Guest Post - 19 by Kelli Williford

Kathy Note:  Someday I'll figure out how to add the pictures that went with this amazing post!

See this girl? She’s 19 years old. She is so full of hope!

She loves this man, but she doesn’t yet know that the man she’s standing beside is the most amazing husband and father she could have dreamed of. She doesn’t realize yet that God knew EVERY weird quirk of hers, and He has given her a man who loves her in spite of, even because of, those quirks. She hasn’t figured that he really IS perfect for her, in every way.

She has no clue what motherhood will be like, but she’s already thinking about it. She doesn’t know that God will be blessing her with FOUR beautiful babies, and that there will be moments when they cry too much or make huge messes. (Maybe it’s better that she doesn’t know all of that yet!) She can’t begin to imagine what it’s really like to be a mom, the awesome responsibility and joy of caring for her kids. She’s not even aware of how they will change her life forever, how each child adds to their family something that no one knew was missing.

She loves her parents, but doesn’t understand yet how much they have sacrificed for her, how they have given her an immeasurable gift throughout her childhood. They taught her the Word of God, to be honest, to be kind to people. They were always there to listen and to give advice, and yes, to correct when she needed it. But she doesn’t yet see how wise and generous they are, how lucky she is to have been raised by them. She hasn’t seen how they’ve bravely walked through a battle with cancer, inspiring so many people with their joy.

She knows she has a fun, caring big sister. But she hasn’t yet discovered how strong her sister’s faith is. She hasn’t seen her sister quietly watch and pray while her newborn baby undergoes two open-heart surgeries and spends a week on ECMO. She doesn’t know that her sister has the courage to smile and live every day with grace, even when facing the challenge of raising a child with autism.

She doesn’t have ANY plans to visit the Philippines, much less live there, in a tiny house in the middle of nowhere! She has a heart for missions, but doesn’t see herself as a missionary, especially with a family to care for. She thinks missionary families are a little…“different”. 

She has heard rumors about the sex trafficking industry, but has no idea that it’s real, that it’s an epidemic, and that it’s happening to small children. She is naive about the cruelty of the world, how someone could ever treat a child in such a horrific way.

She believes in God and loves Jesus. But she doesn’t yet realize how faithful He is, how He truly is the Provider, the Healer, the Protector. She hasn’t yet placed ALL of her dreams, fears, and weaknesses into His hands.