Behold His Power and Glory

It's a miracle, really.  

One year ago today, Diane Schreiner was physically unrecognizable in a comatose state at Louisville's tertiary care hospital as she recovered from brain surgery.  Anyone who knew Diane grieved the possibility of her suffering any loss- whether that meant the loss of her own life or the loss of mental health and functionality.  So people from all of the world prayed while acknowledging God's sovereignty, and we waited to see how God would use Diane's bike accident for His glory.  And what a story of glory there is to share!

This time last year I wrote about Diane here, wondering if the personality traits I described would even be preserved.  Not only did God preserve them, but He pruned and strengthened them!

Diane still gives her time to invest in the lives of those around her.  She resumed mentoring Mary Ellen and me in her home weeks after being released from inpatient rehab.  When our newborn baby kept me homebound in November, Diane prioritized our mentoring times by having her husband drive her to my home so that we could continue our regular meetings.  We have continued to share our struggles, joys, and prayer requests with each other.  

  

She still has that hilarious Johnny Cash ring tone on her cell phone and very obviously loves her family more than anyone else.  But what has strongly influenced me since her accident has been her willingness to follow her husband's leadership as he has closely monitored her through each step of the healing process.  She's one determined lady, and even when she would want to stand before she had the strength to do so - or even when she didn't want to eat as much food on her plate as she knew she needed to - or even when she wanted to resume her exercise hobbies, she agreeably followed her husband's guidance and supervision.  No grumbling in return- just a quiet acknowledgment and trust that he wanted what was best for her.  This was mentoring at its finest- through example! 

And with her words as well as by her example, Diane still spurs me on to love my husband and children as Christ calls me to love them. Her recent e-mail to me with parenting advice was read at a perfect time: right before we left for a grocery store experience that would include a meltdown from a certain 2-year-old living in our home!  I was glad to have been reminded to be a mommy with a backbone and not just a nice mommy.

But most noticeable in Diane over the past year has been the glory of God displayed in her life in her own relationship with the Lord.  Though Diane has undoubtedly experienced moments of frustration, I have yet to hear a complaint come from her mouth.  Instead, she has chosen to view this trial as a means of God's sanctification in her life.  During one of the first times Mary Ellen and I visited with her at her home, she was sharing that she couldn't ride her bicycle for a while.  Instead of complaining, she acknowledged, "I guess God's work in my life right now is more important than riding a bike."  Diane knew that the steadfast love of God is better than any earthly luxuries in this life.

And just as I assumed, she did scold me for writing a blog post about her last year.  I think her exact words were that she didn't know who I was writing about.  She'll probably scold me for writing this post, too, but don't worry, Diane.  God gets the glory in this post just like He does in your life! Our last meeting occurred days before Mary Ellen and I moved from Louisville, and Diane shared the following psalm with us:  

"So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary,
beholding your power and glory.
Because your love is better than life,
my lips will praise you. 
So I will bless you as long as I live;
in your name I will lift up my hands.
My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food
and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips,
when I remember you upon my bed,
and meditate on you in the watches of the night;
for you have been my help,
and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.
My soul clings to you;
your right hand upholds me."

Psalm 63: 2-8

To acknowledge the one-year anniversary of Diane's accident is to behold the power and glory of God, because He has been her help.  His right hand has upheld her.  Praise be to our great God for preserving your precious life, Diane!