Living and Learning Together: 52 Devotional Parables to Help You Grow Closer to God

By Verna Atkinson

“After God spoke long ago in various portions and in various ways to our ancestors through the prophets, in these last days he has spoken to us in a son…” wrote the writer to the Hebrews (Hebrews 1:1-2a New English Translation).
In Living and Learning Together, Verna Atkinson invites you to listen in on the personal way God speaks to her through the people He places in her life, especially her son, Rob. Somehow, the lens of Down syndrome through which Rob views the world offers meaningful and sometimes poignant insights into the things God wants to teach you.
You may want to read the book straight through, pick it up occasionally for a brief meditation, or to use it on a daily basis. At different times you will chuckle, smile, cry, and most often pause to think about your own life as Verna helps you look for the ways God is teaching you through those closest to you in your daily walk.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Word Alive Press
• Release date: Jan 24, 2019
• ISBN: 9781486617920

Book preview

Pray

Dear Friends,

Our lives were changed when my husband Robert decided to retire early so he could work fulltime with Construction Workers Christian Fellowship (CWCf). At that point, I had not been working outside the home for some time because we had been concerned about our son Rob’s health. Rob is our adult son with Down syndrome who lives with us.

The three of us talked and decided we would become Hard Hat missionaries as CWCf had long been nicknamed Hard Hats for Christ. Robert had served on CWCf’s board for several years and had wanted to become more involved. Rob and I were not sure how we were going to fit in because we were joining a construction ministry, but we talked about helping in any way we could.

We moved to live near the CWCf office, leaving behind our longtime home, wonderful neighbors, great friends and beloved church. We faced lots of adjustments and changes. Robert had hoped to work on projects as part of the remodeling, maintenance and construction that CWCf does for other ministries; Rob and I were planning to be his helpers and sidekicks.

But God had other plans, and orchestrated things so that we all ended up being part of the home office staff. Robert is the Project Coordinator and I was given the title of Member Care Coordinator. Most of the time Rob enjoys being our helper as we volunteer in the office several hours each workday.

As part of my job, I prepare a weekly list of prayer requests for distribution to CWCf volunteers and partners. At first, we didn’t know everyone, and they didn’t know us. Because I knew it can be hard to share prayer requests with someone you don’t know, I decided to write a letter to include with the prayer list each week. I started sharing things God taught me during the week, thinking it would help others to get to know me and help them be willing to share what God was doing in their lives. Much to my surprise (and even disbelief), more than a few of those who received those emailed letters encouraged me to publish my devotional thoughts.

This book is comprised of excerpts from these letters. It’s our prayer that as you read it you will also be drawn into closer fellowship with God and give Him glory and praise as you see how gently and patiently He works in our lives as we Live and Learn Together.

Love,

Verna

one

You

Talking

to Me?

Once in a while, as they were growing up my children would develop a condition my mother used to call being deaf on purpose. This problem occurs when you hear what is being said, are aware it’s being addressed to you, but you have no intention of responding in any way, shape or form. It happened again the other day when we reminded Rob of a chore: he didn’t pretend to be deaf, but he got a look of complete surprise on his face, and, with a cocky little grin, said, What? Are you talking to me? Since then that has also been his response when we say, I love you. Each night, I go through his night-time routine, kiss him and whisper goodnight. As I am leaving the room I hear him say softly through his CPAP mask, What? Are you talking to me?

This made me think about the ways that God talks to us. He speaks pretty clearly on Sunday mornings as our pastor teaches from God’s Word. He speaks through His Word when we sit down and read it and through the Holy Spirit who dwells within us. Sometimes we respond in surprise, What? Are you talking to me? Sometimes we respond in awe and wonder.

In Isaiah 30:21 God says to us, "Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, ‘This is the way. Walk in it.’"

God talks to us as we spend time with Him and seek to live our lives for Him. I want to be listening! Because, yes, God is talking to me and to you too!

• Think about some things God has been trying to tell you that you haven’t wanted to hear.

• What do you think God is saying to you?

• How can you learn to hear what God is saying to you?

two

Since

God

Loves US

I don’t know how you react when someone isn’t nice to one of your children, but I have a lot of trouble being nice under those circumstances.

About twenty years ago, we were attending a big church that had three services each weekend. We loved getting up early on Sunday mornings, attending the early service and then going out for breakfast as a family. It was something we all looked forward to. One Sunday we had been to church and heard a wonderful sermon. As we waited to be seated at the restaurant, we laughed and joked together. It was a really busy morning and as the waitress led us to our table, we could see that most of the tables were full of people already enjoying their breakfast. I don’t remember what happened or even whether anything happened to upset the people at a table near us, but as we sat down at our table to look at our menus, we started hearing comments that were not directed at us but were about us.

I don’t know why people like that have to come out in public. They should just keep him at home. Don’t they know how that makes the rest of us feel? It could ruin a person’s appetite!

With tears gathering in our eyes, we tried to pretend we couldn’t hear what was being said. Thankfully the people at that table were just finishing their meal and left before our food came. We were crushed, hurt and very angry. Afterwards I thought of all kinds of