“Jesus said, ‘I will not leave you as orphans. I will come to you.’ ”
— John 14:18
All afternoon, the sand had been warm. Bright sunlight touched the Wisconsin lake with a thousand sparkles. It had been fun meeting new friends at Bible camp, but tomorrow it would all end.
As she went into the cabin to change out of her swimsuit, Ashley heard a muffled sound from the back room. Was someone crying?
Moving quietly, Ashley followed the sobs to the bedroom. There she found Mia lying face down, weeping into her pillow. Ashley stopped, edged away, and then stepped back. What should I do? Pretend I don’t see her? Sneak away?
Though they were in the same cabin, Mia came from another church. Ashley had just met her this week. Yet Mia’s sobs shook the bed.
“Hey, what’s wrong?” Ashley asked, stepping forward. She knew that Mia’s dad had cancer, and she wondered if that was the cause of the tears.
As Mia looked up, her shoulders stopped shaking. “I am so scared.” Mia spoke between sniffs. “This week has been perfect. I don’t want to go home. It’s awful watching Daddy get sicker every day.” Her words ended in a sob, and she stopped, drew a deep breath. “I’m scared he’s going to die.”
“Oh, Mia, I’m so sorry!” Reaching forward, Ashley gave her a hug.
When Mia finally spoke again, her words were muffled. “Before I came, Mom said she wanted me to go and have a good time. Daddy said the same thing. He said, ‘Mia, you need time with friends. You need time to know that whatever happens to me, God will be with you.’ ”
Mia’s voice broke. “But I can’t see God. What will I do if I can’t see my Daddy? What will I do if I can’t talk to him? What will I do if he’s not there when I go to bed at night? When I wake up in the morning?”
Tears welled up in Ashley’s eyes. As they ran down her cheeks, she brushed them aside. But the tears kept coming. She didn’t know what to say, so she gave Mia another hug.
Finally, Ashley said, “My parents are divorced. It’s different from what is happening to you, but I sort of understand. My dad lives far away now, and I hardly ever get to see him. I miss him.” She paused, then continued. “But there’s something that helped me, that maybe will help you too.”
Mia looked at Ashley, listening carefully.
Ashley spoke the words slowly. “If something happens to your daddy, you will still have a heavenly Father. He will take care of both you and me.”
Tears streamed down Mia’s face again. “It’s what Daddy has been trying to tell me — that God will be with me.”
In that moment Ashley knew without doubt that her words had not been her own. Reaching out, she hugged Mia again.
Oh, Lord, how did you manage to do that? Ashley thought. What if I had sneaked out instead of talking to Mia? And how did you manage to help me too?
More to Explore: John 14:1 – 6
Girl Talk: Have you ever noticed some unusual timing in your own life? Perhaps someone said something at just the right time. What happened?
God Talk: “Jesus, you know I find it hard to talk with someone who’s facing something really difficult. Thanks for helping me with the questions to ask, the words to say, and the hugs to give. Thanks even more for being the biggest Hugger there is because of the way you love every one of us. Amen.”
From Girl Talk by Lois Walfrid Johnson