A “God’s Got It” Habit
Out of habit, I pull four plates from the kitchen cupboard and then I remember, I only need three. I put one plate back, then set places for two girls and one mama.
Our favorite farmer is far away. The man who zips open seed bags, and drops tiny pearls into fields, who feeds the pigs, and feeds this family, who carries the girls to bed on his back, and then finds his place between me and the alarm clock every night. Today, he is pounding nails into a roof in Ti-Riviere, Haiti. “Are you sure you know how to set this thing by yourself?” he pointed to the alarm clock, smirking before he left.
I see his old blue pickup every morning, out the window, waiting in the quiet beside these shorn fields.
At the dinner table, the girls and I, we bow our heads. “Thank you for making my Daddy brave,” Lydia prays.
At the end of the table sits one soundless chair. And above it, hangs the framed collage of photos that includes his catch-phrase, words of farmer-faith: “God’s Got It.”
I’ve been repeating those words, making them a habit: “God’s got it. God’s got it. Yeah, He’s got it.”
No phone calls. No email. No texting. Too remote. That’s what they told us before he left. He gave me a six-word reassurance before he kissed me goodbye: “Remember, no news is good news.” And this trip is about the Good News. That’s the motivation, the message, the ministry, the mission.
I don’t know exactly what he’s doing right now, though the calendar taped by my pantry wall gives me some direction as I pray. I wonder who he’s touched, whose wide eyes he’s looked into. I wonder how his heart is tugged in a hundred different ways. I pray for his work today; I pray that the nails hold. And the nails always hold.
Yea, God’s got it. Got him.
I put three plates in the dishwasher, and pray the promise of that sweet trio of words, to let it become not only my words, but my life habit: “God’s got it.”
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“… I realize there is never going to be a day when I stand before God and He looks at me and says, ‘I wish you would have kept more for yourself.’ I’m confident that God will take care of me.”
— David Platt, Radical
Joining The Gypsy Mama today for her Five-Minute Friday fun. We are asked to write for five minutes flat, no rewriting, backtracking, etc. She gives us a simple word prompt each week, and we write. This week’s prompt: GROW.
We’re growing and stretching this week as our favorite farmer spends his week in Haiti. And yes, this took me longer than five minutes to write as I process a variety of different emotions while our favorite farmer is away. Thank you for your prayers. We didn’t expect any reports, but we have received some word that the men have arrived. The words “blessed” and “overwhelmed” were used repeatedly. 🙂
I cannot imagine. I don’t think I could let go as you do…
And there is so much more behind that comment that I can’t leave here… 🙂 You’re in my heart. I think that’s what I wanted to say in the first place.
Hi Kelly, I’m not altogether sure I’m doing a great job at it, because I really do miss him. My biggest emotion is this: jealousy. I want to be there, too. And the girls… they want to go, too. 🙂
One of my friends left a suggestion in the comment box about a week ago. She said we should trace Scott’s hand and hang it on the refrigerator. Every time we pass by the hand, we can put our hand over his traced hand and pray for him. We’ve been doing that. It helps us feel connected, and it helps us to be a very real part of his mission — as his prayer-support team back here at home.
I love this hand-in-hand idea. I’m going to be tracing a few hands this Christmas.
Your daughter Lydia’s prayer just undid me. Love the suggestion about the handprint. I’ve just started walking around my house, laying hands on pictures, stuffed animals, high school diplomas–touchstones–as I pray for family members I love.
So cool, Nancy. Love those touchstones. I do this when I fold clothes.
Beautiful sister,
This is my first time linking up with 5 Minute Friday and I love it. I smiled when I saw you on the Linky and rushed over.
I am deeply moved by what you shared and cried as I read. I said a prayer for you and your three kids as you await your hubby/Daddy. I said a prayer for your husband as he’s out there in Haiti doing the work of the Kingdom. I prayed for all of you as a family unit! God’s got it for sure and it’s a phrase I say often along with God’s in control because I believe both. He’s got it and He’s in total control, but even though our hearts and minds know that we can still have our moments don’t we. He understands that.
I love you and I’m praying with excitement for the moment your hubby returns home; changed and touched for what He’s been doing for the Kingdom.
Oh, Lisa … Thank you so much for your prayers and your love. I adore your heart, and how you encourage others. I’m excited for him to return, and to hear all the stories he’s collecting. And … I’m eager to get down there one day — soon, God-willing.
In 1996, our then 15-year-old went on a high school missions trip to La Gonave, off the coast of Haiti. This was right after a coup, and President Clinton had sent in U.S. troops to restore order. When the youth pastor confidently announced where the mission trip would be, I would like to say we smiled and nodded. Well, we did, for all of 15 seconds, while we tried to mask high blood pressure attacks.
But the pastor said this: wherever your children are, God holds them in his hands. So we gulped and allowed our son to go. We didn’t hear anything for almost 10 days, until they landed in Miami. As it turned out, the island was being patrolled by U.S. troops, who “adopted” our kids over the Fourth of July holiday and kept watch over them almost the entire time.
It was a life-changing experience our our son. And it will be for your farmer, too.
Such a beautiful post, praying for you all, and your farmer as he serves the needy, and the broken- and for you, as you serve your family, and those right with you in these moments. God bless you all.
Awesome! Been thinking of you this week, remembering when my sweet hubby went with the youth to build churches in Mexico every summer for a week leaving me and two littles at home. Such blessing! I also love the handprint idea! And, you!
I haven’t gotten to drop by as often as I would have liked in recent weeks. Life has gotten in the way, but I am always blessed when I stop by.
I love this post and am going to make a sign for my kitchen window that says, “God’s Got It.” That is awesome!
My Momma always told me that as she ironed she would always pray for whoever the clothes belonged to. I think about that each and every time I iron.
Happy weekend and blessings abundant!
Is it okay if I love your farmer? Thank you, God, for making him brave.
I hope someday my favorite baby doctor and I can go on a mission trip together. Hasn’t been possible yet. I think that would be so awesome!
My heart has been turning toward Haiti as I prepare for my December trip. God keeps reminding me that the farmer and his friends are there. Such a sweet privilege to pray for them.
I love that they will come home changed forever 🙂
Nails in the roof all for the one who took nails in his hands and feet for us!
This is a beautiful post. And you and your brood, Happy Happy to have beloved Farmer home again!
Lydia’s prayer? Oh my, what a beauty. Praying for you man (and you girls back home, too!).
I’m with Nancy…Lydia’s prayer undid me. Praying for you all, sweet friend. With much love.
Jennifer, Thanks to you and your farmer I find “God’s got it” coming to mind from time to time. Just a week or so ago, I was climbing the stairs thinking about some situation, breathing up a prayer and heard a “God’s got it” in return. And I just smiled–adding a “Thanks, God, for Jennifer” to my prayers.
Lifting up your farmer and all his girls right now.
Your words always touch my heart-strings; I have been praying and I’m guessing he will be home soon. I can only imagine how much you and your girls must miss him.
“God’s got it.” So good. So true. I need to be reminded…daily.
Thanks Jennifer!
I recently found this blog via Ann Voskamp’s blog this past week. I felt such a connection to your stories that I read. Thank you for letting God work through you. What was really funny is that I just had on my “wretch” shirt for the first time this week and saw your post with you in it!! I was floored and knew that God led me here. Your farmer IS brave. God has him and all of us. Thank you for the reminder. All is grace…