“Look! I drew you something!”
If you’re friends with any little kids, you know how special it is when they draw you something. Whether it’s a lopsided heart, purple clouds, or a misspelled message, there’s lots of love in a note from a child.
Keith and Brooke Desserich were devastated when their six-year-old daughter, Elena, died of an aggressive brain tumor. But in the midst of their grief, they started finding notes from Elena throughout their house.
“I love you Mom” and “I love you Dad” were scribbled on small pieces of paper with lopsided hearts, flowers, and angels. After finding a few notes, Keith and Brooke started searching everywhere. They found hundreds of little notes in between dishes, in the pages of books, and hidden in closets and dressers. Elena left a “Go, Go Gracie!” note for her three-year-old sister and a special card in her dad’s desk at work.
God is eager to remind us of His love.
In the midst of her illness, this sweet little girl was determined to leave reminders of her love. You can read her story and view her notes at notesleftbehind.com.
Elena’s heart reflects God’s heart. Like Elena, God is eager to remind us of His love. Sometimes it seems like He is silent, but His messages are easy to find if we’re willing to look and listen.
God wants us to find evidence of His love in the beauty of nature—the flowers, streams, and sunsets. He wants us to hear His love in the sound of laughter and music. He wants us to feel His love in the warmth of supportive friendships and spiritual community. He wants us to read about His love in the words He’s inspired.
“God has bound our hearts to Him by unnumbered tokens in heaven and in earth. Through the things of nature, and the deepest and tenderest earthly ties that human hearts can know, He has sought to reveal Himself to us” (Ellen White, Steps to Christ, p. 10).
Keith and Brooke turned their house upside down looking for Elena’s notes. God wants us to do the same. According to Scripture, He wants us to “seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him, though He is not far from any one of us” (Acts 17:26-27).
The more we look for His love, the more we’ll find it.
Elise Harboldt
Elise studies theology at Andrews University. A registered nurse, her background is in health ministry and resource development. She is the coauthor of Goodbye Diabetes, Diabetes Undone and graduated from ARISE in 2007.
