Update: Indica has been found and is safely with her family again!
Recently, a friend of a friend had any mother’s worst nightmare come to pass: her daughter went missing. Police originally labeled the disappearance as a runaway case, but from the get-go Indica Huddleston‘s mother, Andrea, felt that perhaps foul play was involved. Regardless of what the police are labeling the case (it may be updated to an endangered person’s case), Andrea did what any mother would do. She poured her heart, soul, and time into doing all she could to try to bring her daughter home.
But she hasn’t stopped there. She’s also allowing God to pour truth and strength and light into her, and taking time to capture the truths that are coming. These quotes come from a post on her blog, Smile of Paradise.
There is no doubt I am facing my Goliath. It is taking all of my strength, and reservoir of strength, saved up through countless mornings talking to my God, to get me through this.
And so part of what I long to share, is that this light, this hope, this faith, and this courage is not particular to me…it is what comes, when one communes with our Father in Heaven.
He is waiting for each of you to come unto him.
He says:
Matthew 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
I never, ever understood that last verse, like I do this morning. And as I sit here, and fully take in it’s meaning, I do have joy.
He truly has given me rest. And more amazingly…he has replaced darkness with light. And now all he is asking me to do, the only “burden” He is giving me, is to share it. To be “LIGHT.”
Now, I understand.
And it is as when we let that light flow through us, share that light, that we are filled with incomprehensible joy.
Here is a mother whose daughter has been missing for nearly a week, who surely has wrestled against every possible, nightmarish thought, and who is still, through it all, able to testify of the light and power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.
It’s stunning to see this kind of faith. I love how she reaches out to others, realizing that we all have our adversities. She knows that pain is experienced by all, and that it can serve a purpose. And that we can practice faith.
Though our family has been called to go through this, each of you is facing your own challenges. I am aware and present to that. But I believe, the Lord, in his wisdom uses these kinds of things to strengthen our faith, to remind us that his Mercy is extended towards all men, but we must reach for it.
And though we have been through challenges before, nothing has ever tried my faith, as much as this. I am grateful that [so long ago it was set in my soul to “Teach the Smile of Paradise”] and have practiced, over and over during times which required less faith, before coming to this. I truly feel I have been prepared.
There is no doubt I am facing my Goliath. It is taking all of my strength, and reservoir of strength, saved up through countless mornings talking to my God, to get me through this.
And so part of what I long to share, is that this light, this hope, this faith, and this courage is not particular to me…it is what comes, when one communes with our Father in Heaven.
Indica, we are praying for you. Andrea, we are praying for you and your family. Thank you for sharing your faith even in the midst of such a heartrending time.
