Straight from a Peaceable Heart
By Lisa Elliott

We recently welcomed the newest addition to our family into the world. Struan Benjamin Elliott was born to our son and his wife on February 9 weighing in at 6 lb. 2 oz.

His middle name, Benjamin, was given in honour of my son’s older brother, who passed away fifteen years ago this August. (Insert deep breath here.)

Struan is a Scottish name meaning, little stream, in keeping with Jeremiah 17:7-8 (NIV) which says, “But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”

Little did I know when Struan was born that I would have the beautiful joy and privilege of spending three full weeks sitting by this ‘little stream’ through some very rough waters. After a night at home from the hospital with her newborn, my daughter-in-law was readmitted with extremely high blood pressure and treated in the intensive care unit where she was closely monitored and heavily medicated.

To say that it was a wild ride is an understatement, especially seeing as I am not much into white water rafting. But, to journey with my son and his wife up front and personal, not to mention the extraordinary bonding opportunity that I shared with my new grandson, has been a gift to this Mama/Nana heart of mine in ways I’m not sure I could put into words. To do so would cheapen its value. However, there are some observations I made as I sat by this little stream and soaked up every ounce of calm and peace I could as he softly breathed life into my soul. Here are a few of my observations:

• Until we’ve experienced pain, we can’t fully experience God’s comfort. “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God” (2 Cor. 1:3-4, NIV).
• Until we’ve been through trials, we can’t know the good that comes from them. “And the God of grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm, and steadfast” (1 Pet. 5:10, NIV).
• Until we forfeit our control, we can’t freely enter God’s rest. “The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul” (Ps. 23:1-2, NIV).
• Until we’ve been honest with ourselves and others, we can’t know God’s truth. “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32, NIV).
• Until we’ve been helpless, we can’t realize the power of God’s grace. “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me” (2 Cor. 12:9, NIV).
• Until we’ve been overwrought with anxiety, we can’t fully appreciate God’s undeniable peace. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:6-7, NIV).

Our wee Struan could never have known the larger-than-life observations that were deeply planted in this heart of mine as he slept peacefully in my arms, bringing a sense of calm into a world of chaos around him.

“But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit” (Jer. 17:7-8, NIV).

About this Contributor:

Lisa Elliott is an inspirational speaker and award-winning author of The Ben Ripple, Dancing in the Rain, and A Ministry Survival Guide. She’s also a writer for Just Between Us Magazine, theStory, and Good Ground. She and her pastor-husband, David, have four children (three on earth, one in heaven) and serve the Lord together in Ottawa, ON, Canada.