Leah Stirewalt

Out of Deep Waters

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Eyes of Faith

October 19, 2011 by Leah Stirewalt 1 Comment

Thank you so much for your encouraging and sweet comments regarding Anna’s blog post yesterday. God has really blessed me with her, and I can’t believe He chose me to be her mother! I know that I know that I know that God has a most beautiful plan for her. Beautiful…because, it’s His plan!

However, I know that often we can’t see those beautiful plans unfold so easily in our lives. Just yesterday…my heart was aching heavily for a couple of friends going through some really difficult times right now. The trials they are being asked to endure don’t make sense when viewed through the earthly lens that we often use when gazing at life. A word I can easily associate with their difficulties…unfair! And YET…

God never promised life would be fair. He never promised it would be delivered to us on a silver platter or that we’d walk the glory road until we reach glory itself. He never promised that our days will be filled with material blessing or that the trials that we do endure will be swift. He never promised that we wouldn’t experience a broken heart or be disappointed by broken people.

Right now…I personally know someone…

–Fighting breast cancer
–Praying for a spouse after a lifetime of singleness
–Waiting on God for the sale of a home on the market for 4 years
–Seeking custody of a child that has endured much hardship
–Waiting on a call for their forever child through adoption
–Praying for conception even though doctors are speaking infertility
–Ready to walk out on a position they’ve been called to do, because the enemy tells them they can’t do it
–Fighting to keep the job they have
–Aching for a spouse that went to heaven late last year
–Waiting with great expectation for a YES answer to a position they applied for months ago and are still in the running for
–That lost everything in a house fire 4 months ago
–Questioning whether or not Christ could ever love them enough to accept them into His family
–Grieving the loss of a parent a few short weeks ago
–Grieving the loss of a child to cancer earlier this year
–Watching their special needs adopted child endure many medical procedures this week
–Waiting on God to provide funding resources for a new non-profit organization started in faith
–Praying for a prodigal child

These are tough, tough things, friends. And…these are tough things for my praying heart to endure. So many times I’ve prayed that God would allow me to see hurting and broken people through His eyes so that my prayers might be more personal and often more gutteral. He’s done that many times, and I ache all the more.

But, even though these aren’t the things in life we’ve asked for, prayed for, expected, or even wanted…”in all things, God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose”! (Romans 8:28) This is not just some biblical cliche…this is TRUTH spoken by a God (THE God) that cannot lie (Hebrews 6:18).

I choose to believe that even through my husband’s suicide, God is working for my good, because…I love Him, and I have been called according to His purpose. And while I may not be able to see with my physical eyes all the plans God has for me to work this for my good…I see with my eyes of faith. And, one day…my faith WILL be my sight!

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Chris’ Last Weekend – Guest Blog Post from His Stepdaughter

October 18, 2011 by Leah Stirewalt 10 Comments

Happy Tuesday blog friends!

I have a treat for you today. I asked my daughter, Anna, if she would consider writing a guest post during this 40-day blogging journey. She was hesitant, at first, because she didn’t really know what to write about.

I said, “Write about whatever you want. Maybe something about Chris and your time together.”

“I’ve got it!” she shared excitedly. “I’ll write about his last weekend. The one he spent with me.”

And, without further ado…here’s Anna…

———————————————————————-

Many of you might be wondering what went down on the last weekend Chris was alive. Well I can tell you, because I spent it with him. Just him and me. Not my mom. Just him and me.  

I had a lot of fun with him that weekend. I never would have expected what would come 3 days from that Sunday. I always enjoyed the times with him when my mom went on a trip (whether it be to Africa, a work trip, or a conference). I always missed my mom, but he always made it more fun even though she was not there.  

On this particular weekend, my mom and aunt were going to a conference together. So I stayed home with Chris. Now this weekend was very different. First of all, it was Friday, April 29th…..the day of the Royal Wedding!!!!!! My aunt and I decided that we would get up at 4am to watch it (and I would at least watch as much as I could before I went to school). Chris came out to eat breakfast before work and didn’t think we were serious about getting up. Now, Aunt Kandi and I have turned into huge Royal Wedding fanatics. We even have the DVD and collectors’ magazines. Since I wasn’t able to see their first kiss, my aunt even took a picture of it from the TV with her phone and sent me a text picture of it while I was at school.  

She and my mom left to go to the conference while I was at school. So I rode the bus home, and Chris got there shortly after. We decided we wanted to go to Ruby Tuesday’s for dinner. Now everyone knows Chris was the baking master, so I asked if we could make cookies with icing.  

His response was simply, “Call your mom and ask.”  

So I did and she said, “Why not!”  

We went to the store and got all the ingredients. I love cooking or baking (especially with Chris), so this was lots of fun!  

Now Chris always liked to go to bed early, but I didn’t want to be the only one up so I would too. The following day we ate our cookies, and I watched the royal wedding over and over, which he did not appreciate too much. J
Chris and I would always play games, and so that’s exactly what we did. Battleship, Rummy, Yahtzee, everything…we played everything. He took an hour nap that day, and then we played more games and ate more cookies! That was the best weekend I had ever had with him!  

I now know God sent my mom and aunt to that conference to give me this special weekend with Chris that I will never forget. Nobody else shared that last weekend with him. Only me! We won’t know until we get to heaven why Chris committed suicide.  

My favorite Bible verse reminds me that God is still in control and has great plans for us.  

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11
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Meet Leah

Leah StirewaltI became "twice widowed" when my beloved prince, Joel, went to his Heavenly home after a brief and sudden illness on February 12, 2017. I’m in a place of shock and devastation, but I intend to use this format to journal my second widow journey, much like I did my first. It’s my open journal, my electronic oasis, and it’s often the place I find true healing as I allow myself to “come clean” with my feelings. Read More...

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