For He is Good

Hawaii was our place.  It felt like home.  We found our people there.  We raised the wildest little boy there on those white sandy beaches.  We walked through the dark and scary unknown there.  We got to witness a real taste of heaven there.  We said hello and goodbye to the sweetest red haired little boy there.  We found redemption and hope there.  We found peace and joy in the midst of pain there.  We learned to live after such immense loss there.  We spread our sweet boy's ashes on those beautiful white sandy beaches.  We found a new perspective on life there.  We learned how faithful our God is there.  We added the sweetest little rainbow baby to our family there.  We learned that this life is messy, but oh so meaningful.  We learned that we are better together.

Hawaii truly has my heart.  It was so easy to see and feel the presence of God there.  The mountains, the water, the beaches, the flowers, the palm trees swaying, everything, it is all beautiful.  And you can clearly see that it was all made in the image of God, absolutely breathtaking.

For me, leaving Hawaii felt like I was leaving Asher.  I carried him in my belly there and I feared that leaving the island meant I was leaving him.  Everyone there knew Asher and knew our story.  If we moved to Japan, would everyone forget him?  Would his story live on?  Would he still be with us when we moved to Japan?  I truly didn't know.

Just before we went to the airport I was pretty emotional about this.  It was hard to fathom that we were actually leaving with a one way ticket to Japan.  Then I peeked at my phone and had this text message from a dear friend.  It was her telling me that she missed Asher and she will never forget him.  It was her telling me that Asher touched her life in a mighty way.  She promised me that that little boy lived on in so many people's hearts on this tiny island and that he would never be forgotten.  This was just what this mama's heart needed.

So here we are, 4 months after leaving Hawaii.  This week, every single day, I shared Asher's story.  For one reason or another, he popped up in conversation and I was able to share how he changed our life.  I was able to share how God worked in us and continues to use Asher, even years later.  When people see us and they know our story, I feel like they know our true family.  Not the family of, oh they have a boy and a girl, how perfect.  They know our hearts and they know our pain.  They know that Jesus has carried us and without a doubt got us to where we are today.  I am so thankful for these opportunities to share Asher and his life with new people.  His story will always be my favorite.

I will sing the Lord's praise, for he has been good to me.  Psalm 13:6

Anyways, all that to say, I have found that Asher will always be with us.  Everywhere that we go, he comes with us.  Hawaii will always remind me of him, but I think of him just as much over here in Japan.  God is faithful, my fear of moving away, He totally answered it and is using Asher in a pretty amazing way out here in Japan.

Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land.  For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.  Genesis 28:15