The past year has been very difficult. Maybe that’s not the best way to start off a brand new blog, but it’s the truth.

My father passed away in October. He was a good man. He lived a good life.  He was very generous, but had a hard time accepting help from anyone. So it was very  hard to watch him grow feeble and dependent on others. It was hard to watch him struggle to walk, and it was hard to be the target of his anger.

But I wouldn’t trade a minute of it. Any of it. For in the midst of the tears and the struggle, I saw God’s hand in the situation on a daily basis.  I was the recipient of His grace and favor more times than I can count. I could write for days recalling the blessings (and I probably will), but one in particular I’d like to share.

As he was being discharged from one of his many hospital stays, the nurse asked Dad, as usual, if he would like home health care. Much to my surprise, he said yes. She then handed me a two-page list of agencies, and I was tasked with choosing one.

I am no stranger to healthcare. The bulk of my career was spent in the CT Department of the very hospital from which he was being released. Yet as I glanced at the list, I had no idea; none of the agencies sounded familiar. How was I to choose? This person would have access to his home and personal belongings. And to him.

Knowing how anxious Dad was to leave, and knowing we couldn’t leave until I gave the nurse the name of an agency, I said a quick prayer and asked God to help me choose wisely. I opened my eyes, and gave her the name of the one I was staring at.

The next day, I received a call from someone at the agency, asking for Dad by name. I said, “I’m his daughter, Sherri” and she said, “Oh, Sharon? Hi this is….” and proceeded to tell me her first name and why she was calling.

About midway through her next sentence, she stopped and said, “Wait. Sherri? Sherri Eshelman?” When I said yes, she started laughing, and then shared her whole name.

This was a woman with whom I had gone to high school. I had known her for over 30 years. We had become reacquainted on social media, and she had even contributed financially to my upcoming mission trip.  And she wasn’t just the secretary calling to tell me she would be sending a nurse out, she was the nurse! Immediately, any apprehension I’d had about letting strangers into my dad’s home slipped away.

My dad fell in love with her as soon as she stepped through the door. She was firm when he was stubborn, and she was gentle when he was in pain.  She lovingly tended to his needs, dressed his wounds, held his hand, and then caught his tears as he prepared to say goodbye.

She was a blessing to not only him, but our entire family as well. She doled out hugs as needed, and brought a smile and laughter every day.

As I hung up the phone that first day, I had no doubt that I had not chosen this woman—God had. And He was telling me, “It will be hard, but I Am right here with you.”  And He was. In so many countless ways.

A very dear friend of mine has recently learned that her mother has cancer. Metastatic cancer. I’ve known and loved these women for over a quarter of a century, and my heart is so heavy for my friend. She too, will be the primary care-giver through her mom’s final season, and I know just how hard that can be. But I also know how beautiful it can be. And when she has a hard time seeing God through the tears, I will be right beside her, pointing to His hand, for He instructs us to do this very thing.

He comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, he brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us.  –2Cor 1:4 (Msg)

Yes, my heart is heavy for my friend. But I am also content, knowing that she will be experiencing God’s provision and presence like never before.  For we serve a God who doesn’t just throw us into a fiery trial and leave us to manage on our own—He gets in there with us (Dan 3:25).

Even in the worst of times, God is with us.  Sometimes you have to look for the treasure in the trial, but it is always there. HE is always there. And what a priceless treasure that is.