Nahum 1:7, New International Version

“The LORD is good, a strong refuge when trouble comes. He is close to those who trust in him.”

Today has been an emotional day for me. My mom made me a bracelet today, and we decided to go upstairs and look at her jewelry and see if I liked anything else she had made.

On one side of her ring case, she said there were some rings that belonged to my sweet Lola, who passed away on November 13th, 2020. My mom said that some didn’t fit her, and if there were any I liked that fit me, I could have them. I picked out several rings for my right hand, but then I saw it. I pulled it out, looked at it and tears came into my eyes.

When James, my husband, and I got married, I had a “placeholder” wedding band since we moved our wedding up so quickly, and I didn’t have time to find a wedding band to truly suit my engagement ring. I just bought a plain stainless-steel band until we could find one we liked to go with my engagement ring, and one we could afford.

but there it was. I took off my engagement ring and my placeholder wedding band and slipped the ring on my finger. It fits perfectly. I then put my engagement ring on, and my eyes filled with tears.

It’s perfect. My husband thinks it’s perfect.

It was my Lola’s. My sweet, beautiful Lola’s ring is now sitting on my left hand as my wedding band. I know she’s smiling down on me with her beautiful smile, knowing her beloved granddaughter is wearing one of her rings as her wedding band. It will be on my left hand until I leave this world and join her.

I loved my Lola so much. Even though she lived eight hours away, she always sent me birthday and Christmas and Valentine’s Day cards. she always wrote the sweetest words and always signed them with her favorite bible verse.

“The LORD is good, a strong refuge when trouble comes. He is close to those who trust in him.” (Nahum 1:7, NLT)

I have been struggling with my relationship with the Lord. I really have. I have been angry. frustrated. upset. because I felt abandoned. I felt like He didn’t care. but today, I realized something.

He does care. the Lord is GOOD. He provides in times of trouble. He provides in times of need. I believe this ring was meant for me to find. My Lola’s favorite verse suddenly took on a whole new meaning for me. This ring was provided for me in a time when getting a true wedding band wasn’t possible. He provided. and He will continue to provide. I believe now.

Thank you, Lola. Thank you for loving me and all your children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren so fiercely. Thank you for raising your son, my father, with the love of the Lord, so he could raise me in that love. the love you had for our God; the love He had for you and all of us. Our family was so blessed to have you as our matriarch. We all miss you. I miss you. But I know you are probably sitting at the piano for the Lord, playing and singing all the hymns you loved.

Today, my friends, it is well with my soul.