Godly Gals ~ Kristin Shockley

“You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.
You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.
Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?”
Psalm 139:2-3, 7

I stood close to Gavin’s chair in the cramped exam room. His lip quivered while fighting tears. The weekend’s toothache and fever had necessitated our Monday morning trip to the dentist. His jaw resembling a hoarding squirrel’s, he had tried to joke before they called us back for our turn. “Mama, I don’t know why you are bringing me here since my tooth is all better.”

But the preceding sleepless night had assured me it was far from better so I kept the conversation light as we passed the nervous minutes.

Gavin’s breathing quickened as a hygienist entered the room and placed a lead blanket over my boy’s heaving chest. “Ma’am, can you step out while I take an x-ray?” Heart tugging, I weaved my way around medical equipment and took my place directly outside the open door. I heard a whimper as I left his side.

I watched his golden head from the doorway as the hygienist asked him to bite down. His cries escalated, transforming into full-fledged sobs. “Calm down, Gavin,” she urged. “If you keep your mouth still, it will be over soon.” He quieted, but tears were still coursing down his face when I rejoined him in the room.

Later as we drove to the pharmacy to pick up his prescription of antibiotics for his abcess, I asked why he had been so upset. “Did it hurt? Or were you scared?”

He paused before admitting, “I just wanted you there.”

“But Gavin,” I answered. “I was there. You couldn’t see me, but I was right outside the door. I told you I wouldn’t leave. I could see you the whole time.”

“Really?” he said. “I didn’t know.”

His words struck a familiar chord for how many times have I echoed those words? How many times have I excused my fear saying, “Lord, if you had been here…if only you had been here, it would have been better.”

And he answers, “But I was there. You couldn’t see me, but I was with you the whole time.”

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I also know that there are so many more “Real Women, Real Life, Real Faith” kind of girls out there and I would love to share your stories of being a Godly Gal right here.

If you’d like to be a part of the Godly Gals team, then please send me an email at melsworldministry [at] gmail [dot] com and I’ll send you a copy of the Submission Guidelines.