Elena Desserich was nearly 6 years old when she was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. As the cancer took its toll, her ability to speak was gradually stolen away. But little Elena would not be denied. Wise beyond her years, she continued to communicate and express her love for her family through handwritten notes.
Sadly, cancer took Elena less than a year after her diagnosis. Before she died, however, she apparently began to hide literally hundreds of little love notes and drawings throughout the house for her family to find after she was gone. Her parents would continue to find them intermittently in places like briefcases, among Christmas decorations, and tucked between the pages of old coloring books.
Elena’s thoughtful little notes remind me of God’s letters to us—the Bible. He left us 66 letters—love notes from a heavenly Father that tell us the story of His care and draws us to His ultimate good for our lives.
Thinking of the Bible in this way takes me to the Psalms, where David penned these lyrics for God, “Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path” (Psalm 119:105). He also wrote, “The instructions of the Lord are perfect, reviving the soul. . . . The commandments of the Lord are right, bringing joy to the heart” (19:7-8).
Later, in the New Testament, the apostle Paul reminded us, “Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled” (Romans 15:4).
Today, take time to read the Bible and find the love notes left for you there. Let each one fall afresh on your heart—reminding you of God’s unwavering love that has changed your life forever.
More:
I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life (1 John 5:13).
Next:
What passage of Scripture speaks to you deeply about God’s love? What love note will you offer to Him today?
agapegirl88 on August 11, 2010 at 9:30 am
I just want to say that ODJ and the devos on here are somtimes the only thing that I feel I can rely on that ‘I’ do not have to find energy to help me be uplifted.
I’m mentally exhausted beyond what I have ever been in dealing with the situation with my sister and it can be difficult to find the mental energy to seek out comfort in God’s word.
This scripture today was just so comforting and uplifting.
Thanks Jeff and ODJ.
4 Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled Romans15:4
dianalovesjesus2 on August 11, 2010 at 11:59 am
Psalm 139 ….
kdesserich on August 12, 2010 at 9:19 am
Jeff – thank you for your tribute to my daughter, Elena, and the message she still brings to our family daily. You are right in that as we pass through the day we all find notes in the beauty of the world around us, reminding us of God’s love.
It’s ironic that when we first wrote the journal, and now the book, “Notes Left Behind” we titled it for the notes we were attempting to leave behind for our youngest daughter about her older sister. In time, the title became so much more when after her passing we discovered the notes she hid throughout the house telling her own message. Each simply said “I Love You”.
Today the journal that we published reluctantly is now a New York Times bestseller and is translated into 20 languages worldwide (www.notesleftbehind.com), but most importantly all of our US proceeds go towards yet another message. That is a message for other children fighting cancer through increased research funding at the charity inspired by Elena, The Cure Starts Now (www.thecurestartsnow.org). And experts believe that with a cure for the cancers we fund research for, we will find a homerun cure for all cancers, both adult and childhood.
As you so appropriately wrote, God’s love and message never ends. Just as we read his notes still today, so does he help even our children to have more of an impact than we will ever know. And just as His message tells us, Elena’s message is one of simplicity: “I Love You”.
Thank you Jeff.
Keith Desserich
Father
jeff olson on August 12, 2010 at 10:03 am
Keith,
Your most welcome for the tribute to Elena! It was our privelege. What an amazing little girl! I look forward to meeting up with her in heaven.
And thanks for sharing about the charity. It’s encouraging to see how God continues to redeem so much good in the fight against cancer out of your family’s heartbreaking loss.
Jeff
livewithlove on August 16, 2010 at 5:08 am
Memorizing God’s Words and allowing it to settle into our hearts are two of the greatest privileges one could have as a child of God.
lizet on January 28, 2011 at 10:42 pm
how sad we’ve failed to recognize God’s love notes. Yet He is still waiting for us to notice Him. May we immerse ourselves, open our hearts, minds and soul in hearing God’s message in our lives.