The moment I set foot on the new tile in the church nestled in the mountains, I could feel the buzz. Wide-eyed, I scanned the crowd. There was an excitement among the women who gathered. They greeted me with smiles and kisses and enthusiastic hugs. Many of them have become dear friends over the years. This was the Esther Women’s conference in Pignon, Haiti – three days carved out each year to join hands and hearts, to sing and seek God together.
For me, this moment felt like coming full circle. My first-ever speaking engagement for a women’s retreat was here in this place six years before. Back then, I delivered one short message on friendship as a complement to the central teaching by my dear friend who was the keynote. Hands shaking and knees trembling, I stood before those ladies, and God planted a seed.
He wanted me to speak. He wanted to use my story.
Six years later, after much tragedy and triumph in my life, I stood before these ladies a transformed woman. My friend Rici from Fresno joined me to lead worship. My Haitian friend, Walquis, stood at my side. He was my first English student in 2002. What joy for him also to come full circle with me now working as my translator!
Is it any wonder that just as I started sharing about how we can see evidence of God’s glory in Creation that a tropical downpour began? The rain played a symphony on tin house roofs and danced outside the church windows. And we marveled at the glory of His Presence inside.
Some might see rain as a sign of a storm – something to fear or deter – but I encouraged the women to remember that in the rain there is provision and abundance. The rain nourishes the crops. The rain cools the air. The rain cleanses. The rain cultivates the soil of our hearts and builds resilience in each of us.
The women connected. They nodded and called out their response in amens.
I prayed for weeks that God would provide just the right illustrations that would reach out to the Haitian women and draw them into understanding. Behold, this was preaching with props included. Let it rain.
Back in January, I chose the word “behold” as my theme for this year. I’ve discovered it’s one of those words splattered across every book of the Bible but I rarely paid attention to it before. In fact, some versions of the Bible even edit it out. The original word “behold” in Aramaic is a verb that means “to see or witness.”
Starting in Genesis 1:31, there is a call to behold: “And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.”
As I shared with my friends in Haiti at the conference, God took time to pause and see that all the things He made were good. We are called to do the same.
I see Him in the strong wings of the butterfly forged through pressure and metamorphosis.
I see Him in the brilliant red-orange flowers of the flamboyant tree providing shade for us in the yard.
I see Him in the eyes of my new husband, whom I met in Haiti more than 16 years ago on my first mission trip.
I talked with the women about how He is El Roi, the God who sees, named by a woman who endured much suffering and discovered great faith. Her name was Hagar.
In the Matthew 1:18-25, an angel of the Lord comes to Joseph and asks him also to see and witness. “Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.”
That word “behold” precedes the most important announcement ever made – the coming of Emmanuel.
These last seven months I’ve been pressing in and God has been teaching me to behold. It requires I stop, look and listen. To behold is a call to slow, to rest, to marvel at how far God has brought us and trust He is working underground at all times.
On my recent trip to Haiti, I was called again and again to behold. I found myself beholding the progress and redemption I saw in this beautiful place I have called my home in the past.
I witnessed God at work as now a third generation of Haitians are rising up to lead the churches and ministry there. My late husband’s grandparents were pioneer missionaries in these parts in the 1940s. What joy to see the young people carry this torch and continue the legacy with the blessing of their elders!
I witnessed God at work as some of the women who were once on the fringes of this community were now helping lead the conference, cook the food and serve the other women of the church.
I witnessed God at work in the young people who were once fragile, malnourished children I interviewed to bring into the orphanages. Now they are confident and compassionate teenagers contributing to their community and their church. They are dreaming about future careers – a mark of lives transformed.
I witnessed God at work in my three daughters who embrace Haiti and its people as their own, who carry on the passion of their late father who grew up visiting Haiti.
My challenge and encouragement to you today is to ask yourself these key questions: How can God use your story? What are you beholding today?
Beholding beckons us to awake to the wonder of serving Him.The night before the closing session of the women’s conference, I paused with my family to pray. I had some ideas about the last message I would share but I wanted to hear from God. I wanted to listen to where He might specifically lead.
I slept well that night, went for a sunrise run, and then slipped into the church as the women began singing. I knew the finale of this conference must be about beholding God’s glory in community. I shared about how God had provided abundantly for my daughters and me after the death of my husband Ericlee.
And I unfolded the story of how God brought my new husband Shawn out of the fold of our community. It’s a story I never could have crafted or illustrated myself. The women recognized it too. They giggled and clapped. They lifted hands to the heavens with me. And that’s what beholding is all about. It’s stepping back to savor the wild painting the Master artist is in the process of creating. It’s pausing to see how He is “making all things new.”
Beholding calls us to chase His glory in every day. Won’t you join me?
Tears as I read this and feel like I’m there with you beholding the beauty of God in how he has worked in the lives of the Haitians through you and your family, the beauty of God in His creation and community with others and in the way he brought Shawn into your life. Your heart for God and his people touches my soul and makes me want to be present in the lives of others as you are. Your writing captivates me. Love you friend!
Oh thank you, Valerie! Your words are a gift to me too! Let’s behold His glory together – in spirit and in words!
Thank you for reading and championing my words, friend!
This is SisterSmiley writes…by Renee Grate * * Behold…amazing word. I have never really thought of it except on the Peanuts/Charlie Brown Christmas Cartoon when I believe Linus said, “Behold, an angel of the Lord…”. It is interesting that there has been so much ado about that word the last few years from the “unhappy people” with Christianity all around us. They want to delete it from a well-known Christmas Story that has been a comfortable Family Setting every year. So far, behold is still allowed. I like the idea of taking time to “Pause & Listen” to gather the full meaning of the word. I love this posting and so happy to see and hear the awesome things that God has happening that start as a seed, and stretch through many generations. I, too, see this in my children and Grand Children. It is in my heart to continually pray for their needs by remembering this scripture: Psalm 46:10 Psalm 46:10 * * Thank you for sharing your articles with me. As a writer, it is encouraging to share the Joy of another who is constantly trying to document the UNFAILING LOVE of Jesus and how we can reach out around us and show this great love. Lovingly, Miss Renee 🙂