The Diamond Necklace

Last week I shared my testimony from the night the Carr Fire hit the Redding city limits, took houses on our street and threatened our home. (Read that post HERE). That night one of the things I was struggling with was thinking about all the things I’d left in our house because I didn’t really think the fire would get to our neighborhood. Among the list was our wedding video and our engagement picture – since we got married before the digital age – the baby blanket my grandmother had knit me, all our memory boxes and a handful of other things. But one of the things I regretted leaving was the diamond necklace which held the diamond from my engagement ring.

For our ten year anniversary Matt surprised me and upgraded my engagement diamond to a larger one. He had wanted to trade in the original diamond but I told him “no way!”, so I had it turned into a single pendant necklace, and I wear it all the time.

Usually when we travel I wear my diamond necklace, however when we packed up to leave our home we were packing to go to a Country Music Festival.  So I wasn’t thinking about little diamonds, I was thinking about big, showy country-style earrings and necklaces. I packed all the things I never normally wear and was super excited to get to wear them.

But when the fire was barrelling through our neighborhood I kept reaching for my neck where my diamond necklace normally hangs. Grabbing for the diamond I knew might never be there again. Mourning the loss of my dream that someday I would give it to my daughter’s boyfriend to place in a ring for her.

After getting back into town around 6am, the morning after what felt like Hell breaking loose in our city, I was talking with Malea and my mother-in-law telling them how sad I had been thinking about all the things we left behind. At that point we learned our house had made it through the night but we knew there were still fires all round and had no idea what the fire’s next turn would be.

A handful of hours later I decided to take a shower to wake myself up from a night of no sleep, and try to do something “normal” instead of just being glued to the news feed about the fire and devastation in our town.

After my shower I opened the bag of jewelry I had packed to see if there was anything I could wear for the next couple of weeks while we were evacuated. Big blingy earrings were not what I needed but it was all I had packed. But when I opened my jewelry bag I noticed a little plastic jar that I sometimes pack little things in, like my fake diamond earrings, rings, etc. I was confused because I didn’t remember putting it in there and when I pulled it out and opened it up, I was in shock.

Curled up in my little plastic jar was the diamond necklace with my engagement stone.

I started crying because I knew I hadn’t packed it. I remember standing at my dresser going through my jewelry and debating whether or not to take it but in the end I decided not to pack it because I knew I wouldn’t wear it and I didn’t want to risk losing it.

But there it was, in my hands.

In that moment I felt so loved and so seen by God.

But whoever loves God is known by God.” 1 Corinthians 8:3 (NIV)

He knew I was devastated having left the necklace behind, so He, somehow in one of His many miraculous ways, packed it for me. I immediately put it on, crying tears of gratitude, and ran down to tell Malea and my mother-in-law.

In the end we didn’t lose our home but it doesn’t take away from the fact that the Lord knew I was mourning and He chose to give me a gift. If we had lost our home I would still have my diamond necklace because the Lord packed it for me.

There has been so much devastation in our community over the last month but I have heard so many incredible, unexplainable stories that prove the Lord is in the details. Even when our hearts are breaking, He knows what we need because we are His children and He loves us more than we could possibly imagine.

When I had nothing, desperate and defeated, I cried out to the Lord and He heard me, bringing his miracle-deliverance when I needed it most.” Psalm 34:6 (tPt)

He heals the wounds of every shattered heart. He sets His stars in place, calling them all by their names. How great is our God! There’s absolutely nothing His power cannot accomplish, and He has infinite understanding of everything. God supports and strengthens the humble, but the ungodly will be brought down to the dust. Sing out with songs of thanksgiving to the Lord! Let’s sing our praises with melodies overflowing!” Psalm 147:3-7 (tPt)

This is merely one of my stories reminding me the Lord is in the details, it’s something He reminds me of from time to time, when I start to lose my way. If you have a story, from the Carr Fire, or from another time in your life, about the Lord reminding you He’s in the details, please share it in the comments.

I believe our testimonies carry power. It’s through our testimonies that others will come to know the life-giving, love and power of our Lord and Savior, which is what we all need now, in the midst of tragedy, but also throughout our lives.

Now faith brings our hopes into reality and becomes the foundation needed to acquire the things we long for. It is all the evidence required to prove what is still unseen. This testimony of faith is what previous generations were commended for. Faith empowers us to see that the universe was created and beautifully coordinated by the power of God’s words! He spoke and the invisible realm gave birth to all that is seen.” Hebrews 11:1-3 (tPt)