When the holiday takes an unexpected turnNår ferien tager en uventet drejning

Not every summer ends the way it began.

That summer, we were afraid it wouldn't end well at all.

It was 2009. We were in Zambia to teach at a Bible school.

One evening Christina suddenly got very sick. High fever. Stomach pains. We got her to a doctor, but he had no idea what was wrong.

She ended up in the hospital. Dizzy. Slurring her words. Losing her sight.

The missionaries looked after our three girls. They were 7, 9 and 11 years old. And I sat by Christina's side.

I was afraid she wouldn't make it.

We decided to fly home. On the stopover in Dubai she spiked another high fever. Another hospital. When we finally landed in Denmark, she went straight into isolation.

For the next months she lay in bed. Losing weight. In and out of hospitals. In the end she could barely walk.

The doctors didn't know what it was.

I think of Jairus in the Bible.

His daughter was sick and dying. He found Jesus and begged him to come. On the way, before they got there, word came that it was too late.

Jesus answered: don't be afraid. Just believe.

"We live by faith, not by what we can see." (2 Cor 5:7)

That's the kind of answer that only makes sense when you can't see the way out.

Christina's parents came and took care of the girls. The church brought food and prayed for Christina.

God didn't come with an explanation. He came with people.

And slowly, very slowly, Christina came back. Today, thank God, she is healthy and strong.

Maybe your summer has gone off the rails.

A fear that won't let go. A hope that feels far away.

What Jesus said to Jairus, he says to you today. "Don't be afraid. Just believe in me."

What is the unexpected thing that has happened to you this summer, and what is holding you up?

Feel free to write it in the comments. Maybe your words will give someone else the courage to hold on.

You don't have to see the way out to hold on to him.

Ikke alle somre slutter som de begyndte.

Den sommer var vi bange for at den ikke ville slutte godt.

Det var 2009. Vi var i Zambia for at undervise på en bibelskole.

En aften fik Christina det pludselig meget dårligt. Høj feber. Mavesmerter. Vi kom til en læge, men han vidste ikke hvad der var galt.

Hun endte på hospital. Svimmel. Talte utydeligt. Mistede synet.

Missionærerne passede vores tre piger. De var 7, 9 og 11 år. Og jeg sad ved Christinas side.

Jeg var bange for at hun ikke ville klare det.

Vi besluttede at flyve hjem. ved mellemlanding I Dubai fik hun igen høj feber. Igen hospital. Da vi endelig landede i Danmark, kom hun direkte i isolation.

De næste måneder lå hun i sengen. Tabte sig. Ind og ud af hospitalerne. Til sidst kunne hun knap nok gå.

Lægerne vidste ikke hvad det var.

Jeg tænker på Jairus i Bibelen.

Hans datter var syg og lå for døden. Han fandt Jesus og bad ham komme. Undervejs, inden de nåede frem, kom der bud om at det var for sent.

Jesus svarede: han skulle ikke være bange. Han skulle bare tro.

"Vi lever jo i tro og ikke på grundlag af det, vi kan se." (2 Kor 5,7 — BPH)

Det er den slags svar der kun giver mening, når du ikke kan se vejen ud.

Christinas forældre kom og tog sig af pigerne. Menigheden bragte mad og bad for Christina.

Gud kom ikke med en forklaring. Han kom med mennesker.

Og langsomt, meget langsomt, vendte Christina tilbage. I dag er hun heldigvis sund og stærk.

Måske er din sommer løbet af sporet.

En frygt der ikke slipper. Et håb der føles langt væk.

Det Jesus sagde til Jairus, siger han til dig i dag. “Vær ikke bange. Du skal bare tro på mig.”

Hvad er det uventede der er sket for dig i sommer, og hvad holder dig oppe?

Skriv det gerne i kommentarerne. Måske giver dit ord én anden mod til at holde fast.

Du behøver ikke se vejen ud for at holde fast i ham.