“Sometimes you will never know the value of a moment until it becomes a memory.” Attributed to Dr. Seuss

Our ability to remember is curious and beautiful, but it’s often a difficult gift, isn’t it? A gift I have learned to unwrap with sensitivity and grace.

It seems as though we remember what we would rather forget and forget what we wish we could remember. Do you agree?

More often than not, we remember most vividly our pain and the circumstances or people that caused it, the traumas and trials we’ve endured, the battles we’ve fought, and the tears we have shed. The memories of our deepest losses can remain raw years after the initial hurt.

In fact, some of life’s most shattering moments are etched upon our hearts so deeply that we can recount not only what happened to us, but exactly how we felt in those particular moments as if they happened just yesterday…

Like the day Hunter was diagnosed with Krabbe disease.

The beautiful, warm summer day and bright blue sky as Jim and I drove to the neurologist’s office.

The sick, sinking feeling in my stomach and pain in my chest upon hearing what the doctor said and didn’t say.

The warmth of the tears falling from my burning eyes and running down my cheeks.

The vacant, stunned look on Jim’s face when we were told that Hunter would probably not live to see his second birthday.

And the cold, silent ride home after we left the doctor’s office. I remember it all and when I do, it still hurts.

It hurts because I’m still here. God hasn’t called me home yet, and if you’re reading this right now, you’re still here too. You’re alive.

You have breath in your lungs and the rest of your God-given life to live. And you also have an abundance of memories of the ones you love and the losses you’ve suffered.

Memories that heal and hurt. Memories you treasure and wish you could recall in greater detail, and those you wish you could forget completely.

But both types of memories are gifts from God.

What lies ahead holds more than we are able to imagine or comprehend. God has prepared an eternity of endless blessing for those who love Him. An eternity that includes Hunter and all the dear ones you love and miss so much.

A forever life filled with God’s presence and unending love.

Just talking about it makes me heaven-hungry. It also motivates me to truly live the life I have been given.

So while we wait for the day when our life on earth is but a memory, let’s appreciate the gift of the memories we have right now—the life we’ve already lived and the memories yet to be made.

From Peace in the Face of Loss by Jill Kelly

We’ve all lost something. 

No matter what it is—a loved one, a treasured relationship, the life we thought we would have—our grief can overshadow us with its heaviness and ache. How do we get through each day? Where is God in these hardest of times?

No loss is too small or too big for our God. In the midst of every trial, He is waiting to give you comfort and peace. In this beautiful book, bestselling author Jill Kelly offers a vision of healing and hope for whatever circumstance you’re facing. Her own stories of deep loss and unexpected joy will help you see how God shows up, even when grief seems insurmountable. God’s promise in the face of loss proves true: You are not alone. The Creator sees you and your heartache—and He will meet you there.

Save 20% when you purchase a copy in April 2017. Learn More HERE.