God's hand … He had Jenny gently tucked inside.

My friend Jenny couldn’t move. Not anything. Not her hands, not her arms, she couldn’t wiggle her feet. She couldn’t bend her knees or her legs. She couldn’t move her arms. She could only turn her head. She couldn’t brush her hair the way she liked it. She couldn’t brush her teeth, she couldn’t blow her nose when she cried.
My friend Jenny couldn’t bring a sip of water to her lips when she thirsted. My friend Jenny couldn’t  do anything.
So much was taken away from this woman at 35 years of age, mysteriously one day, within a 24 hour period. Was it a virus of the spine? Or, other mysteries past finding out. The end result would leave her powerless -to move, and even breathe on her own without the help of her respirator. Jenny was completely paralyzed.
This all happened the same week I suddenly became stricken with Rheumatoid Arthritis many, many years ago- which was traumatic for me …until I learned of Jenny’s plight.
From the beginning, the Lord was using Jenny in my life to keep things in perspective. The Lord is using Jenny’s witness in my life, even today.
Jenny remained close to my mind and heart as I prayed for her during this crisis in her life, and as I dealt with my trifle trials, in comparison.
Our common ground? We were both moms, and ‘swim moms’ with kids swimming at the Y. God knit my heart to Jenny right from the start, and days moved on to months and months moved on to years . Our families separately, went through huge crisis , emotional, financial,  and spiritual-but Jenny and her family – ‘huge crisis’ was almost an understatement when considering the moment by moment …
God gave us choice. God gives us choice. Jenny chose to believe God.
Jenny was a witness to me. My eyes were open and I watched her ‘move’! It was her faith. It was her hope. It was her love.
Why do I share this story about my friend. Why do I expend energy in writing and wrestling with words in her honor? Because ultimately I am honoring a God who lived so abundant in her. If you try to convince me there is no God because you can’t see Him- I will say,
“God can be seen. By and through lives who are yielded and trusting in Him. God can be seen, if one opens their eyes.”
God opened my eyes to see one of His most beautiful diamonds, one of His most courageous champions.  Jenny.
Wouldn’t you think there would be extreme amounts of bitterness and anger after  having survived this way for 5+years?
None of that could be found in her.
And I write that sentence on it’s own line. This attitude of faith when ‘nothing was going her way’ is notable. This is a gold medal winner champion of faith.
And an attitude of complaint? It was not found in her. Yes, at times, discouraged in what seemed to be unanswered prayers, yet, she hoped and believed God even in the hardest and darkest times. Her cry went out to her Jesus – and I ‘saw’ with my own eyes, multiplied measures of ‘sufficient grace’ abounding in her.
God gave me this friend. God knew I needed her.
I needed to witness the life of God in my friend. I was battling with hurt and loss, and lack of faith. It seems I was always ‘trying’ to let go, always ‘trying to forgive.’
I had suffered loss in my own life, but Nothing compared to Jenny. I hadn’t suffered anything.  Spending time with Jenny ignited my faith. And helped me ‘let go’ of the junk.
I miss my most amazing friend. She still lives. And especially in my heart.
‘If Jenny could, then I could too.’ This was my inspiration. “If Jenny did, then I can too.” This is my motivation.
I used to wake up in days of trial and think, “Remember Jenny.”
She Believed God and waited on His healing and held on to God, even though she couldn’t ‘hold on’ to anything.
When I began spending time with Jenny, it was like witnessing Ps. 18:“The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield…”
Jenny couldn’t hold anything but she had a firm grasp on her shield of faith and her sword – her ears could hear: ‘I am your shield and your exceedingly great reward.'” Gen. 15:1.
 Jenny Believed God.
Today, I choose to “Remember Jenny.” And, ‘Believe God.’
“A river reaches places which its source never knows…
 “He who believes in Me… out of his heart will flow rivers of living water” (John 7:38).
 ‘This is the work of God, that you believe…’ John 6:29.”
“There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High. God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved; God shall help her, just at the break of dawn.” Ps. 46:4,5.
‘This is the work of God that you believe’.  God is working and is working still, ‘this is the work of God that you believe.’
We will be tempted to give up on faith.  But Jenny chose to believe in God. And today I choose as well.
 “For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ So we may boldly say: The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?’” (Heb 13:5,6).