december 19, 2000
today i got a chance to visit a girl from my church, a 16 year old, who was involved in a terrible car accident over the weekend. she was hurt pretty bad, and, tragically, she lost her mother in the accident as well. this is a family (two older sisters, both in college) that i know well, and love very much, so it goes without saying that this weekend was very difficult.
i drove to the hospital with a friend, and as much as i wanted to see the girl, i also felt a slew of other feelings. i wanted to be strong emotionally for her, but i didn't know for sure how i'd react when i saw her.
when i walked into her room, yeah, you could see the effects of the accident. but seeing her manage a smile while greeting me - it put all those fears i had coming to the hospital to rest. she's doing well and getting better, given the circumstances. and it gives me a lot of comfort to see her talking and even cracking jokes here and there, even though it is obvious that she is in a lot of pain. even more difficult for me is knowing that she is grieving for her mother. yet when i was there, she wanted to make sure that I (and everyone else visiting her) was doing alright. she's such a brave girl, and i want so much for her to get better soon.
please...take a moment to pray for her and her family. pray that she heals completely and quickly, while finding some sort of relief from her emotional pain as well. pray for her father, who is at home after a brief hospital stay. pray for her oldest sister, who was also injured in the accident and also recovering at home. pray for her other sister, who has been at the hospital with her around the clock. she's been so awesome - being strong for her little sister, taking care of her, and being so gracious to her friends and family.
"god, sometimes we don't know why things happen the way they do. but we trust that you do, and that you've promised to take care of us in any and all situations. make yourself known to us powerfully and intimately. as we deal with our sorrow and our grief, please be our comforter."