Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Tomorrow Had Come

Have you ever lived a life gripped in fear? I know I have. The relentless fight of life and death in every moment makes one insecure and weary. I get that life. I’ve known that life. But I’ve also known freedom. In this week’s post, fellow blogger Jessica Kirkland, shares her story of receiving God’s tangible promise in the midst of real fear. Read on—it’s powerful.

Tomorrow Had Come
by Jessica Kirkland

In every season of life, the Enemy would whisper the lie that I would “never make it” to the next.


I believed it.

Time and time again, I thought his words held power. As a young child, I never thought I would live to see my school years. Once I entered school, I never thought I would live to see the next day, next grade, or milestone in life. I listened to a very real enemy, even though I didn’t want to. Even though I came from a strong, Christian family, I felt powerless to stop the lies. Fear gripped me, stole from me, and taunted every careful step I took.

I gave my heart to Christ at six years old, yet fear still held me tight. Though I had renewed hope, the whispers and lies continued to flow and drown out truth through every season. When, I heard the words that burned a hole straight through, I was nose-to-nose with what appeared to be the sum of all my fears.

“Mrs. Kirkland, you have congestive heart failure. If your babies are born now, they will probably not live or be severely impaired.”

I was twenty-six weeks pregnant with triplets. In the beginning, I had been pregnant with quads, but had lost one child at 14 weeks. I never imagined we might all go meet Jesus on the same day. I mourned the thought of my husband walking through life alone. I grieved for the children that would either die, be disabled on this earth, or grow up motherless. And I burned with anger, not just because of the oxygen mask strapped to my face as I struggled for breath and life, but for twenty-five years of allowing Satan to tell me that I would never make it to tomorrow.

Tomorrow had come.

As nurses whirled around me, I prayed Acts 17:25 out loud, “…You give life and breath to everything, and satisfy every need.” I pleaded with the God I personally knew through a relationship with His Son, Jesus. I knew He had a plan for my life that was good according to Jeremiah 29:11. In my humanity, I struggled with the thought that death might be His plan for us on that day.

Today, we are parents to three healthy five-year-olds. You would never know they were born nine weeks premature. The joy that Satan has stolen from me in 30 years, through a spirit of fear, is great. I imagine if you strung each lying sentence end-to-end, they might wrap the globe. Yet, I have promised to tell others of God’s miracles in my life and do my part in setting captives free.

Tomorrow had come, but so had Jesus, and it is He who has defeated the grave.

“For God has not given me a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7

Are you living life or living fear?


Here or somewhere...be real.
Share your journey.


Jessica Kirkland lives in Southeast Texas with her husband, Robb, and five-year-old triplets. She is an author and speaker whose greatest passion in life is to see young families grow deeper in their walk with God. Jessica's newest adventure includes launching Christian Apps 4 Kids, which seeks to draw
kids closer to Christ one app at a time. A recent release is a book app that addresses fear and scary nighttime sounds called The Sounds of Night, designed for kids ages 2-8. It is currently available on iPad, iPhone and all Android devices. When Jessica isn't writing, you can find her cheering her boys on at the soccer field, or watching her little girl at the dance studio.

To find out more about her current writing projects, connect with her at: http://www.christianapps4kids.comor on her personal blog: http://www.jessicakirkland.com
Click here to purchase The Sounds of Night at iTunes.

5 comments:

  1. “…You give life and breath to everything, and satisfy every need.” For all the "tomorrows that had come" and gone that fear had gripped my soul........My Father has given me life and breath. Thank you for this testimony and reminder of his mercy and grace. Well written!!!!

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  2. Giving glory to God puts fear in his place every time, great story

    MG

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  3. Thanks for reading. Fighting fear is honestly something I have to do each day. MG said it right: I have to "put it in its' place" and under the feet of Jesus. Blessings!

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  4. Whew, can I relate to this one. I have dealt with the same thing since childhood when my brother died, but God began freeing me by letting the fears come true. I was diagnosed with cancer yet lived to tell about it. I was later diagnosed with a heart condition, but I'm still here. The Lord told me I would continue until He is ready for me to come home and I won't go until then. I am learning to recognize the attacks of Satan and they have less and less hold of me each day. Fear no longer constantly grips me. Praise the Lord.

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  5. Thanks for sharing your powerful story, Jessica! We serve a mighty God!

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