If you abide in me and my Words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done to you.

John 15:7

As Dawn drove her little red Honda to her mother-in-law’s house, she wondered what the day would bring.  Dawn had been married to this woman’s son for ten years, yet she still felt like an outsider.  And when Dawn and her husband, Rick, announced their decision not to have children, her in-law relationships had become more intense.

Dawn felt anxious over confronting her mother-in-law, but she knew she could no longer ignore the comments such as, “God meant for you to have children.”  Dawn was visiting her mother-in-law specifically to ask her to accept their decision and to accept Dawn herself.  She prayed that the Lord would help the two of them begin a new relationship.

As Dawn and Rick’s mother ate lunch together,  Dawn groped for the right words to say.  As she told  her mother-in-law how hurt she was by her comments, Dawn  realized that for the first time she was sharing her feelings with this woman.  Amazingly, Rick’s mother switched her tone when Dawn expressed her honest thoughts.  She apologized for  her words and admitted she felt rejected by  Dawn; she also admitted she had been rude to Dawn.  As the two shared their feelings, they made a decision to start being honest with each other and to treat each other with respect.

Prayer:  God, help me face the daily fears I try to avoid.