I don't know how many of us get the chance to know where our best friends come from, especially where their parents came from. But I have had that chance and I am thankful for it. This post is a really hard one to type out and just fear I can't do it justice on the screen like I can in my heart so I've avoided it. But I do feel like it needs to be said, so here it goes. There are many reasons this is a hard blogpost but mainly because of the sheer magnitude of what I could say. One of my best friends', Taron came into my life around 4 years ago and on our very first playdate at the chicken house she busted out "you know all about my family don't you??" I in fact did not, and she methodically laid out all of her family dynamics. Boy oh boy, if I told you all of it you wouldn't believe it. I probably wouldn't have believed her except I could see in her eyes it was all real and true. For those of you who know Taron she is often times a tough cookie to read and I have probably sent more texts to her than I'd like to admit asking "R u upset w me?" to which she almost always says "no." She is a woman of few words at times but she has more depth than most people I know. Her life hasn't been an easy one, but one of the constants in her life has been her father, and Jaxson's, grandfather, we lovingly call him Poppy. His life was one marked with abuse and constant stifling and forced submission. I knew of alot of his story because Taron had shared it with me, but he recently wrote a book and I got to read first hand about the abuse and terror his life was filled with...the blessing in it was that I got to read how much Taron, in being born and being who she is, has brought Poppy joy and redemption later in life when tragedy could have surely befell him. Taron's family life couldn't have been more different than mine yet God saw purpose in a friendship between two unlikely women. I am often brought to tears by her amazing faith and love for others even when so much of her life was spent outside of what I consider to be the norm. She has taught me by her life or through her family that judgment is so hurtful and is of no use in ministering to others. And while our family dynamics were oh so different our hearts for Jesus and knowing Him were all so similar. God has shown me through her what it means to trust Jesus no matter your circumstance and her life truly is a testimony to how God can redeem and work in a life even if they are surrounded with hardships and things that might not point you to Jesus. She needs her own book as well and one day I plan to write it if she doesn't first. But since she hasn't written hers, back to Poppy...When I finally got to talk to Poppy about the book today it was like he was on the firing range and Taron and I just kept hitting him with questions. He handled all of our questions without seeming irritated a bit. One of my main questions to him after reading the book (I can't tell you alot about it because I don't want to spoil it for you:)), was because of my relationship with Jesus I feared that Poppy would have given up on God because of his tough life. As I read the book I could think of how hard it would be to maintain that God was still good and loving in those brutal times and I have heard over and over people in those situation don't believe in God because they can't believe God could allow such things. Ironically while these were two of Poppy's top questions for "the man upstairs", he said that while he didn't understand that he still had faith and believes in God. Even though there aren't answers for what happened to Poppy he mentioned that he knew God had a plan. I know that God is going to use Poppy's situation to minister to others who are struggling with their current or past circumstance and need to know that even in the most dire times you can get through and come out on the other side. Again, he did mention things aren't all roses for him even now, but he is living proof that God obviously has something great in store of his life and I am thankful to be apart of it. I can't imagine being exposed in the way a book about your entire life can make you feel, or the sheer transparentness that comes with sharing your whole life story. But Poppy has done it with dignity and grace. This "conversation" and "interview" that you get to have with Poppy by reading his book is a heartbreaking, shocking and outside of most people's comfort zone, but I can't help but think and believe it is an unfinished one and I pray God uses him and it more to bring Himself glory.
I don't know how many of us get the chance to know where our best friends come from, especially where their parents came from. But I have had that chance and I am thankful for it. This post is a really hard one to type out and just fear I can't do it justice on the screen like I can in my heart so I've avoided it. But I do feel like it needs to be said, so here it goes. There are many reasons this is a hard blogpost but mainly because of the sheer magnitude of what I could say. One of my best friends', Taron came into my life around 4 years ago and on our very first playdate at the chicken house she busted out "you know all about my family don't you??" I in fact did not, and she methodically laid out all of her family dynamics. Boy oh boy, if I told you all of it you wouldn't believe it. I probably wouldn't have believed her except I could see in her eyes it was all real and true. For those of you who know Taron she is often times a tough cookie to read and I have probably sent more texts to her than I'd like to admit asking "R u upset w me?" to which she almost always says "no." She is a woman of few words at times but she has more depth than most people I know. Her life hasn't been an easy one, but one of the constants in her life has been her father, and Jaxson's, grandfather, we lovingly call him Poppy. His life was one marked with abuse and constant stifling and forced submission. I knew of alot of his story because Taron had shared it with me, but he recently wrote a book and I got to read first hand about the abuse and terror his life was filled with...the blessing in it was that I got to read how much Taron, in being born and being who she is, has brought Poppy joy and redemption later in life when tragedy could have surely befell him. Taron's family life couldn't have been more different than mine yet God saw purpose in a friendship between two unlikely women. I am often brought to tears by her amazing faith and love for others even when so much of her life was spent outside of what I consider to be the norm. She has taught me by her life or through her family that judgment is so hurtful and is of no use in ministering to others. And while our family dynamics were oh so different our hearts for Jesus and knowing Him were all so similar. God has shown me through her what it means to trust Jesus no matter your circumstance and her life truly is a testimony to how God can redeem and work in a life even if they are surrounded with hardships and things that might not point you to Jesus. She needs her own book as well and one day I plan to write it if she doesn't first. But since she hasn't written hers, back to Poppy...When I finally got to talk to Poppy about the book today it was like he was on the firing range and Taron and I just kept hitting him with questions. He handled all of our questions without seeming irritated a bit. One of my main questions to him after reading the book (I can't tell you alot about it because I don't want to spoil it for you:)), was because of my relationship with Jesus I feared that Poppy would have given up on God because of his tough life. As I read the book I could think of how hard it would be to maintain that God was still good and loving in those brutal times and I have heard over and over people in those situation don't believe in God because they can't believe God could allow such things. Ironically while these were two of Poppy's top questions for "the man upstairs", he said that while he didn't understand that he still had faith and believes in God. Even though there aren't answers for what happened to Poppy he mentioned that he knew God had a plan. I know that God is going to use Poppy's situation to minister to others who are struggling with their current or past circumstance and need to know that even in the most dire times you can get through and come out on the other side. Again, he did mention things aren't all roses for him even now, but he is living proof that God obviously has something great in store of his life and I am thankful to be apart of it. I can't imagine being exposed in the way a book about your entire life can make you feel, or the sheer transparentness that comes with sharing your whole life story. But Poppy has done it with dignity and grace. This "conversation" and "interview" that you get to have with Poppy by reading his book is a heartbreaking, shocking and outside of most people's comfort zone, but I can't help but think and believe it is an unfinished one and I pray God uses him and it more to bring Himself glory.
2 comments:
An amazing book. Triumph over tragedy. The sad part is I went to school with the author and never had one clue what my friend went through! It is very heart warming with what came out through all the tragedies and pain!
A child can turn your whole life around and that is exactly what Taron did.
I wish my friend the peace, strength and comfort he needs to heal from his wounds!!
What an amazing friend you have been to me ss. i doubt i could have come as far as i have int eh past 4 years that i have without you. i love you!
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