Kitchen Sink Worship

They were asked to be flower girls in my friend’s wedding, and although they are older and not the typical flower girl age, it was extra special, and they loved it!

I met the Bride four years ago at a Bible Study. I’d host the group of ladies in our home off and on, so Kyla (and everyone else) got a glimpse into our family and home life. Over the years, we met for coffee and walks, and our friendship developed.

God is so good at bringing people together. His timing and His plans are perfect!

I didn’t know the girl who showed up with homemade chips covered in cinnamon sugar with caramel and chocolate dipping sauce on the side would become someone I deeply love. I didn’t know we’d become such close friends through honest conversations and prayer. I had no idea she’d attend my women’s retreat, start a beautiful ministry, buy my teenager her first Stanley, step out in Faith to go on that first date…and that we’d be at her wedding…but God did.

Yesterday, while I was doing dishes after breakfast, I found myself in a Holy moment at the kitchen sink. Arms both up, tears streaming down my face, and I just had to pause and praise Jesus. I was listening to the song, Graves into Gardens by Brandon Lake. There’s a part that says:

“I’m not afraid to show you my weakness.
My failures and faults, Lord, you see them all, and you still call me friend.
Cause the God of the mountain is the God of the Valley.
There’s not a place your mercy and grace won’t find me again.
There’s nothing better than you.”

The line that stood out to me most was, “THE GOD OF THE MOUNTAIN IS THE GOD OF THE VALLEY.”

Can I get an Amen?! Don’t we just love the mountain top moments? The high places where things are going well, our perspective is up on God, and we enjoy being seen and celebrating with others. This wedding and new marriage was definitely a mountain top moment and worth praising and thanking God for. It was beautiful in so many ways and covered in God’s Grace and redemption. But the reason why I had to stop and raise my hands, and praise Jesus during dishes was because He was there in the darkest valley of this story, too.

It’s easy to praise God for the good things, but when I started thanking Him for carrying my friend through the valley, I lost it. Remembering the hard times, thanking Jesus for healing her heart, giving her Hope, and showing her that Jeremiah 29:11 was real in her life, that got me.

When we authentically do life with others and center our friendships on Jesus, His word, and prayer, we get to see God in new ways. We get to serve and love Him by loving others. As we wait on HIS PERFECT TIMING, we see Him bring beauty from ashes and turn graves into gardens. If we stay in friendship and community long enough, we get to see more of the story. If we stay with someone in the valley, we might just get to sit with them on the mountain top as well…and that builds our Faith!

We all have a story. We all go through hard times, and yet, Jesus is with us through it all. In John 10:14 NIV, Jesus tells us, “I am The Good Shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me.”

No matter where we are in our story, or what we’re going through, Jesus is with us. He is Lord and God over it all. He sees and knows every detail, and He has good plans for us, His beloved children. We can trust Him. No matter what we need, we can trust that He has good plans for us. “Plans to prosper us and not to harm us, plans to give us Hope and a future.”

Like I mentioned in my previous post, I am currently living other the other side of a ten year prayer that God answered.

There were so many good things happening over the past decade, but I felt like I was in a valley, in the area of praying and waiting for my next child to come. There was a lot of grief, sadness, and lack of Hope on some days, especially after our miscarriage in September 2022. The people who were there with me during that season, praying and interceding for me, bringing meals, inviting me to coffee, believing in a miracle with me…they are priceless! The ones who stayed with me in the valley are some of the most precious and treasured friends that are now celebrating with us on the mountain top.

At my baby shower last month, I was surrounded by the most beautiful Christian women…true sisters in Christ who have walked with me through this past season. They are my inner circle who I read the Bible with, pray with and do honest life with. It was the sweetest gift to be showered and surrounded by women who deeply love Jesus and deeply know and love me.

I didn’t have to, but at one point during the party, I took a moment to talk about our baby in Heaven. I shared the hard thing people don’t usually mention, not to be a downer, but because it’s a big part of the story. “Cause the God of the mountain is the God of the valley.” When I remember longing for this child, waiting, asking God for her, and now carrying her in my womb, it fills me with so much gratitude. When I share the whole story, I can’t help but give God all the glory. I’m encouraged, He Shines and Faith and Hope rise up…it’s so rad!

And even if He didn’t answer this prayer for another child….it would have been enough. He is Good no matter what. But since He did, you better believe this girl is gonna testify and praise Him for the whole process.

Okay, last thing… while I was standing at the sink, caught up in that sweet moment, God reminded me of one more thing He did through this wedding. Remember how I said my girls got to be flower girls? Well, that was a special and remptive gift from Him. When they were little, around three and five, they were asked to be flower girls in a couple’s wedding. They were so excited, but that couple never got married and their sweet hearts and hopes and dreams of being in that wedding were crushed.

As I was standing in praise, I realized that God has not only answered Kyla’s prayer to get married, my prayer to have another child, but also my daughter’s prayers to be flower girls…all in HIS PERFECT TIMING. And ps. our age is not a limiting factor to God. He can do anything at any age. I pray these answered prayers encourage you to not disqualify yourself from something you know God has promised you. Let me say it again, “you’re not too old….to get married, have more children, be a flower girl or whatever it is!”

If you’re waiting and praying for something specific, be encouraged. Keep praying and ask friends to pray with you. No matter what God gives and takes away, God is good and He is Faithful. We can trust Him with our whole heart. Jesus is with us. He is God of the mountain and the valley. Your story isn’t finished yet! He has perfect timing.

I’d love to hear any thoughts you have about any of this. You’re so loved and precious, and God has good plans for you.

With love, grateful tears, and praise at the kitchen sink,
Kathryn