We all have moments. Moments that we dread. Moments that we fear. Moments that we know are inevitable.

For me, one such moment recently took place but to my surprise the moment I dreaded the most became a beautiful moment where God showed up and surrounded me with His tender love and the strength to carry on.

I’ve known all along that it is only a matter of time before my mom no longer recognizes me. That’s what Alzheimer’s does. And no matter how hard I have tried to prepare myself, deep in my heart I have known that moment would be heartbreaking…and it was.

It had been a good day. I made lunch for my parents, and we had talked and even laughed together. Several times I even saw my mom’s eyes twinkle and heard her familiar laughter which now is such a treasure to me, but the laughter was short-lived. For just as we were saying our goodbyes, she looked up at me with inquisitive eyes and asked if I was the baby she had taken in and raised.

My heart stopped and tears began to fill my eyes. The dreaded moment had finally come, and I had no idea what to say or do. I closed my eyes and did the only thing I knew to do—I cried out and asked God for help. And instantly it was as if God whispered in my heart don’t focus on her not recognizing you—focus on the fact that she remembered taking a baby girl in and loving her as her own. In that moment, God showed me that she might not have recognized me but she still remembered me!

What a precious gift God gave me. In my despair, God gave me His grace that not only comforted my heart but turned a dreaded moment into a beautiful portrait of His love and concern for me.

Incidentally, just the other day, it happened again. We spent the afternoon together and at one point she looked at me and asked, “Now how do we know each other?”

I took a deep breath and knew it was going to be okay. God had already shown me His power and peace the last time, so I knew He would come through again. I grabbed her hand and said with a smile, “Oh, mom we go way back,” and I began telling her the story of when she showed up at my house and took me in when I was just a baby. Before long, we were both smiling, laughing, and thanking God for His incredible work in our lives.

I share this very personal story because it was such a powerful reminder to me that God will take our painful moments and turn them into beautiful gifts that truly point to His incredible love for us. As I think about the future, I know there are going to be many more difficult moments ahead, but I also know—His Grace Will Be Enough. Enough for Today and Enough to Hold and Heal My Heart so that I can confidently say:

My flesh and my heart fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.    Psalm 73:26