The Greatest Champion For Charlie
It’s finally here! The message that has been stirring in my heart for a year a half is now ready to go public and share with you!
I was recently on a walk with a dear friend. We were discussing the details of the book and she asked a simple question, “Is there a particular chapter that you are most excited about to share with readers? One that you feel like will make a great impact?” Before she could even finish the question, my answer was, “YES!”
There are ten chapters in Champion For Charlie. Each one was carefully prayed over, thought through, written, rewritten, and written again. But it’s the final chapter that I hope every single person gets to and clings to before they set down my book. This 10th chapter has the potential to mark and make-over your heart and perspective on life and your role as a parent.
You see, I have often been told that “you are your child’s greatest advocate.” I believe this, yes, but as I cling to the Lord and his word, I am discovering more and more that this title of “greatest advocate” is not mine to carry. But as a mother who desires to advocate in a great way, I must lean on the one who is the greatest, the ultimate, the perfect advocate…
“I believe with all my heart that I am called and chosen to be the mother for my children. It is my calling to love, nurture, and help Charlie, Owen and Nora so that they might know God, love people, and find their purpose in the kingdom of God while here on this earth. All the while, the weight of who they are and what they become goes beyond what I can carry, or what I have been asked to carry for that matter. Though I champion every day, there is one who is the ultimate champion who fights for each one of my children. He goes before them. He follows behind them. He is all around them each and every moment of every single day of their lives (Isaiah 52:12). He has no weakness. He makes no mistakes. He is the perfect champion. This ultimate champion I am describing is Jesus Christ.
Jesus is the best champion for Charlie. As we look back on these past nine years with Charlie, we have seen her Champion (capital C) open doors for the right doctor at the right time. We have seen her Champion heal her body. We have seen her Champion protect her. We have seen her Champion fight for her. Her Champion gives us wisdom as parents when we have needed to make difficult decisions. Decisions which we have been scared to make because of the great impact they will have on her life. We don’t have to carry the weight of her past, present and future circumstances; we can rest in the truth that she has the absolute greatest champion fighting for her. Charlie’s Champion is constantly working on her behalf and directing our steps as parents. Charlie’s Champion is the perfect friend, counselor, provider, and defender. Jesus is the one who advocates in ways we never could, in places we will never be, among people that we may never see.
In my human mind and body, I am limited in what I can do for Charlie. But with Jesus, there is no limit to what He can do. I run out of patience and grace, but Jesus’ love reaches deep and wide and has no end (Ephesians 3:18). There are places I cannot go with Charlie, but Jesus is right by her side- in her classroom, on the playground, in the lunchroom, on the bus (Psalm 16:8). He is right there with her, the ultimate champion who never leaves and won’t let her down. I will disappoint, I will make mistakes, but Jesus is perfect in all of His ways (Psalm 18:30). Jesus is the ultimate champion for Charlie.
When Charlie is grown and looks back at her life, I want her to not only see parents that fought for her, but I want her to have an understanding that Jesus was the one who truly loved her, fought for her, and has carried her every step of the way. Jesus is the ultimate champion for Charlie and for your child as well.”