I noticed her immediately.
She was on the way to the bathroom. Her husband cradled her. She seemed frail.
I looked over at Richard.
“She must be ill,” I said. I wanted to go and check on her, but her husband hovered just outside the bathroom. It appeared that she was in good hands.
Just a few minutes later I met her in person. She was Katherine Wolf, author of the book, Hope Heals. She is a speaker. Mama. Wife. Stroke survivor.
At the age of 26, she had a massive brainstem stroke. Her 6-month-old son was in the next room. She nearly died, and had to relearn how to swallow, how to walk, and how to redefine her new normal. If you read her story, you will see pictures before the stroke. She was stunning. As we chatted, I couldn’t help but see the beauty and strength in her today.
She’s still stunning.
In her own words, Katherine describes the stroke as a “detour.” She says:
“Perhaps some detours aren’t detours at all. Perhaps they are actually the picture. And perhaps they can be perfect.”
She doesn’t say that lightly. She doesn’t brush off the magnitude of her suffering. Before I met her, the first thing I noticed about her was the aftermath of her stroke. That’s not easy, to be defined by something you didn’t ask for. Yet as I spoke with her, I don’t know if I’ve ever had a more visual demonstration of the power of gratitude.
That was the picture that was perfect.
Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and joy are in his dwelling place. 1st Chronicles 16:27 (NIV)
I saw Jesus in her because he lives in the strength and joy she exhibits. It makes no sense in the natural, but Katherine is living a life of thank you.
[bctt tweet=”Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and joy are in his dwelling place. 1st Chronicles 16:27 (NIV) #ComeWithMe #livefreeThursday” username=””]
What does that look like?
It’s not pretending that it’s not hard.
It’s seeking God, and God, moments within that hard place.
It’s holding open hands to receive unexpected joy.
It’s yielding our emotions to a God that is bigger than circumstances, and who fills the gaps that we cannot on our own.
We stop comparing our path to someone else.
We are open to discovering what God can do right where we are.
We become joy seekers, and thank you givers, at every stage of our journey.
Why is this important?
Katherine’s two young children (she had a miracle baby a few months ago) will never look back and remember the pre-stroke woman that is their mom. But they will remember a woman who demonstrated:
Joy in suffering.
Strength in faith.
Laughter.
Hope, hope, and more hope.
I’ve often heard people say, “I don’t see Jesus.” I saw Jesus in Katherine.
I pray that people see Jesus in me, rather than discontent.
Can we be real about the fact that we are tempted by discontent? We come against that temptation with this truth.
Discontent is a thief.
It robs us of the ability to laugh. It steals joy. It puts blinders on, as our focus becomes our circumstances or another person, or what we want or what we don’t have. We lose the ability to appreciate what we do have.
If a thief was trying to come into my home, I would bar the door. I would call for help! I would take all my treasures and hold them close. I wouldn’t let throw open the door and let him in, and feed him while he stole from me.
[bctt tweet=”Our greatest heart work takes place where we are the least thankful. #ComeWithMe #livefree ” username=”@suzanneeller”]
Let’s stop giving the thief of discontent access to our heart. Our life is more than things. It’s more than hardships. It’s more than what someone else has, or what we wish we had.
Intentional gratitude has the power to take us off the road to discontent. Strength and joy becomes his dwelling place in us. It allows us not to miss the beauty of our own life, living fully right where we are.
I realize this is a hard ask, but our greatest heart work takes place when we look at those areas where are the least thankful. Will you invite the Lord into that particular place today?
Ask for his help to find a “thank you” in the heart of it. I’d love to hear what you discovered.
Suzie
Are you joining our next 21-Day Adventure of Living a Life of Thank You?
I’m not going to place a burden of guilt on you, or on me. That’s not who I am, and that doesn’t work anyway. This won’t be a list of “should’s”.
It’s coming together to discover the power of intentional gratitude, to walk away from discontent to discover a life of thank you.
I’ll reference Chapter 7 of Come With Me: Discovering the Beauty of Following Where He Leads. Buy the book to take this topic even deeper. ♥
Related resource
- Please check out the beautiful story of Katherine and Jay Wolf in their book, Hope Heals.
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This has been another lesson this year. It is not enough to just thank you to the Lord, here and there. There are a few areas I have had to work on in this. I have to intentionally look at the good, God has brought of a situation despite what I wanted. I have to let go of comparisons and receive where I am as a gift from God and not a prison sentence sometimes. I want people, especially my husband and children to remember a grateful woman. I have not always been. But I pray the changes God has made in my heart and continues to will shine through after I am gone. That my family, friends, church family, and strangers I meet throughout my days see Jesus in me and see how real He is. Thanks for sharing this Suzie! You are a blessing and I am thankful for you!
Desiree, I so identify with what you wrote in response to Suzie’s post. I am right there with you. God has really been challenging me to change my perspective about things which helps me be a more thankful person. Intentional is my word for the year.
This post is so encouraging and yet also an invitation to really allow God to refine this area in my life. I accept the invitation.
Yes, yes, yes! There really is joy in suffering. It is how we best know the heart of Christ
Oh, Suzie… just when I think your words cannot possibly gain more beauty, they do. These words today, they are a treasure… their beauty is more than I have words to describe. Wow. I love all of this, and the truth, while painful, is so so loud.
“… our greatest heart work takes place when we look at those areas where are the least thankful”…. my goodness, YES. I have been in a place of discontent with a geographical location for some time now, and it’s taken me many heartaches to realize that this IS the place where He’s doing a perfect work in my heart. And yes, it is the place in which I am least thankful, I’ll be honest. But God. He is so good, and I know the work that He is doing in me here is something that had to be done. So for that, I will be eternally grateful.
Thank you for your words. Thank you for your vulnerability to just speak truth and grace always. I adore you, Suzie Eller, I really do.
I’m not usually at a loss for words – but after watching her story, I simply have none. Except this: We are more than conquerors! Beautiful Katherine – many will never have lived a life as full as yours! Bless you! Thank you for sharing her story, Suzie.
I agree with you, Michele: Suzie’s post is a beautiful reminder of the effects of discontent in our lives. I too seek His heart and the attitude transformation only He can work in us.
So I have been taking care of family all week more than I usually do and I am so thankful God has given me this job and I’m able to do it. But I got my feelings stepped on last night and started feeling sorry for me. Well by being aware of how the devil sticks his nose into my cracks this little hurt tried real hard to become a big one. With this story today I can get back on track with being thankful and give God the glory for his works in me. Thank you Suzie for sharing this.
Suzie, after a very busy Thursday I am sitting here in awe of God. You see, I am taking three sweet sisters in the Lord through A Mended Heart and guess what chapter we are doing today? Chapter 9-Moving toward Joy!! It’s about choice points, choosing to fight to see gratitude in all situations. Being grateful even in the toughest of realationships and circumstances. We’ve take our time going through The Mended Heart and I think there is no coincidence we are on Chapter 9!th very day I choose to read this!! Love you sweet sister!!
I love how Suzie gives me a perspective I never thought of before. Thank you.
oh, how I needed this message today. thank you Suzie.
I am going through a fearful and intense transition in my marriage. I’m terrified. I’m searching for a new way to view this struggle today. Yes, discontent has invaded…and I will crowd it out with gratitude today; gratitude for this particular struggle. oh, this is hard! God has given me a marriage to grow in, many angel friends, and counseling professionals to guide me. Cancer was much easier than this.
♥
Before now, I always compared myself with others. I do wonder why God made me sooo slim, it made me jealous and angry especially when people I’m older than treats me like a kid. But, now, I’d rather say thank you than complain to God.
God bless you, Suzie.
I grew up skinny, Chike. It’s hard to explain to people how that can be a hinderance. I heard names like Stretch, Slim, Bubble Gum, Bones, Olive Oyl. I now carry a few pounds more than I want, but I’m grateful for them.
Wow! Then, there is still hope for me. Thanks for encouraging me. God bless you