She never left the temple, but worshiped night and day with fasting and prayer. // Luke 2:37b
I sat in a dimly lit room, nursing a sleepy babe and scrolling. As bright and beautiful photos of tidy homes and faraway adventures flooded my brain, I slipped into a familiar daydream. One day, when our kids had grown and flown the nest, our home would be a haven of comfort and rest. We would enjoy the fruits of a life spent choosing what mattered—prioritizing our marriage, planning date nights, having hard conversations, playing and laughing together—all this would bear a harvest of intimacy to be savored in this new, quieter season.
When my husband died, those dreams were swept away like a sand castle in a flash flood. The future I had dreamed about was replaced by a dark and desolate wasteland I had no interest in exploring. I had known and loved my husband, and my vocation as his wife. What was my life to be, now that all of that was gone?
Saint Luke tells us that the prophetess Anna was married for only seven years before she became a widow. Doubtless this was not the way Anna saw her life playing out. But she sought the Lord in the upheaval and uncertainty in her life, allowing Him to use her for His purposes. Instead of clinging to the version of her future she was used to, she allowed God to become her entire life. Because of her faithfulness, she was present for the arrival of the Messiah.
Though we are only a few weeks into this new year, you have probably already lived through a shift, be it small or large. Maybe you made a resolution a month ago, and you shake your head at the way it has turned out. Or maybe tragedy has smashed into your life like a meteor, shattering the future you had planned and discerned. Breathe. Wait. Listen. God has not abandoned you. The future He has planned is better than anything you could have imagined. The Messiah is still coming into your life, if you will be patient and attentive, if you will be present to watch for Him.
Elizabeth Blanke Show is a remarried widow and mama to seven beautiful kiddos. She is passionate about creating community, and loves gathering people to share meals and music in her home. She also loves spending time in nature and exploring new places. You can find her on Instagram @elizaraxi.
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