makes my heart happy to think that it is my daddy coming to pay me my daily call. I just have to be still and watch and listen to its birdsong. A beautiful creation of God. And I feel safe and sound.
Author: Kathy Edge
Personal Reflection:
Think of a time when you experienced grief or deep sadness. How did God bring comfort to you? If you’re in a season of grief now, take a moment to invite God into your pain and ask Him to hold you close.
Daily Action:
Reach out to someone who may be grieving—whether through a call, a text, or even a handwritten note. Let them know they are not alone and that you are praying for them.
