Daisy Chains...

Remember those things? Those chains of flowers that we would weave together and make into wreaths for our hair, or bracelets, or even necklaces...so tightly woven together that we could pretty much do anything to them and they would hold.

It took some effort. It took someone else teaching us how to weave the best and the strongest chains. I used to make them out of clover, too, and sometimes I had to poke a hole in one flower to weave the other one to it.
But they still held together, and provided an afternoon of fun and beauty.

Why do I bring that up?

This morning, I received some very disturbing news about my oldest daughter. This isn't the first time I've received this kind of news, and I fear it won't be the last. It rocked me to my very core as a mom, as a woman...as a child of God.

And then we left for church. All the way there, I talked to myself about just "getting over it"...maybe it wasn't true, or as bad as I thought it was...but I knew. Deep down I knew that it was bad, and quite possibly will be worse before it's over.

We pulled into the church parking lot, and I told my husband, "I don't think I can go in there. I can't pretend things are ok, when I feel like I'm coming coming apart."

He said, "Then don't pretend." "I have to," I said. "No, you don't," he responded back.

Well, me being me, I tried. I honestly tried to smile through my tears and to just brush it off as "one of those things." But then a dear sister walked in and asked "How are you?" and reached out to hug me.

And I fell apart.

So, she took me outside, and I poured out my heart to her in just a few words. And she wrapped me in the warmest, most comforting hug...kissed my forehead like my mom would do...and just cried with me. No words, except, "I'm so sorry."

That's it.

And I felt my daisy chain begin to weave itself. All through the service, when I felt overwhelmed to the point of collapse, I could look over at her and know, "She knows, and she's got my back." That brought me such huge comfort...and helped me to let go and worship God.

My worship today wasn't full of joy and overflowing. It was a quiet assurance of the heart that, yes, He is there. And, yes, He does care. And yes, He will get you through this, and you will still be used by Him, and He is still in control...you get the picture.

After worship I spoke to another dear sister in Christ about our news. She has been a source of strength to me in other amazing ways...and she was the one I called on when we got the last shocker about our wayward daughter. So I knew she'd understand.

And the chain got longer and stronger, because now there were four of us (God always counts as our first and strongest link!).

I share this with you because I know I'm not the only one struggling with things that threaten to take me under. I know I'm not the only one who cannot go this Christian road alone. I know I'm not the only one who is hurting, bleeding in her very soul, seeking the balm of healing and begging for answered prayer.

We cannot do this life alone. We are women, and we are strong, but we were never meant to walk alone. The Lone Ranger was a television character...not the example for the Christian life.

We need to begin forming Daisy Chains...chains of women, arms linked in solidarity, knees bent in prayer, and our backs covered by one another, so that together we can withstand our enemy, who despises us as much as God loves us.

Our children are getting lost in the wilderness. Our marriages are under attack from internet pornography and other wild and easily accessed temptations. Our worth as women is attacked every day by media images and our own mirrors.

We need one another. We aren't called a sisterhood for nothing! Let's link arms, get each other's backs, and join forces against an unseen but vicious enemy.

Begin prayer groups, accountability groups, hook up with a Bible study partner...do it via phone, email, blog, or face to face. Just DO it. And don't, don't...DO NOT forget to get yourself planted in a Bible believing church.

No more excuses. Time is getting short, and satan is getting angrier by the day. We've got to daisy chain together and stand firm on God's Word...and we can do it.

I did it today. And it felt SO good to know I didn't stand alone anymore. It took courage...it took vulnerability...it took all I had left...and it took me to a place of safety and fellowship that my soul has been longing for.

So, let's Daisy Chain together, shall we? I'm willing to be a link with you...just let me know...my email is at the end of this post, and I'm willing to be used by God to link with my sisters in Christ.

Be blessed, link up, and bless someone else who desperately needs blessing today!

Deena
thedeena63@hotmail.com