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- Chris Fabry
- Married to Andrea since 1982. We have 9 children together and none apart. Our dog's name is Tebow.
Monday, July 20, 2009
I don’t have words for what I'm about to tell you. I make my living with words. Crafting words. Speaking words. But they seem so inadequate today.I opened an envelope filled with gifts from people who had heard Andrea and me on Midday Connection in June. Then I opened a box. When Anita and Melinda asked us to tell our story, we had no idea they would also ask listeners to get involved. Just before we went on the air they mentioned it in passing. "And we want to give listeners a chance to get involved, if that's okay."
We received more than 200 gift cards and several people wrote us checks to help cover our medical and living expenses. It's amazing. Several times as I was opening the box, I had to close it and put it away. It was just too much. To see the love and generosity of people we don't even know was like getting a glimpse of God's love in red and blue envelopes.
I've learned a valuable lesson over the past few months. Don't refuse a gift from the heart. Become a good receiver. It's not my natural bent. Self sufficiency is more my style. Pride. I can do it myself, thank you. But I've learned the hard way that I can't do it myself. And that this is a season when we need to receive and be grateful for friends.
I've been in the dumps about our health insurance company that refuses to pay for our treatment, medicine, tests, pills, clay, etc. (I resisted the urge to put their logo here.) I want to write a song like those guys who sang "United Breaks Guitars." But the more I consider this, I realize that the gifts we’ve generously been given by friends and family have more than covered those bills. God takes better care of us than any insurance company ever will. And he works through his people.
It is a wonderful and humbling thing to simply receive. It is a measure of God's grace to us. We cannot repay these gifts, but some day we hope to pay forward. And I want to thank every person who took the time and effort to give. Words are not enough. But the best ones are simple.
Thank you.
Andrea looked at me the other day and said, "I can't wait until we get to do something like this for someone else."
"Yeah," I said. I can almost imagine the feeling. It's probably what God feels like all the time.
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3 comments:
Chris, when people get a chance to help people they know and consider a friend (and I would say most who listen to you would consider you a friend; believe me, that's the image I get), they do help. I'm thrilled from afar that folks are pitching in to help with your situation.
Chris, you just said what I have been thinking for a long time. My husband has not worked for many months and God's own family has stepped in to help us in so many ways. It is really rather humbling and I'm trying so hard to see it as God's provision for us and not find it humiliating. I am continually astounded that the Lord provides for us in this way. I feel so loved by Him and my friends, His children. It has really helped me to take off the mask I would like to wear, the one that says, "I'm ok, I've got it all handled, everything is under control" when it's not. It makes me stop and praise Him for allowing me to go through this so I can feel His love for me so tangibly. It keeps me humble because I do forget my God and think I'm doing well on my own.
Thank you for putting into words what I wanted to say. I also pray for the day that I can be Jesus's instrument of love and blessing!
Chris (and Andrea), you DO do stuff like this every day for others--through your radio ministry and your writing. It may not be monetary or material, but it's the same--touching lives, sharing the Gospel and grace--it's God's work through you! The thought that God would use any of us...well, it's crushing. :) He is most certainly using you and your family! :)