Many (I mean many) years ago, I knew a young girl who was an only child. She was being brought up with plenty of love, and a whole lot of freedom to express herself. Her parents were very young, and she thought her life was perfect exactly how it was (why would she think any different).
At the ripe old age of seven, her parents announced one day that there would be an ‘addition’ to what the girl felt was already a complete and happy family. Her first question was… “why?”
Approximately eight months later, a small package that smelled of baby powder (and made your jaw hurt from all the smiling he caused), showed up a few days before Christmas. This young girl quickly realized that her question of why had been answered. This baby boy was the best gift the family could have been given, and she was extremely grateful (most of the time).
Two years later, her family was to be blessed with yet another ‘gift’. This time the package was delivered about two weeks prior to Christmas. The girl once again wondered why this change was necessary… they had all just settled into their ‘new’ family routine. Soon the girl had her answer… she instantly fell in love with her new baby sister… she took her everywhere she went, and would rush home after school just to see her!
When this young girl became a teen, she longed to be a mommy herself. She’d been deeply attached to her younger siblings, and felt she’d contributed a lot towards raising them. She was mature for her age due to the many responsibilities that had been heaped on her at a young age, and her desire to take care of others became like an obsession.
When the girl became a young woman, she met a boy that she felt was her Prince Charming. Four short days after her high school graduation, she married this boy hoping to become his Princess. It didn’t take long to realize that there was trouble in the castle, and a happily ever after didn’t look promising. 
There were struggles, changes, and situations that these two young people didn’t handle well on their own.
Being someone who loved taking care of others, the young woman decided what the two of them needed was a new ‘addition’ of their very own. She fondly remembered how happy she’d been when the little bundles of joy had arrived and blessed her home as a child. She quickly put her ingenious plan into motion (her young man didn’t argue, too much) and she anxiously and excitedly waited for her dreams to come true.
And she waited… and waited… often with the question “why isn’t it happening?” Screaming inside her head!
Over the next few years, more problems (some extremely serious) arose. There were lies, abuse and affairs… just to name a few. The young woman continued to believe that a baby was the answer to ALL the problems they faced. “Why?” She’d cry out when her Prince seemed to not want her anymore… “Why can’t I have this one little thing I’ve asked for… everything will be fine if my wish would only be granted.”
She searched high and low for answers. She even sought out God in a place where she thought she might find Him, but she was wrong… and her question of why continued to go unanswered. The young woman became distraught… then, after many attempts to mend the broken relationship (including moving to another state and starting over), the couple couldn’t take it any longer. The young woman and her ‘so-called’ Prince decided the time had come to end their turbulent marriage, seven long years after it began.
“Why?” Continued to be the resonating question in her mind, and in her heart. Then one day, shortly after the dysfunctional fairytale ended, this woman met a man that would change her life forever. He instantly became her best friend, and soon this man invited her to visit his church. That is when and where the woman finally met her real ‘Prince’. She gave her life over to Jesus soon after discovering that ‘He’ was the only one that could fill the hole in her heart… as well as the one in her life!
Jeremiah 29:13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
The answer to why her wish hadn’t been granted was finally clear. Was the life she’d been leading right for an innocent child to be brought into? How much worse could things have become with all the added stress and pressure, in what was an already volatile situation?
The woman still had so much to learn… and many more questions she’d need answered. I’ll save the rest of her story for another day…
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Beautifully written, Bridget. Isn’t it amazing how badly we want to know “why” all the time. I have a “why” of my own I’m working on right now. Sometimes the answerer is simply “because I said so” even from God until much later when he reveals his “why” to you. Sometimes I struggle with that, but sometimes I’m thankful for it. Soemtimes I find comfort in knowing He’s in control and I am definitely not. I almost always find comfort in that when he’s finally revealed the answer to why. Then, it’s “ahhh. Now I see.”
This was so beautifully written (I am a little sad that it had to end…..anxiously waiting Part 2)
Being a control freak, I often struggle with the “whys” in my life. It is only by looking back that I realize and appreciate why God didn’t answer the prayers that I had. If only we had a way to see the future, then we would probably get more answers to our whys. But we don’t, so that is the ultimate test of trusting in Him. Trusting and believing that He is in control……that He is for us, not against us……that His ways are not our ways, but again…….trusting that His ways are for the best.
For He is, always was and always will Be.
again……this was beautiful. So happy to start my day here.
I am glad that she finally found the prince she deserves.
Why? “Because I’m the Dad, that’s why.” Sometimes it takes us a lifetime to figure that out. And someone always has to put the “fun” in “dysfunction.” Your story is beautifully written, by both you and God. Thanks for this, Bridget. I’m loving Jeremiah 29 myself this week!
This was beautifully written…looking forward to part 2.
I have a why in my life that has been there for many years now. I believe I may not have the answer this side of heaven…eventually even those whys will be revealed. Your word from last week has really been on my mind this week…trust.
My WHY? is in capital letters … but it doesn’t keep me from pursuing Him with my whole heart while I wait for the answer. And when all is said and done, the answer isn’t what is important. It’s the freedom to ask and know you are loved even when you wonder.
Ah, some of the unanswerable mysteries of life. It’s not always easy, but it’s worth it to trust Him…
Anticipating Part II
Sounds incredibly similar to my own mother’s story. Eerily so.
I’m very interested in finding out what else the lovely lady has to learn!
And then what?? And then whaaaaat??
I think I know how it is ending… or continuing. Beautiful writing Bridge.
Yes, but why are you making us wait? Why? Why? Why?
“Soon the girl had her answer… she instantly fell in love with her new baby sister… she took her everywhere she went, and would rush home after school just to see her!”
I love you too!
We all need to ask “why?” and learn everyday. We are who we are today because of the choices we have made in the past, whether they were good or bad. I’ve kissed a few Toads while searching for my Prince Charming.
I am pretty sure that I already know Part II, but I look forward to you bringing it to life with your beautifully composed words.
Just as many of the people responding before me, I too have a “Why?” that took many years to be answered. Bob and I wanted to have a child together. (we are both in a second marriage and each had children prior) We thought that a child together would make our family “one”. I had had my tubes tied and knew it couldn’t happen, but then I saw an article in my GYN’s office about how he performed surgery to reverse tubal ligations. Yay! we could do this and have our complete family! Well, the surgery took place and months went by and nothing happened, we had tests and found out the procedure did not work. We went for counceling and testing to have artificial insemination, but after much consideration, we decided the risk factors and moral dilemas of the whole thing were not for us. No baby. Years go by …..our family melds itself into the one unit we wanted it to be (through much turmoil, struggling and Love). Bob and I become closer and closer to God. We decide that because He has given us ourlarge beautiful house (a seperte story in itself), that we should do something for Him with it. We begin to take in Foster Children and refill our house with teens. (At this point our five wonderful girls have grown up and moved on to college and work) We are loving the teens, but know that we cannot handle little ones (we are too old, set in our ways and a small child would upset our routines) Low and behold, along comes Molly! She is a beautiful 3 week old baby that God sends to us on Christmas Eve!!! The most wonderful gift ever. She quickly wraps everyone around her finger and steals all hearts. Her bio-mom realizes that she will never be able to straighten herself out enough to take care of her and Molly is freed for adoption. We adopt her a little more than a year after she comes into our lives. Our prayers to God were answered with this awsome little girl IN HIS TIME. Sometimes the answer to Why?? is “Wait and see, I have something even better in store for you”. Praising God everyday for the wonderful, awesome God that He is!!!!
Marcia
Marcia, what an amazing and beautiful story. Waiting is sooo hard, but God is awesome (as you said) and He always has what will be best for us in mind!