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Preface:  One of our goals in the Awana ministry this year is for leaders to deliberately talk with the children about what they personally BELIEVE about trusting in Jesus, the Bible and walking with God and relate these to scripture.  One of our leaders, Deirdre Camenga, did exactly that this fall as our 1^st graders were memorizing Psalm 23.  I asked her to share with you all how she was able to do just that and help these very young children how this Psalm applies to their lives as 6 and 7 year olds.
– Angie Mullen, Awana Ministry Director

You just never know what God will do.  

It was “Wear Purple Night” at AWANA to remember 2 little grade schoolers in the Milton School District: Nicolas who is awaiting a heart transplant and Charley who recently underwent the amputation of one of her legs as part of her cancer treatment plan.  Hard stuff for littles to face.  We wore purple to show support and to remind us to pray.

As I stood looking at our little 1st grade, purple clad Sparkies, I had an overwhelming prompt to speak to them about our Elizabeth, who at the age of 7 faced scary open heart surgery.

“Coincidentally,” we were spending a few weeks helping the kiddos learn and understand Psalm 23.  Also, “coincidentally,” Elizabeth had learned Psalm 23 as a little Sparky. (Eric and I knew we couldn’t calm her in the deep places of her soul.  We knew that only God could do that. So, we sought ways to help her work Psalm 23 into her terrifying reality.)  That particular evening, I briefly spoke to them about Elizabeth’s experience.  At the suggestion of both Kathy Crandall, my fellow Sparky leader, and Angie Mullen, I agreed to talk more in depth the following week.

During the week, I retrieved a few items to use as visuals: Elizabeth’s scrapbook with photos before and after her surgery, the shepherd’s staff Eric made for her, and a pillowcase her Grandma and I made which was embroidered with Psalm 23. My goal was to take the kiddos on Elizabeth’s surgery journey – to help them see how God used Psalm 23 in a powerful way. I hoped and prayed they’d understand that scripture is relevant.  It’s not just words to be memorized. God uses His word to speak comfort and courage to us. 

Armed with my props, I stood before a combined group of 1st and 2nd grade Sparkies. I explained that as a Sparky their age, Elizabeth had learned Psalm 23.  God used it to help her face this very scary operation.  She learned by experience that He was with her as she “walked through the valley of the shadow of death.”  It was a serious operation. The surgeon actually had to stop her heart so he could fix it. Without the surgery, she would die.  That was Elizabeth’s sobering reality. As I held up the shepherd’s staff, I explained that just as shepherds use their crook at the end of the staff to draw sheep close to them, so Jesus drew and kept Elizabeth close to Him.

As I held up the pillowcase, I explained that, in the hospital, Elizabeth rested her head on Psalm 23.

Next, I held up the scrapbook and page by page walked the Sparkies through Elizabeth’s open heart surgery journey.

Preoperative photos included Tacy sitting on the gurney next to Elizabeth as they rode together down to the operating room. I pointed out Lovie Lamb, a stuffed animal Elizabeth clung to, which reminded her she was God’s little lamb.  He was her Shepherd and He was caring for her.  I told them that if they were to ask Elizabeth if she was scared before her surgery, she would say “The night before, I was terrified. But the morning of the surgery, I felt the deepest peace I’ve ever felt. It was the perfect gift.”  

The Sparkies “joined”  Elizabeth, just out of recovery, before she headed to the ICU.  I pointed out the anesthesiologist who held a black bag that he used to breathe for her.  They saw Lovie Lamb at the foot of her bed.

Post-op photos followed. Elizabeth’s first stop = the ICU with all manner of tubes and wires and monitors. They could see that the first couple of days Elizabeth did not feel very well. I fielded lots of questions like, “What’s that wire? Why is her skin orange? What are all those lines? (Reference to her heart and respirations monitor).

A couple days later, the Sparkies watched Elizabeth walking laps with her IV pole in tow. 
They liked the photos of Elizabeth and her bestie, who had come to play foosball. I also pointed out the photos in which Elizabeth rested her head on the Psalm 23 pillowcase.

The Sparkies really took note of her incision.  I told them that the incision has since healed, but she still bears the scar.  In fact, every time she gets dressed, she sees the scar and is reminded that God, her Shepherd, walked with her through the surgery and took care of her. I showed them a post-op photo of Elizabeth next to her surgeon, whom God used to heal her heart.  (Elizabeth was holding Lovie Lamb).

They enjoyed the photos of Lovie Lamb’s x-ray and Lovie Lamb with a pulse-ox device on her little foot. 

They had lots of questions for me that evening. Each photo prompted many questions.

I told them that Elizabeth had a lot of people praying for her before, during and after her surgery, just like we have been praying for Nicolas and Charley. The prayers of our friends helped and encouraged us just like our prayers help Nicolas and Charley. God hears. God listens. God cares.

I told them that now Elizabeth is a doctor who helps other people get better. Kathy asked if that’s one of the reasons why she became a doctor.  In part, yes, because of the good care she received.  (A side note:  Elizabeth’s cardiologist for nearly 20 years ‘hooded her’ when she graduated from medical school 18 years after her surgery. “Coincidentally,” he was celebrating 50 years since graduating from the same medical school.)

In the moments, hours and even days after walking those Sparkies through Elizabeth’s journey through the ‘valley of the shadow of death’, I experienced some wonderings. Did those little Sparkie truly grasp that God uses His word to speak to us of His love and care?  Did they begin to understand that God’s word can be trusted to do as it says? They are not just words to be memorized. Did they truly see how God used Psalm 23 in little Elizabeth’s life and He longs to use it in their lives as well?

The answer, of course, is sometimes we just never know, just like I didn’t know God would use Elizabeth’s heart surgery journey to encourage Sparkies 23 years later.  However, God doesn’t ask me to know the exact workings of His plan. He only asks me to trust that He faithfully IS working His plan.  He asks me to be sensitive to His prompts and trust Him for the results. Just because I never know, does not mean He doesn’t know.