Have you ever known the structure of the family was forever altered with a loss? When my mom’s brother died, I wondered what would happen. He was the glue, the patriarch, father figure who
gathered all of my cousins.
My mother was one of four children, and all had married with children. We were adult children, and I watched my mom lose her two sisters. I knew she only had one brother, and I encouraged her to
travel and see him. On the island where all our extended family lived, he was the only parent my cousins had. He established community, cooking gourmet meals, planning holidays and
celebrations for life events. He was the hub and rock. When he died, I wondered who would ever replace this?
In all of the happiness studies I have researched, they point to one thing that brings life satisfaction, and that is community. We all need a sense of belonging, to know we are cared for.
Loneliness kills, and being connected can bring physical benefits with cardiovascular health, and even prevent brain decline.
So I thought where would my cousins gather? It would never be the same without my uncle. He was their father figure. So I prayed... oh Father in heaven... show them.... your love, power, how real
you are. Only He could fill this need. You might say inside yourself, you prayed for relationship? YES
I can only say, how can you describe something to someone if they have never experienced it? We have a Heavenly Father. He is good, faithful, and wants a relationship with us. Jesus told us He
came to introduce us to our Father. The Gospel of John graphically describes who He is, and what this looks like.
Only He can now gather & father them, and I trust He will.