“I feel prompted to tell you that it will be okay.”
Rex Ashcroft crossed the room in the temple to tell me that. It was Tuesday, November 26th, Thanksgiving week. We were both serving as ordinance workers. My parents and sister’s family had already come to town and were in the temple that night. I felt some stress about entertaining 20 people at our house that week but didn’t think the Lord needed to send a messenger for that. Did He?
I’m also working on a substantial project with an end-of-the-year deadline. Maybe that was it?
Those two thoughts bounced around my head as I thanked Rex for conveying the prompted message.
Thanksgiving week was okay! I enjoyed having a house full of family, chaos, and laughter. Everyone had fun together and seemed like they were comfortable in the tight spaces.
After everyone went home, I planned to work on my project—until sickness laid me flat on my back for a week. “This situation must be what Rex’s message meant,” I thought.
Finally, on Tuesday, December 10th, I felt great. I got so much done that day from laundry to errand running (but not related to the project at hand) and knew that because of what I accomplished, I’d be able to focus on my project the next morning.
Wednesday, December 11th, Anthony startled me out of a deep sleep by exclaiming, “Delisa, wake up. Our house is on fire!”
Incredibly Fast Response Times
We watched as firefighters arrived within minutes and then meticulously and calmly performed their tasks. The black smoke billowing out of the roof, vents, and seams turned white. Several hours later, firefighters let us into the house and described their efforts.
Anthony talked to Paul, our Allstate insurance agent. Paul recommended Blackhill, a restoration company. Anthony called them. By mid-afternoon, Aaron from Blackhill walked through our home with us, giving us an estimated time to restore wholeness. The house reeked so we chatted on the driveway.
The Dove
As we chatted on the driveway, I mused how brightly the sun shone through a perfectly blue sky on that chilly day. I noticed a single bird circling overhead. Was it a mourning dove? It circled until I identified it as a dove and then flew away. A single bird circling overhead became significant during my Adam-ondi-Ahman visit and now evokes a deep sense of peace and divine watchcare.
The Guesthouse and a Meal
I’d volunteered to feed the sister missionaries that day—several weeks in advance, with the whole month of December available to select. I chose that day. At first, I figured we could feed the missionaries, no problem. But after talking to Blackhill and realizing that we were now homeless for a couple of months, the overwhelm set in. I asked if anyone could switch feeding-the-missionary days with me on our ward’s Facebook page.
My ministering sister and friend, Rachel Ure, volunteered to feed the sisters. I felt such a rush of gratitude for her help. I texted a quick thank you and explained that I couldn’t do the meal because we had a house fire. She called and told us to come to dinner, too, and offered their cute guesthouse as a place to land. We’d had a place lined up to stay but the Ures live one minute away from us, so their guesthouse was super convenient to our house. We accepted.
“It Will Be Okay”
As we moved ourselves and some basic essentials into their guesthouse that evening, Rachel gave me a side hug and said, “It will be okay.” My mind immediately flashed to Rex saying the same words with the same tone. The Lord meant this circumstance! She bookended the revelation. Stunned, I thanked her, moved my few things into her guesthouse, and washed up for dinner.
I sidled up to Rachel as she finished dinner prep and told her about the significance of her words. I told her how Rex said the same thing and how I’d applied them to everything since hearing them. But because of her words, I knew the words fully related to the fire. Rachel said that she was surprised she’d told me “It will be okay.” That made the moment even more significant to me.
Rainbow in the Clouds
This feeling of Heaven’s continued acknowledgment permeated my days. On the 14th, I met Anthony in the temple parking lot. I looked up and saw a brilliant little rainbow shining through rainless clouds. These signs of the covenant on repeat comfort me incredibly.
Ye Are in the Hands of God
I didn’t realize how profoundly we’d feel grief and loss because of the fire. While the attic experienced extensive fire damage, smoke damage impacted the rest of our belongings. Overall, we lost comparatively little, but we’ve both felt the stages of grief and loss over the past 11 days. I feel like we should be pros at dealing with grief and loss, but the shock still stings and burns.
A favorite verse came to mind. Interestingly, it’s contextually set in the middle of Mormon’s very intense verses relating to the Nephite and Lamanites’ physical and spiritual destruction. But since I read the verse as a child, this phrase has always offered me incredible hope and peace.
Know ye not that ye are in the hands of God?
Yes! I know it. And we’ve felt it! Anthony and I are both aware of the quiet and loud promptings associated with this experience. We’ve seen quiet and loud acts of service in our behalf. And despite the overwhelming exhaustion and disorientation, we’ve felt protected and directed throughout.
Come and See What God Has Done
Last week I accompanied Rachel and two of her daughters as they sang Noel.
Love incarnate, love divine
Star and angels gave the sign
Bow to babe on bended knee
The Savior of humanity
Unto us a Child is born
He shall reign forevermoreNoel, Noel
Come and see what God has done
Noel, Noel
The story of amazing love!
The light of the world, given for us
NoelSon of God and Son of man
There before the world began
Born to suffer, born to save
Born to raise us from the grave
Christ the everlasting Lord
He shall reign forevermoreNoel, Noel
Come and see what God has done
Noel, Noel
The story of amazing love!
The light of the world, given for us
Noel
This morning, awakened long before my planned alarm, “Come and see what God has done” permeated every thought. I opened my eyes in the darkness and asked what He would like me to see. The circling dove, being carried in God’s opened hand, and a ready Patheos screen came to mind. So I got up and started writing.
God has done mighty things for me! Me! Just a normal person, fairly insignificant in the overall scheme of things. He knows me. So often things happen in life without warning, but so often we do receive a warning—for me, those are usually easier to see highlighted by hindsight.
I wish I could convey all of the miracles, emotions, and evidences of God throughout this experience. But this morning, I tried to scratch the surface by acknowledging a few of the things that God has done.
Come and see what God has done! How do you see His hand in your life?
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