The Journey into the Valley begins.....

  December 13, 2013.
  The girls were up and scurrying around to get ready to go. I related to Abigail that the girls could not leave that morning with Machaira unless the kitchen was completely cleaned. If it were not done, they would have to wait for dad to drive them up to Rolla later.
  At one point I looked into the kitchen and was amazed it was cleaned so fast. The last thing I recall was seeing Machaira walk out, saying by to Abby and Charity whizzed by and I barely caught a blurry glimpse of her as she flashed out the door. Out the door forever.
 Little did I know that she was walking out of this world within a half an hour, and be walking into her heavenly home. She would be going through a deep river to get there but the Lord promises to help us over and to never leave us or forsake us and I trust He fulfilled His promise to my precious and beautiful daughter.
 Back to that morning though; About 20 minutes after the girls left,  I sat in the front room visiting with my son, and I heard yelling in the back of the house. Soon Brett came stumbling frantically down the hallway pulling on clothes,and I heard an irrational, highly distressed voice on the phone. Brett said "Anthony something bad come one!".....and they were out the door.
  Needless to say I sat there stunned. My first thought, without thinking was to gather the small children and my two grandsons around me. I had us all  get on our knees ~ it was time to pray.
  As I stood up my mind began to reel in a million directions and I remember thinking "Take every thought captive...the truth will set me free". I trust that the Lord in His mercy gave me this message in my heart.
  So the next couple of hours were spent...taking every thought captive. And folks, in the midst of a crisis is not the time to start doing this. If we practiced this daily, it would keep us from falling into various sins. It would keep our hearts and minds sensitive to the Lord and keep us mindful of His word....I urge you brethren to exercise this muscle daily as it will guard you in your way.
  Along with taking every thought captive, I would clean, break down and cry, fall on my knees and cry out to God for the lives and safety of my girls...but as the hours wore on...I began to pray for grace and mercy. I prayed that the Lord would give me that amazing grace, to help me to say Yes Lord to whatever He had decreed for our family that day. I honestly, out of no good thing in me, bowed to His Sovereign will and submitted to the rod.
  After realizing that Brett wasn't responding to text messages, in my heart I knew. I knew at least one of my daughters was no more. So I gathered the young children around me again and instructed them as best as I could . I told them that something hard has happened. That one of the girls may not come home today. I told them though, that whatever happened ~ the girls were safe, either here or in heaven. To be absent from the body, is to be present with the Lord for those of us who believe. I knew that Machaira believed, I knew that Charity did...Abigail not so much.
  At that point I left the littles and prayed again. Feeling dreadfully sad but at peace. Strengthened in the inner man so to speak. Which says nothing of myself, that was a gift from God. Then my 5 year old grandson Owen called me from the bedroom. When I went to see what he needed he told me; "Noni, God told me that Kyra isn't dead"............