I used to attend a class at a local gym called “Power.”  We did dynamic weight lifting and by the end of the class almost every muscle in my body was shaking.  After weeks of training, I started seeing real results!  I could lift my kids and carry big bags of groceries with ease.  My back hurt less and I had more energy.

It’s been years since I was in that kind of shape, and it was apparent last week when our family moved into a new home.  The reality of my physical weakness hit me head on.  Furniture, beds, boxes and books all proved too much for me to lift.  Even the smaller loads I carried made my back hurt!  My heart was willing, but my body wasn’t.

I became keenly aware of my physical inadequacy.  At the same time, I’ve come face to face with the frailty of my emotions.  Most of the time I feel emotionally strong.  I’m thankful for a faith that grants me the peace I need, and a perspective that keeps the important things in focus. Three weeks ago I was making last minute preparations for the Inheritance of Hope (IOH) Legacy Retreat at Disney World and encountered some circumstances that left me feeling very weak. My faith and my perspective were both shaken for a while.  Over the next 2 weeks, six of the families who were confirmed to attend the retreat canceled due to acute illness or death.  On the Tuesday right before the Legacy Retreat, we lost two families in two hours 2 hours, and then we received the call that Deric and Kristen Milligan, IOH’s founders and inspiration, were also unable to come due to Kristen’s declining health.