A couple of years ago, I posed a question to my women’s small group: What is something that has recently changed your life? Tell the person next to you about it.”

With ease and excitement, they buzzed about how Amazon Prime had transformed their shopping experience, click and collect had taken the stress out of buying groceries and packing cubes had brought much needed order to the chaos that formerly ruled in their suitcases while travelling.

Transformation is easy to talk about because we’re simply testifying to our experiences. A clear problem was overcome by a clear solution. What is clear to us is easy to communicate to others.

My next sentence was, “Now turn and share the gospel with that same person.”

Only crickets could be heard.

Thanks to all of you who are praying and asking how my mom is doing… here’s a quick update!

My eyes skimmed over words from my mom that we knew were a possibility, but seriously hoped not to be ours to process:

“Biopsy result is showing breast cancer in tiny 6mm lump. It’s 1/4 of an inch. Specialist appointment on September 26. They will decide if they will keep an eye on it or remove it. Blood work is good and clear.”

When you’ve already lost one parent, it’s easy to want to hold on for dear life for the one you have left.

“God wouldn’t take them both, would He?” I desperately wanted to be able to reassure my sister by saying, “Of course He wouldn’t,” but you and I know we don’t control God. We simply have an invitation at every turn to trust Him.

I still remember answering the phone and hearing mom say, “Say goodbye!” We had just returned home three hours south of where you were, unsure of how much time you had left here on earth.

I don’t remember what I said, only that I didn’t know how to say goodbye.

Mom said you looked up to the corner of the living room and smiled your famous smile you hadn’t smiled for weeks, looked back and her and just like that, you were gone.

“He failed.”

This was my daughter’s response when our cardboard creation fell flat as I expected it would with only 1/4 of the legs mounted to stabilize it.

“Do you think falling is the same as failing?” I asked her.

Her silence confirmed why she has been deeply frustrated by some of the challenges she’s faced lately. To her, falling was failing.

I pondered my answer. After a few moments of silence, I told her what I want all of us to hear: “Falling is NOT failing; falling is part of fearless learning.” In learning to follow Jesus, we will certainly fall in every stage of the game. Whether or not you see it as failure, will determine how quickly you get back up.