A few days ago I got to spend some quality time with my brother. See, he was driving through to attend a concert in Vancouver and it just so happened that he stopped over in Calgary to see a couple of friends. We got a chance to just hang out, talk and just catch up on the last 7 months of me no longer living at home. This may not seem like an “extraordinary” visit but it definitely was to me and I sense that the Lord really wanted to make this special for me.
One of my biggest worries when I was discerning for full time was about my family, even though I received my parent’s blessing. But, as I’ve shared before, when the Lord calls, in obedience you just need to surrender everything, including your worries, trusting that our Lord wouldn’t ask you to follow Him without having first thought of how He was going to take care of what and whom you left behind. Through my brother I received the great blessing of realizing that I AM anointed through my family.
Story time…. 🙂
Our first stop was the mall, of course! We walked around for a little bit and happened to wander into this store that had this watch that I’ve been eyeing. It had gone on sale but was still significantly out of my budget so I walked in with the expectation to just look at it, point it out to my brother and walk out. I had no idea that I was going to walk out actually with it! See my brother, was generous enough to cover half the cost making it a whole lot more attainable and within my budget! Before leaving the mall, I offered to walk around a little more so he can go shopping, to which he answered, “Ate, I have so many name brand clothes in my closet, some even with their price tags still on, I think I’m good to not spend, I’m kinda over all that now”. I was, of course, a little caught off guard but I was definitely smiling because it was an affirmation that my brother is letting go, slowly but surely, of the material things he was so fixated on for the longest time.
After the mall we decided to go out for a bite to eat and just talk. We had fruitful conversation and he caught me up on the happenings in Winnipeg and with everyone there. As we were eating he brought up that he applied for university and will be attending in the fall! At this point, I was beaming with joy that he’s finally going back to school and taking it seriously! See he’s been indecisive with his program and even took a couple of years off because of it. The more we talked about school the more I could sense in his tone that he was really set and really certain in following through! And just to add some reassurance to it, he mentioned that some of my former colleagues have been helping him in the advising office at the university; I know that he’s in good hands!
Before leaving the restaurant, I decided to walk over to the Tim Horton’s across the parking lot to get an ice cap and said, “I’ll just go to Tim’s to get an Ice cap, while you have a cigarette”. My brother then replied, “oh I didn’t tell you? I quit smoking after you left. So did Dad”. My brother has been a heavy smoker since he was a teenager and my dad, he was really young when he started smoking, so imagine my astonishment when I heard they both quit!!
At this point, I am beside myself with happiness and overjoyed about everything that was revealed to me in such a short meeting. I could see God’s hand in all the revelations, more specifically in my brother. I was speechless and for that moment in time, I was completely fine with not asking for explanations.
My family is being taken care of. My brother’s are growing up and becoming more responsible. My parents are starting to take note of their health and are making better choices. As a family, though we are moving in our own directions, we are being drawn closer to one another. In my acceptance and full surrender to our Lord’s call, I was blessed to experience true joy and peace in my life; in all aspects. And whether or not my family realized it, the Lord anointed me through them and thus anointing them as well!
