Just Show Up

by Susan Mead, in category Faith

Have you ever lost something dear to you and thought just show up, please?

You look high and low – then look again, retracing every step and picking up every piece of paper in your path. Yet you are disappointed, distraught and even disgusted with yourself (or whomever!) for losing that precious thing in the first place.

Yea, me too.

My husband’s wedding ring seemed to be missing – again. Not the first time this year, but the second time, his wedding band was MIA. We are wedded, yet I was deeply wounded by this loss.  A gulf emerged, separating the two of us.

just show up, Have you ever lost something dear to you and thought just show up, please? This post contains 3 scripture verses to recall when your world is rocked.

Anger, hurt, and dismay warred within me. He remembers his watch, yet forgets ME echoed in my head.  Silly, I know, yet in my mind, when he removes his wedding ring it seems to distance his heart from mine too.

Anybody else dealt with similar thoughts and feelings, for whatever reason?

Was I out of my mind to think like this? Holt loves me – and was distraught at the loss – his loss. With so much emotion at play, I had to decide to walk in wisdom. Emotionally rocked is a vulnerable place – and I do not want to put my marriage on the rocks!

[Tweet “Would I wind up words, hurl them, hurt him-& our marriage–over a thing–his ring?”]

Or would I line up beside him, raising hands and praising God for His faithfulness?

God kept us together through the hardest loss of all, the loss of a child, a son, our youngest one. Family is key.

8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. 

10 And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. 1 Peter 5:8-10 (NIV)

Does a thing – a ring – really matter? There’s a better question – where is my treasure?

Treasures in Heaven

19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.  Matthew 6:19-21 (NIV)

Truth hit me – square in the face. This is exactly where the enemy wants me – and you – to be – warring with our husbands – for whatever reason. We must choose to build bridges built on love, trust, and hope with the mighty hand of God guiding us.

just show up, Have you ever lost something dear to you and thought just show up, please? This post contains 3 scripture verses to recall when your world is rocked.

So we looked again, thinking just show up, please. Seemed like nothing – except prayer and praise – would raise this thing!

God knocked on my heart early today, so up I got out of bed and down I sat to read His Word and pray His will – with a special prayer raised for revealing the wedding ring, restoring the thing that symbolizes my husband’s commitment to our marriage.

[Tweet “Please let it just show up, God.”]

Knock, knock, Holt rapped on my door, something he seldom does when I pray. He just showed up at the door, raised his hand, revealing his ring, restored to it’s rightful place!

You know what he said?

“It just showed up on the top of my dresser,
in plain sight.”

just show up, Have you ever lost something dear to you and thought just show up, please? This post contains 3 scripture verses to recall when your world is rocked.

Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; therefore he will rise up to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him! Isaiah 30:18 (NIV)

Praise God! As I reflect, I see that only You, God, place that which is lost right in front of us – when we just show up in prayer and praise, trusting You to rise up when we need You.

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62 thoughts on “Just Show Up”

  1. I love your transparency here Susan! Thank you for sharing the realness of marriage. I love how God gets our attention sometimes to focus on Him, so He can bless us and prove His faithfulness in our lives! Thank you for linking up at #100HappyDays!

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  3. What a wonderful truth woven through your story! God is indeed faithful to show up when we do. He is our greatest treasure hidden in plain sight. Thanks for sharing! ♥ Visiting from Holley’s link up today.

  4. Thank you for sharing this story with us at Grace & Truth! I particularly appreciate your point about how it’s so easy to allow relatively minor frustrations to pit us against our husbands – what a clever tactic of our enemy! Thank you for your example in turning to the Lord with your pleas, and for your testimony of His gracious answer. This will be my feature at A Divine Encounter on Friday! May the Lord continue to bless your ministry.

  5. Love this Susan! My diamonds on my wedding ring and engagement ring fell off..gone forever..I’ve been bugging my husband to replace them, hurt feelings that for years he hasn’t.. ugh..my complaining doesn’t do a thing but cause guilt..it’s something we should do together in a sacred way, or not at all..or get a ruby instead of a diamond..our love is what matters..love your post!

  6. I love when something “just shows up.” Isn’t that what God wants us to do too? Just show up. He’ll take it from there. Thanks for sharing.

  7. My husband lost his wedding ring this summer in the gulf. It’s amazing how something so small has so much meaning in our lives. The interesting thing about our story is that my father in law had just past away, leaving his wedding ring for my husband. They shared the same name, which happened to be inscribed inside. I love how through seemingly frustrating situations, in an instant God can turn them into precious memories of His grace and provision.

  8. It is so easy to “go there”. You are right that this is exactly what the enemy wants. Great words to point us back to God today. Glad to be your neighbor at Kelly’s today! Hugs!

  10. I lost my wedding ring for almost a month. I was devastated. I cried, prayed, cried, hunted, cleaned and prayed some more. After I let go of finding it, I found it about a month later in my bathrobe pocket. What a relief! (Your neighbor at FMF)

  11. It’s amazing what that ring means to us as spouses, Susan. I’m so glad God answered your prayer and your hubby found his ring. Thanks for this authentic and inspiring reminder of the love that you share with your husband. I can relate! Thanks also for the linkup, my friend!

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  14. My mom and dad married when I was 10 months old and my dad has worn his ring once, the day they were married. I know its not the same because you are used to the Mr having it on, but often times we take off our precious things to keep them safe. How often do we lose an item we put into safe keeping and then can’t find later? My dad can’t wear a ring. Well I guess he could on weekends and the evenings but he can’t wear it for work. He is a truck driver and mechanic. It is too dangerous to wear a ring as that’s how fingers get lost. He keeps it in with his change in its original box beside the bed. Not the most noteworthy or glamourous place but thats where that ring has been my entire life. It certainly has meaning to us as a family and of course is a visual reminder of their wedding day for them, but when you talk about losing a ring or losing a finger you lose the ring. Not sure if I have a point here. I guess maybe just to say that we all store up our most precious treasures, often in places forgotten or unseen and when we find them it is like Christmas day and everything is new and bright. I am reminded of a country song that says
    “Without love
    It don’t mean a thing
    It’s just a rock on a golden ring
    You could take it down to an old pawn shop
    Or toss it in the sea
    Cause without love
    It don’t mean a thing”
    Thank you for always blessing us with your sweet words!! Happy the ring “appeared” 😀

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  16. Great story, Susan. I’ve lost my wedding ring twice. The second time it was “lost” for about a month. Like you, God certainly had my attention. I love your question: where is my treasure. I need to ask that every day.

  17. Wow! What an incredible story of how good GOD is to us! HE is so wonderful and so faithful! Thank you for sharing, Susan! GOD bless you, beautiful friend! 🙂

  18. Yes!! Except I’m usually the one who “tucks” things because I can’t stand clutter. Guilty as charged;) All the very best things are always in plain sight aren’t they? God give us eyes to see this season!

    Great message today Susan.

    1. Oh Meg. A place for everything and a thing in its place. Mom taught me that long ago. Sure makes finding stuff easier when it’s where it is supposed to be!

  20. It’s always wonderful to read about God working in our marriages, in our hearts – and whether or not the wedding ring was found, something else was found that’s even greater! Praise the Lord!
    Your neighbor on FMF

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  24. Thank you for sharing this post. Each Scripture blessed me & by the time I read Isaiah 30: 18, I had received my confirmation for something on my heart. Blessings!

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  27. Wow! What a great story- Thank you for sharing this and your feelings and struggles through it all.I could relate to so much of this!!. Thanks so much for this post and sharing how God has been faithful to you!

  29. Awe, gave me goosebumps at the end. How good is God? His faithfulness never seems to stop amazing me. Thanks for sharing, Susan. 🙂

  30. Susan, as I’ve gotten to know you better, I can just hear you talking while I read through your blog posts. Awesome. Thanks for sharing your testimony to encourage maturity in marriages and relationships.

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  32. AHA! This one spoke to my heart…You are brave to share this piece.
    I am blessed hearing that God Shows Up every time in Our Lives!
    I understand how hurt you were. I too unfortunately misplaced mine one day! Believe me it wasn’t funny….but it showed up.
    Hugs and Blessings to you

  33. Great post, Susan! I love your great commentary reminding us that our Heavenly Father sent His one and only Son to show up here to take all our sin on the cross…how grateful we are…many blessings to you ❤️

  34. Great story- I love how God just made the ring show up. I’ve had a couple of situations like that too. And I love how he can use those situations to speak to us and teach us too. Thanks for sharing!

    1. Thanks Carly! He was speaking loudly to us, as you say. Fabulous to know we have a Father who’s so faithful even in the details. Hugs. Susan

  35. I remember I prayed for something like that when I was a single mom and my oldest daughter lost her retainer. it showed up in her AWANA bag, how it got there I don’t know. God led me to check the bag and there it was. Susan, your words touched me today. So many times I rush to assume the worst. God is teaching me to rush to him instead, especially in my marriage. Thanks for sharing your heart!

  36. Wonderful story, and also very convicting! You’re right … the enemy of truth wants us to conjure up all kinds of stories in our heads about how our husbands might feel, and that never leads to unity or peace! I love the promise in the last part of the 1 Peter passage … now that’s truth we can count on! Glad to be your neighbor at #livefreeThursday …

  37. Awesome! I love it when God shows off in our lives, letting us know He hears us. What a blessing to know God worked through a missing ring to develop something special in your heart. Love this story, friend. Have a blessed day!

  38. The God who shows up — So thankful for your words today that remind me of His faithfulness. Like Job, we ask God for answers, and He responds with the gift of Himself.
    Blessings, Susan.

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