It doesn’t seem like a lot. Just a smidge over a week. A jump and a skip past seven. Not a lot can happen in that short amount of time, right? Wrong.
I went into quarantine after testing positive for Covid on January 21st, and I got out January 31st. Ten glorious days later. I didn’t think a lot about that amount of time before going in. I didn’t think that number of days could actually be significant. Turns out they can.
On the first day, when I was feeling the majority of my symptoms, I received a highly anticipated acceptance letter. A letter that could potentially change the trajectory of my life. That’s a lot to take in when you’re checking your oxygen levels every thirty minutes and struggling to not cough up a lung. Exciting nonetheless.
Day five I had my first interview for a part time job I had been praying about. When I had seen the job description a few weeks before I’d felt like I had written it myself. The role was exactly what I had been hoping and praying for. We scheduled a call, talked for an hour, and I thanked God for truly creating this position for me. The work was what I needed, but it also had the potential to be more than I could have asked for.
On day seven I received the formal offer.
Day nine. A really exciting day, honestly. Those of us still in quarantine were all testing negative and getting back to the rest of the group the next day. Freedom within reach. Praise!!
But day nine had something else in store too.
Day nine, I found out that my grandpa passed away. I had been drafting him an email to tell him about my time in England, but I wanted to wait till I got out of quarantine, so I’d have some more exciting news to share than that I had been stuck inside for ten days. I had pictures picked out, and thought about how I’d describe the experience. There was so much about England I wanted to share with him. Without him I wouldn’t even be in this beautiful country in the first place.
Growing up I wasn't that close with him, but in the last few years we had started connecting more via phone and by email, and I really loved that we were starting to build a familiarity with one another. It was less, “We haven’t talked in a year.” and more, “How is this or that going?” That might seem small, but it meant a lot to me to still have a grandparent I could talk to. It stung to know I'd never get to tell him anything about my time in England or on outreach. I'd never get to send him funny pictures again or read his thoughtful and articulate responses.
It's not all grief though. Grandpa shared my love for Christ, and in knowing this I’m able to celebrate that he is whole and healthy in the arms of the Father right now. Even still, it’s also okay to be sad.
One of the last things he said to me was that He believed I would succeed at anything I put my mind to, and he was happy to be a part of my story. He is a huge part of my current story, and I am forever grateful for his generosity and care towards me. I wish I could tell him more, but I have to believe that he already knows.
I can’t tell you how much I wish I had sent him that email just a day sooner.
Ten days. In ten days I experienced excitement, success, and loss. It was a challenging time full of victories and growth. In incredible ways, that time away also provided perspective for some situations I was dealing with within my Discipleship Training School (DTS). Those ten days allowed for me to take a step back from myself and a step forward with God steering the wheel, and He really did take control.
In ten days I saw so clearly how much God worked. He moved me in ways I cannot explain. He provided opportunity, and He took one of His children home to rest. A lot can happen in ten days.
A lot of choices were made, a lot of prayer and worship took place. It’s not often that we get to measure our experience in a certain number of days, but in this case I did, and it's been a real blessing.
I realized two things:
Every choice we make has a direct effect on the life we will have. Will I wake up and make my bed? Will I prioritize that quiet time with God? Will I make time for that conversation? It all matters - within ten days or within an entire lifetime.
If God can do all of that in my life in that short amount of time, what can and what WILL He do in the rest of my life when I willingly welcome Him into the situations? With God the possibilities for the next ten days, weeks, and years are endless. Without Him, it’s just another moment or another day.
It’s just ten days. No, it’s a whole ten freaking days. Take ownership, don’t hesitate.
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