Caught not Taught

When Amy was diagnosed with terminal cancer, she took up the fight for her life with strength and passion. At the time, her daughter Elly Grace, was only a year old. Amy prayed she would live long enough to see Elly Grace grow up; she even hoped she’d live to be a grandma. Choosing to fix her eyes on Jesus helped Amy be thankful and love life—even in the midst of her struggles. That was six years ago and Amy is still battling. And the fight is far from over—last month, their condo flooded, placing them in dire need of housing. Parceling out their dog to a friend, they quickly found a temporary home. Then Amy received tragic news. Their dog, Suzie, had been hit by a car; she died a few days later.

As the family processed this devastating loss, Elly Grace offered her grateful perspective; “We ‘had’ a home to flood, we ‘had’ a dog to miss… and some people never have that.” Friend, when we face our trials with gratitude and faith in the goodness of God, others are watching. Elly Grace no doubt gleaned her attitude of gratitude through years of watching her mother’s gracious way of battling cancer. ‘Gratitude’ is an attitude that’s caught not taught. Elly Grace simply responded in the way that had been modeled for her. Let that thought encouraged you to be thankful today. Also, please pray for my friend Amy and her family; may they continue to persevere.