Valiant

My Lighthouse Tour: April 2018

I squeezed the mic tightly. And then a little tighter. I looked out over the sea of crowd, but it was all just random blurs of color through my tears. I swallowed, looked down, closed my eyes, and squeezed again. But I just couldn’t do it…how could I?

The music began and filled my ears and it felt like a punch of reality. I was here. I was crying. But I had to sing. I shifted and the make-shift stage squeaked under me. I told myself to get it together, but my mind felt numb with impossible sadness and my throat was so tight that singing was a joke, even if I wanted to.

I heard the last few beats of the song’s intro play, and managed to look over at the young man sitting on the stool. Damien. Fourteen years old, but fighting a sickness in him and bigger then him. Damien. Brain cancer had robbed his speech, but not his songs. The surgery could remove much, but not the scriptures or songs he’d memorized before it.

I blinked. And took a gulping breath. But before I could squeeze the notes out…I heard him. Beautifully from the heart: “There is strength within the sorrow, there is beauty in our tears.”

Strength and willpower suddenly rose up in me and I joined him in singing the song. I still don’t know how I did that. Or how he did, for that matter. But we sang the song and there wasn’t a dry eye in the audience; I could almost hear hearts breaking…and hope rising all around me.

Just a few days earlier his mom had been helping him limp into a church,  and I was slowly following. He turned and struggled to hold the door open for me, smiling the whole time. I don’t melt easily. But right then I felt like a puddle on the floor. Grace from Providence is there when we need it, but how often do we claim it when we need it most?

The faith that Damien and his family has is beyond any hymn book. It’s real, breathing, and doesn’t depend on the breath of Damien. One can’t help but feel inspired when they see this valiant faith right in front of their eyes…If they can see past their tears.

If you’d like to follow and support this precious family, I’d encourage you to check out this link to Damien’s prayer page. You’ll be glad you did.

https://m.facebook.com/prayingfordamien/