Day 34: Will's Big Brother from Ms. Bolt

#96days96ways #day34

My story begins with Will’s older brother Joshua. Sweet Joshua was in my class while Courtney was pregnant and gave birth to Will and Caroline. We were excited and celebrated with Joshua each day as their birth date approached. The twins were born and Joshua was beaming with pride! (It’s always so special to watch students gain family members and come back to school and tell us all about their new brothers and sisters.) After the twins became sick and were in the hospital we prayed at every circle time with Joshua and the class. He would give us updates in his four year old way and we would continue to to pray for them. In March during circle time we were praying for all those who are sick or sad like we usually did and Joshua spoke up to correct us that Will wasn’t sick anymore. We asked him again, and he said so angelically, “Will is not sick anymore, he is not in pain, he is with God in heaven” our eyes teared up as we now understood but I couldn’t help but push back my tears and the sadness because I was in total awe of sweet, loving Joshua. I didn’t cry, I smiled and asked Joshua if I could give him a big hug. He came over so sweetly and I just felt his childlike innocence touch me so deeply. An incredible moment in my life, and it was created by a now five year old’s wisdom. Joshua’s parents’ unwavering faith had traveled through him to me. Will Hughes and his amazing family have inspired me in so many ways, but mostly in how they have taken such tragedy and turned it into charity and how they have raised such beautiful children that spread the Lord’s word with their childlike faith. Matthew 18:3 says “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” After that day with Joshua telling us about Will I am forever changed and encouraged to stop trying to ask God why but to trust his plan with childlike faith. 

Lucy Bolt