52 Sundays

By Lori Gardner Child

Good morning, friends!

When I posted an uplifting message on a social media platform one Sunday several years ago, it was never intended to be perpetual. To counteract all the negative posts that I had seen that day, I wanted to give my friends a message of hope and encouragement. But the following week, I received several private messages asking for my Sunday sermon. Thus began my Sunday messages that have continued almost weekly for over six years.

The messages all include a story, usually from my own life, and a moral to go along with it. They are intended to give the reader an uplifting message of hope, faith, and encouragement or, at the very least, just something to ponder upon.

Reading these messages, you will get a small glimpse into my quirky, unpredictable life and the challenges that I have experienced, as well as the lessons I have learned from them.

52 Sundays will make you laugh, cry, and reflect and will leave you wanting more.

Happy Sunday.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Mar 24, 2022
• ISBN: 9781685173425

Book preview

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52 Sundays

Lori Gardner Child

ISBN 978-1-68517-341-8 (paperback)

ISBN 978-1-68517-342-5 (digital)

Copyright © 2022 by Lori Gardner Child

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.

832 Park Avenue

Meadville, PA 16335

www.christianfaithpublishing.com

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Chapter 1

To all who believed in me and in this project, you know who you are. Thank you!

Good morning, friends!

I was recently reflecting back on something that happened many years ago. We had just moved back to Utah from Nashville and had been living with my in-laws until we found a place of our own. The search for a decent rental was not going well, so I had been out all evening with my two babies (ages three years and ten months), driving past rental places to see if they were even worth making an appointment to go see them. It was getting late, and I was heading home, when my car ran out of gas.

We were on a busy four-lane highway. It was very dark, and the closest building was a gas station about a half mile away. Frustrated at myself for not watching the gas gauge more closely and worried for the safety of my children and myself, I quickly said a prayer for our safety and dejectedly unbuckled my babies. We started down the road with one on my hip and one with his hand held tightly in mine. We hadn’t made it thirty feet from the car when three cars stopped, all of them asking if we were okay and if we needed help. I was overwhelmed by so many emotions—relief, gratitude, and the very distinct knowledge that my prayer had been heard. We were given a ride to the station where the person stayed with us until help arrived.

Each time I drive down that highway past that spot, I am reminded of that special moment. I can almost see that young mother with tears in her eyes and two small children walking down that stretch of road. Even though it’s been more than twenty-five years, I still remember that overwhelming assurance that my Heavenly Father is aware of me. He knew where I was, and He knew what I needed, and I believe He directed those people in helping me and keeping us safe. I want all of you to know that I know that He knows you too. He knows your concerns and your fears and your struggles. He knows where you are, and He is willing to help YOU, too. He wants you to succeed and He wants you to be happy.

Happy Sunday.

Good morning, friends!

Five years ago, this week, I was playing in an indoor soccer game. I jumped up to get the ball, but when I came down, I landed awkwardly and my knee buckled, causing me to fall. I subbed out and walked around the box for a bit, then decided to go back in. My teammate in the box with me asked if it felt loose. I thought about it and told her yes, but it didn’t hurt too much, just felt funny behind my knee.

She said, That sounds like an ACL. You should just stay out.

I assured her that I was fine and would just take it easy (which is not one of my strong suits.) I went in and carefully ran for a while, until a pass came shooting out in front of me. I took off at a full run, and as I planted my foot and turned to shoot, my knee completely buckled, putting all the force of the run and my body weight onto my twisted foot. I had blown out my ACL and broken two bones in my foot.

I had made a mistake. I ignored the warnings and had now sustained damage that I could not repair on my own. I would need an expert—someone who knew more than I did. I was in a boot, nonweightbearing for four weeks, then had ACL reconstruction surgery for another six weeks—for a total of ten weeks off work with no pay. A year later, I visited the surgeon. I asked if I would need a special brace if I decided to play soccer again. He said that since I had given the graft ample time to heal, it was now stronger and even better than before. Fifteen months after my accident, I stepped back out on the soccer field, thanks to an expert healer who did for me that which I could not do for myself.

In our lives, we will make mistakes. We will get hurt and go through pain. Sometimes, we will ignore the warning signs and cause more damage than we may have had we heeded them. We will sustain damage that we cannot fix on our own. But luckily, there is One who can repair all the hurt and sadness and sin in our lives. A master healer. If we turn to our Savior Jesus Christ, He will fix and repair that which we cannot fix on our own. Healing takes time. It takes work and pain and growth. But if we put our faith in Him, He will not only repair our brokenness but will make us even stronger and better than we were before.

Happy Sunday.

Good morning, friends!

When my oldest son was seventeen months old, he and I were able to fly from Nashville, where we were living, home to Salt Lake City for a visit. When we arrived at the airport, the plane that was supposed to take us to St. Louis, for our connecting flight was delayed. By the time we finally arrived in St. Louis, we