Christmas without estranged child. Encouragement please.😢

[Lanolin]

to add we know Jesus went missing when he was 12 years old in Jerusalem for 3 days and Mary was distraught but when they found him Jesus said dont you know I would be in my Fathers house?

So think on it this way, your daughter might have had a favourite place to go that you dont know about and she feels safe there. It might be somewhere remote like a beach or forest where theres no phones or whatever...some people do hike to lose themselves or they have a wanderlust to explore. They cant always report back on their every move cos thy dont have facebook or internet. But shes old enough to look after herself and you got to trust that she can and will meet amazing people on her journey.

It was like my mother had a pet chicken once and everytime she crossed the road my mother would worry and fret and chase after her. But Martha just wanted to explore and she never got eaten by a dog, it was Mary who was the safe, tame one who stayed home that did. Maybe cos she was too sheltered had gotten fat and couldnt run away fast enough?!

 

[Peacefully]

I think with mothers and daughters esp it can be hard but youve got to look at it this way she may have something important God wants her to do and she can only really learn it away from her mother.

Daughters have to leave and they do it all the time, traditonally, daughters were sold or given away in marriage, Mothers never actually had the right to keep hold of them forever. Got to fly the nest sometime!!

I know this dynamic is painful but this is the whole thing with mothers and daughters, on one hand they want to be close and on the other they push you away. But mothers and daughters are not married to each other, so its not a bondage in that sense. (although for some of us, it seems like it!)

It sounds like you do, however have a loving husband who has actually promised to stick by you until you or he dies. At least I believe so, if I am wrong and you a widow or solo mother I apologise. The thing that you dont know where she is, like shes gone missing, just means you have to release her to God.

I had a friend who went missing and yes it was her mother who hurt the most. But I do know the friend was saved, even though her body was actually never found not because of her mother but because God was looking out for her...through neighbours and strangers and angels unawares. Jesus goes after that one sheep that goes astray, He truly does. Nobody can snatch them out of his hand.

Thank you for the encouragement and reminder. God is in control