Recently I found a new dentist for my kids, and it felt like an Ebenezer moment.
Let me explain.
When my husband was let go from his job at our former church, I had just started working full-time, so we were able to switch to health insurance through my job. But that also meant our kids’ dentist was now out of network. We started looking for a new dentist, and it was stressful! I have four kiddos so it takes time to schedule appointments. We tried two new places. The first place was a total miss; the dentists were impatient and I got a yucky vibe from the whole clinic. The second place wasn’t pediatric-specific, but it was fine. The workers were kind and there was a prize drawer, and while some of the treatments weren’t what we were hoping for, it was ok. Good enough.
Every so often, I’d check our insurance company’s website for in-network clinics and compare it to my list from Google searches and friends’ recommendations—but they never seemed to line up. There was one out-of-network clinic that had every service and treatment we wanted, came with rave reviews, and was all camp-themed. Camp-themed! (If you know my family, you know we LOVE camp!) I sighed every time I saw this clinic on my list because it never appeared on our insurance company’s list of covered providers.
Finding a dentist for my kids became part of my middle-of-the-night worry list (without my consent). Do you have one of those lists, too? It’s the worst. Like a real bummer of a ticker tape parade, worries and fears roll through your head without your permission in the wee hours of what’s supposed to be your time to rest, recharge, and reset. Instead, you toss and turn, blood pressure spiking and thoughts raging despite your best efforts to count sheep.
One day, I found out that my company’s dental insurance was changing. I got back on the insurance website just in case, and there it was: the dream clinic, the camp-themed one that was such a perfect fit! It was on the in-network list! We’ve now been there for several visits and a few procedures, and it has been as wonderful as we’d hoped. My 4-year-old is legit bummed that he can’t go back until his next checkup this summer.
What the heck does this story have to do with the Lord? you may be wondering.
Discovering my kids could now go to this clinic felt like a good and perfect gift directly from God. It was a tangible display in my life of God doing what God does — making beauty from ashes, bringing joy from sadness, and offering delight from a situation that felt like would never produce anything good.
And of course, it’s not just about a kids’ dentist. It’s about the good and perfect gifts God gives if we open our hands to drop what was just good enough.
Besides the new dentist, my husband’s painful job loss also led us to find a new church, which has become a second home for our family. We’ve made more friends and found deeper community there in under three years than we had in twenty years at our former church. The kids have friends from all parts of their life — school, sports, Scouts, the neighborhood — all meeting up together at church. My husband and I can volunteer and be involved in ways we couldn’t before. It’s been a major gift in our life to have this new place, all beauty from ashes.
When it all crashed and fell apart, God had the next right thing ready to roll.
Did it hurt? Heck yes. Did I believe the next right thing even existed? No, I did not. Did I want to go back in time and step back into what had been just fine, good enough, ok? I did. Was the next thing a good gift and so much better than what had been? Absolutely.
And you know what? Without everything falling apart, we would never have left our church or the dentist because they were fine. They were good enough. We were sufficiently happy there. And yet, waiting for us was something so much better.
“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”
James 1:17 NIV
I think about the good enoughs from my past, and the ‘good and perfects’ I would have missed out on if I hadn’t stepped away. The dentist. That church. Boyfriends. (Praise the God of small and large favors for the wisdom to step away from all the boyfriends of my youth except the one who became my husband!) Jobs. Relationships. Ideas.
The what-ifs alone are enough to make one shudder and also give deepest thanks for the leading of God’s still, small voice.
As for that Ebenezer, according to Google, An Ebenezer is a stone monument that commemorates God’s help, and the phrase “raise your Ebenezer” is a reminder to remember God’s blessings. The word “Ebenezer” is Hebrew for “stone of help”. I may not have an actual rock that helps me remember God’s goodness, but I have kids with clean teeth that are a testament. I have dear friends at church, a pew that has become “ours”, and a family who is excited about belonging.
May we never tire of seeking the Ebenezer stones in our life. Big and small, tangible or otherwise, let’s look for reminders of God’s love and good gifts. May we never settle for good enough when God’s good and perfect beckons. And may we tune our ears to listen for the still, small voice that guides our steps with wisdom to tell the difference.
Amen Anna!
When I look back over my life, there are so many times that God moved me to something better. I wouldn’t have had the courage to make the move myself!
Sending you St. Patrick’s Day joy!
Lisa
Sometimes it does take a good shove from the Lord, doesn’t it? Thanks Lisa!
Anna, you’ve done it again! Thank you for your inspiring testimony. We all have these Ebenezers. We just have to notice them. And praise God for them!
Irene, you’re the best. Thank you for being here and cheering me – us all – on!
I keep my prayer journals as my Ebenezer stones. Reading over them reminds me all the ways God has been faithful to me.
Love that, Maura. Thanks for sharing.
Anna thank you sharing your heart in today devotional that you wrote. To having to find a new Dentist. I can relate having to find a new Dentist. One of my sister’s recommend that I go to her friend that is Dentist that does implants. As I suffer from seizures one time I had seizure and knocked my front two teeth at the top. They couldn’t be fixed as I badly broke them. I had a Dentist before my sister said go to her friend to get the implants in. They had done away with themselves. So when this happened my teeth because of seizure. I hadn’t got any Dentist. So I went to my sister’s friend to have the implants put in. Yes she was just brilliant at doing them. For the two she charged an lot of money it was very very deer. But I went to her to get them done as soon as possible and because she was my sister friend. I got a shock and so did my Husband at the price she charged for doing them. As with my health I don’t work. My Husband is the only one working. It took a huge chunk out of any money we had. But God was good he made sure we had enough for everything else we needed like the bills to pay to do with our house. I believe God did that as we tithe as it the right thing to do in God’s eyes a tenth of any money we have each month to the Lord. But it was a good Dentist my sister’s friend runs even after I had my expensive implants done I went to my sister’s friend for a few more times. Each time it was very very deer. My Husband was at different Dentists it was so so much cheaper for the same work and just as good for less money. My sisters friend is not saved like my sister either. So God showed me that my sister’s friend who was doing Dentistry charging so much was to keep up her flashly life style and big house. I was by going to her helping her keep it up but not thinking of our needs paying her this money and that I could give more of it to God work each month. God would do what it says in Philippines 4:19. “My God shall supply all your needs according to his riches in glory” Not our greeds our needs. But I had to get the bravery to tell my sister I was leaving her friends Dentist as far to deer and my Husband she all ready knew this was the only bread winner with me and my health in our home. God said stand up tell her and go into her friends Dentist say your leaving to go to the same Dentist as your Husband. My sister was not happy as she got me into her friends Dentist to get my implants done. As with everyone other Dentists I have to wait to get them done her friend done them nearly right away. But God said to my Husband. If your sister stuck her head in the fire would you. Meaning do you have to do everything she wants you do. So I told them at Dentist I was leaving and my sister I had left joined my Husband Dentist. It was just as perfect a Dentist but half the price. God said to me I am proud of you for nicely stand up to your sister and not letting her dictate what you should do and wasist money you don’t need to waist. We both now because I left my sister’s friends Dentist and went to another one the same as my Husband alot cheeper can give a little bit more each month to help God work people less well of than us. I so happy about that. Love Dawn Ferguson-Little Enniskillen Co.Fermanagh N.Ireland xx
Anna, Thank you! You brought me into your world of everyday life, and I feel like I know you. I may not be looking for a dentist for my kiddos; my youngest is 40 years old, but I am still eager to know Jesus walks me through each and every time I stumble through life, looking for His good and perfect gift!