Eric Huang
Peace to you, brother!
You asked me about how I raised my children after I believed in the Lord, and from today on, I will share some beautiful experiences of interactions we have had with our kids. We seldom ponder these trivial matters in our everyday life, yet, warmth fills our family because of God’s love.
When our daughter A Le was three years old, a sister from our church invited her to be the flower girl at her wedding, and we accepted her invitation for A Le. However, we were worried because A Le had been shy in public since she was very young and always needed her mother.
When it was getting close to the wedding day, We still had little confidence in A Le. Even when we wanted her to try on the flower girl gown, she firmly refused, and it ended unhappily. So, we suggested to the sister to find a replacement. However, as they had already gotten things ready for A Le, she had to be her flower girl. It was only three weeks from the wedding day, and we were still at a loss. We could only pray for her every day. One day while I was thinking about it, the quote “The End of Man is the Beginning of God” came to my mind. Why not ask God earnestly? From that day on, we began to pray earnestly for A Le. We also asked brothers and sisters to join us in praying for her. We asked God to help A Le have confidence, not to fear nor be shy, and that she could present herself decently and naturally at the wedding ceremony. We saw how God changed her every day. She began willingly trying on the gown and learned to walk at the pace following the music rhythm. She also prayed, even though it was only a brief prayer, “Dear Lord Jesus, help me not to be afraid. Amen.” She knew she had to ask for God’s help, which was God’s excellent doing.
Four days before the wedding, we drove over two hundred kilometers round trip to the rehearsal in heavy rains. We prayed unceasingly for A Le. Unfortunately, because of the traffic jam, we were half an hour late by the time we arrived. We found A Le missing when we had to help her get dressed. Later, she looked unhappy.
I gently picked her up and said, “Little one, God loves you. Daddy and mammy love you too.” I prayed for her. After I prayed, I found that her two little hands, which tightly gripped, began to relax and loosen. Then I carried her and put her on the red carpet. There, she just looked like an angel, dressed up prettily. Amazingly, when the music began, with her left hand holding the ring bearer and the basket in her right hand, A Le made the entrance slowly. With the few practices that went so smoothly and seeing her stand there seriously with the wedding party by the pulpit, my wife and I could only keep thanking God. Our worries lifted.
When we helped A Le get changed, she suddenly said, “Daddy, You know what? God was always there with me, and I was not afraid anymore.”
We couldn’t find any words to express our joy while driving back. So the whole family followed the music of the hymns and sang loudly and happily until we arrived home.
God let me see His faithful assurance again through this incident. When we trust in Him, He will care for us beyond what we asked or thought. And our kids also experienced the presence of God with them from it.
With this experience, God reminded us that in all things, we should come before Him first, to trust and look upon Him. Then, in Him, we would find His abundant grace.
Thanks, and Praise be to our God! May God also bless you and your family?
Eric
2022.10.25