What Lily Knows

Posted on by Jennifer Arimborgo

“Don’t panic. I’m with you.
There’s no need to fear for I’m your God.
I’ll give you strength. I’ll help you.
I’ll hold you steady, keep a firm grip on you.”

(Isa. 41:10, MSG).

Lily with an Easter card she made for her daddy

This morning, Lily’s delightful voice called out to me from the bathroom, “Emmanuel! God is with us!” She had overheard this phrase from someone in the house playing an audio Bible. Obviously, Holy Spirit had spoken to her through it – so much so, that it was bubbling in her spirit as she showered.

When she finished up, she asked me if she could send an audio message to our family chat group on WhatsApp. I gladly obliged, and she proceeded to do so. “Hello family! Emmanuel! God is with us! Even though we are going through these hard times, He is taking care of us!”

After that, she wanted to share with me the dream she had last night. In it, she saw four angels come into her room through the window. One of them spoke to her, while the other three stood behind him in a triangular formation, singing joyfully. The one who addressed her said, “Don’t be afraid. I’m going to show you the wonders of the Lord.” Lily added with a smile, “He was really pretty.”

Lily is seven years old. Clearly, she has the same Holy Spirit living inside her that we adults do. I’ve heard it said – and parenting my children has confirmed it to me – that there is no junior Holy Spirit. He doesn’t come in a miniature version. In every one of us, from biggest to smallest, He is the fullness of Himself!

What a beautiful reminder Lily continues to be to me, of what it looks like to trust the Father with childlike faith. She has had to go without her earthly daddy’s company for over a month now. He is stuck in another part of Peru. The COVID lockdown started here with very little notice, when he was on a missions trip. All travel remains frozen nationwide. He hasn’t been able to come home. The same is true for my oldest daughter, Ester. As a family, we are sheltering in place in three different parts of the country.

And yet, Lily sings joyfully every day. She laughs easily and frequently. She loves to thank Jesus for allowing her to still be alive on Planet Earth. She plays with her dolls, colors, and does her schoolwork with utmost cheerfulness. Because she knows.

God is with us. He’s taking care of you and me!

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In what ways has the Father sent reminders to you that He is with you during this time of world crisis?

26 thoughts on “What Lily Knows”

  3. I am reminded I do not shelter alone by noticing quiet moments in nature– especially on Sunday– at times when I would have been busy with regular duties at the parish. I did a poem called “Easter Rain” that evolved directly from such a moment. God is good.

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  4. God has blessed me richly during our lockdown (day 20 today and at least another 15 to go till the end of the month). He has given me work I can do from home; and has sent me birds to delight my heart. Yesterday a black-headed oriole made his presence known by calling repeatedly from the tree across the road. I had a good view of him. A few days ago a pair of long-crested eagles soared and called above my home. It is in these creatures I am reminded of my Creator and my heart, even in this time, joins with Lily as I sing a new song to my Lord.

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  5. Thank you Jennifer for sharing, Lily’s amazing joy and peace at this time. Sorry to hear that about Israel and Ester! Emmanuel, God is with them and you. I am grateful for an omnipresent God today.

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  7. “In what ways has the Father sent reminders to you that He is with you during this time of world crisis?”

    He continues to remind me through the loving thoughts and prayers of folks like you and Lily! I see His majesty all around me and he keeps reminding me the His grace is sufficient for me no matter what is transpiring in my life and in the world.

    He has it all in His hands. Praise God!

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  8. Oh how I LOVE this and how I LOVE that Lily girl!!!
    My daughter Jessica was still in her baby crib (2-3 years old) when she had a prophetic word for me. She didn’t know that I was struggling with fear due to a lump I had just discovered a few days prior. I did t even want to go to sleep in my room at night—the darkness somehow accentuated the fear. As I put her to sleep that night we prayed together and she stood up in her crib and proclaimed, “Don’t be afraid, Mommy! There’s nothing scary in your room! Just Jesus and the angels!”♥️😇 There’s definitely no “jr. Holy Spirit! (I was fine—the lump was benign.)

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  10. Out of the mouths of babes! Precious testimony! Your post reminded me of Matthew 21:15-17, “But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the wonderful things that He had done, and the children who were shouting in the temple, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” they became indignant and said to Him, “Do You hear what these children are saying?” And Jesus *said to them, “Yes; have you never read, ‘Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies You have prepared praise for Yourself’?” And He left them and went out of the city to Bethany, and spent the night there.” ~Blessings🌼

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