Gratitude for Divine Encounters and Unsung Heroes

As I have been reading the Advent text from Luke and Matthew this past few weeks, I’m struck by how many times angels appear announcing God’s plan of redemption. Zechariah, Mary, and Joseph hear good news from angels explaining how their lives are about to change and the significance of what is happening. I wonder what that might have been like.

While I have not had that kind of encounter, I have had what might be considered divine encounters—moments of a deep awareness of God’s loving presence. One of those was a week ago at the wonderful celebration hosted by members of the church for me. The impact was so significant. It was a day where God’s light, and life, and love were flowing through so many people. At the end of the day, I felt like my cup was overflowing.

It was such a wonderful event, and I can say that because I had little to do with it. I’m so thankful for those who planned it and implemented it, shared kind and encouraging and loving words, led music, brought food, and all who were present and gave gifts and cards. I am deeply grateful still and will continue to reread the cards and savor the words shared for years to come.

I wanted to write this blog to thank the church for such a joyous celebration and even more for almost 16 years of joyful, fruitful ministry among you.

The next few days following the celebration, I enjoyed several more parties with Bible studies and staff members. I am now taking personal leave to care for my beloved husband Stuart whose melanoma cancer is causing a staggering and quick decline. If you want to follow health updates, you can do so here: Stuart | CaringBridge.

In reflecting on Advent readings, I have been thinking a lot about Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus. Though Jesus was the Son of God, Joseph obeyed God by taking Mary as his wife and raising Jesus as a son loving him, providing for him, and teaching him the scripture.

We can only imagine what that was like because so little is said about it in scripture. We do know they had to go to Bethlehem for the Roman census and to fulfill Scripture. And we know the holy family had to flee to Egypt to escape Jesus being killed. By the time Jesus began his public ministry, Mary seems to be a widow.

Joseph is an unsung hero, but he was righteous, faithful, and obedient to God. He loved his family and was a significant presence in the life of our savior.  I’m thankful for him.

I am blessed because I live with an unsung hero. My husband Stuart has been with me since the beginning of my pastoral ministry. We met in May 1990 just months before I left to serve on a Short Term International Mission to begin a campus ministry at Moscow State University in Russia. We had a whirlwind, long distance courtship. Six months into my mission, Stuart came to visit me and he proposed to me while we were visiting in Leningrad.  From the moment I met him, he supported my call to ministry by helping me go to seminary and serving as a partner in ministry for 26 years.

We both wanted children, and that dream took a decade to realize. We adopted Nate and Ian in 2003 and 2006. We had decided that we wanted one of us to stay at home with our children while they were young, and imagined we might take turns. But it turns out the best parent did it the whole time attending to their particular needs.

While I have been the one in vocational ministry and often more up front, I could never have done what I have done without Stuart’s support and encouragement and counsel. He is wise, supportive, and a rock for me. And he has had his own ministry as a choir member, an elder, in serving as a Stephen Minister and leader, leading various small groups including Growing Your Soul.

Stuart is one of the most relational people I know. He loves people, and he loves the church. Not every pastor has a partner who delights in being so integrally involved in the church. But I have enjoyed that gift for so many years, and I am deeply grateful. He has made sacrifices, to be sure, because of it, but he has never begrudged my calling. He has been an integral part of it. I can honestly say I could not have done it without him. He has been a gift of grace in my life.

One of the ways he has supported me for so many years is editing all of my writing. That is hard, even impossible for him to do now. And I wanted to recognize again the man who has been alongside me, an unsung hero. I am truly blessed to have had such a faithful, loving, good man as a partner for so many years. I’m grateful now for time to be with him and to care for him in this dark and difficult time.

In a divine encounter long ago, Joseph heard these words from an angel: “Do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins” All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet:  “Look, the virgin shall become pregnant and give birth to a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,” which means, “God is with us.”

Joseph did not know all that this would mean for his life or that of his family. No one knows the future but God alone. But these are beautiful words of comfort and reassurance, whatever we may be facing. In this season of Advent and Christmas, we remember and celebrate Jesus, Emmanuel, the God who is always with us and will never leave or forsake us.

I thank God for the ways Jesus has been with Stuart and me in our 31 years of marriage and 26 years of ministry and 20 years as parents. And whatever comes, we know and believe Jesus will continue to be with us both now and forever more. To him be glory forever and ever.