It was as if I was watching a terrible twist in ‘The Shauna Shanks Story’
It seemed too horrible to be real. The whole traumatic event ended with Siah blocking the door with his little body and crying hysterically. He wouldn’t stop screaming, “Why? I just want to know why!” It was heart-wrenching.
After Micah left that night, Siah and I sat on the couch together. At first I tried talking to Josiah with my own logic. I don’t know why I bothered. That was not effective in calming down my child. At a complete loss and devastated myself, I know what happened next came from God. I explained the truth as best I could for an eight-year-old to understand.
I leveled with him. “Do you know how at church you learn that the devil is real and that he tries to trick people?”
“Yes,” Josiah answered.
“Well, I think he is trying to trick Daddy. What do we know we can do when the devil tries to trick us?” I asked.
“Pray?” he responded.
This conversation changed my course of parenting. In the months ahead, I would begin a battle fighting for my marriage, even after finding out my husband was having an affair. Though I did not go into details with my young kids (obviously) we did begin praying together at night.
The desperation I felt in trying to fix my marriage had prompted me to draw closer to God. I became convinced that God was not only hearing my prayers, but actively working in my situation. I began to notice his presence at work in my home, and I began to feel his calm and peace even in the midst of chaos.
The season of fighting for my marriage and becoming encouraged that God was strengthening me became an exciting adventure. (Only the Holy Spirit of a Living God could make a season like that a holy adventure). I encouraged the kids each night to not only thank God for things they were thankful for, but to bring their own petitions to him.
