In today’s guest post, Natasha Lynn Daniels shares her daughter’s story and inspires us to praise God like David in every situation.
When you look up the word “Joy” in the dictionary it should have my daughter’s name as the meaning. Let me introduce her to you! Her name is Vicka Adele, she is a ten-year-old little girl who is developmentally like a five-year-old.
A Listening Heart
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She was born in Ukraine to a birth mother who drank while pregnant with her. The mother was drunk when she gave birth to her at home and then left her to die. Due to these circumstances, she suffered a stroke at birth on the left side of her brain, leaving the right side of her body non-functioning. This made her a child known to have Cerebral palsy. She is a fully functioning little girl that brings JOY to everyone she meets. Vicka Adele has other health issues that include hydrocephalus, epilepsy, hip dysplasia, peripheral vision loss and only half of her brain is functioning! She is sassy, bossy, funny, witty, loving and full of life.
With all this going on she is still so full of joy and she never complains about any of it. She teaches me and her daddy so much and she truly inspires others who watch her love, thrive, and worship our Savior. You see, Vicka Adele loves to sing and she loves to worship. It doesn’t matter if we are at home, in the car, in the store, getting our nails done, or at church, if she feels the Spirit, she will sing loud and I mean loud, and dances wherever she is.
This past summer, Vicka Adele started having uncontrollable seizures and the fluid on her brain is impressive. She was unable to walk, talk, sing and dance. It broke our hearts and we needed answers. I missed her sassiness, her bossiness, her wittiness, her personality but mostly I missed her song. I prayed for God to heal her and beg Him not to take her.
Vicka Adele’s song was gone, so we thought. It was missing but it wasn’t gone because today she is walking, talking, singing and dancing again!! She still has a lot of healing ahead of her and the doctors in Birmingham are still seeking the best medical treatment for her. We have seen improvement and her personality is back. She still has good and bad days, but she is having more good days than bad.
On Sunday, July 26, 2020, we went to church and Vicka Adele wasted no time getting her praise on. She sang loud, dance before the Lord, and lifted her hands in praise to Him. It has been a while since she has been able to do that, her daddy and I just smiled and felt so blessed to watch her do what she loves to do to the One her soul loves.
Dance as David Danced: Praise God with Reckless Abandon
Later that evening I was tagged in a FB video from Sunday morning’s worship and I saw my girl praising. Tear’s slid down my face as I watched her, and I was reminded of David in the old testament.
2 Samuel 6:14 says, “Wearing a linen ephod, David was dancing before the Lord with all his might, while he and all Israel were bringing up the ark of the Lord with shouts and the sound of trumpets.”
David had just experienced months of struggles and finally, a breakthrough came, he was excited and gave thanks and praise to the Lord. He leaped and danced and didn’t care what anyone thought of him. His main focus was to show gratitude to his Savior and worship Him.
I don’t know about you, but I fail many times to give God the praise and worship he deserves. I may hold back due to doubt or anger. I know I hold back because of fear of what others may think. I am reserved in when and where I worship and find many reasons and excuses to justify why. Sigh…. then I see my sweet girl just worship so freely wherever she is and without shame.
I want to be like Vicka Adele, I want to worship and praise my Savior everywhere and through any trial in life no matter what.
Psalm 149:3 says, “Let them praise His name with dancing, making melody to Him with a tambourine and a lyre!”
Let’s praise Him, in the good times and the bad times. Let’s praise Him in the store, in the car, in the nail salon, in the church, let’s praise Him wherever we are whenever the Spirit moves us!! Let’s Dance as David Danced!
Natasha Lynn Daniels is an Author and Speaker. She is a Jesus girl who lives by faith, holds on to hope, and tries to see His “JOY” in every situation. She is married to her loving husband and best friend of 21 years. She enjoys homeschooling her 5 wonderful children. Connect with Natasha at www.natashalynndaniels.com
