The Song That I Clung To (Meet Laura: Inspiring Women Series)

Today’s inspirational woman is probably one whom you’ve heard of, but perhaps you haven’t heard the story behind Laura Story.

My introduction to Laura Story came during a very dark and difficult time in my life. Seven years ago, I was a brand-new mom, suffering from postpartum depression, guilt, exhaustion, and on top of that, a scary potential diagnosis. A few months after my son Sam was born, it was clear that he wasn’t developing well. Physically he was fine, but emotionally and socially he was not meeting appropriate milestones. He wouldn’t look in your eyes, wouldn’t smile, cried inconsolably, was detached. Our pediatrician referred us to an early intervention specialist.

Today if I faced that, I would be a different person. But at the time, it was simply a load I couldn’t bear. I was already doing a horribly bad job at parenting. The possibility that my child had special needs, wasn’t connecting with the world – I felt terrified and helpless. You can read Sam’s whole story in this post. (The gist of it is that the Lord answered our prayers, and he began meeting milestones and developing with no concerns.)

I remember very vividly driving him one day to an appointment, and Laura Story’s song Mighty To Save came on the radio. It was my truth that I clung to. It gave me hope. I would pray it and sing it over and over.

It wasn’t until years later that I grew to appreciate Laura Story as a person, and to realize how much she, too, had clung to the truth of those words.

In 2006, two years after they’d been married, her husband Martin was diagnosed with a brain tumor. While not cancerous, it required several procedures and has rendered him disabled in significant ways.

“You know, we thought Martin would just have hands laid on him and be healed of all these disabilities, and we would travel the country telling about all these healings, but that’s not the story God wants us to tell… And even though it’s not necessarily what I wanted, I can’t argue with the fact that we have come to trust God in a much deeper way.”

Her song, Blessings, was penned as a result of wrestling with this truth. That’s always been a song that I love / but that scares me. Scary truth, you know?

“There was a time he was on a breathing machine, and we weren’t sure he was going to make it. I spent my whole life singing, ‘Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,’ but until Jesus took me through something where my only option was to trust Him, I didn’t really know that sweetness.” (source)

I actually didn’t realize until I started writing this blog post that Laura has published a deeply personal work about these struggles. I haven’t read it, but it has phenomenal reviews on amazon. (see: When God Doesn’t Fix It.)

And again, the chorus of this 31 Inspirational Women series resurfaces. Laura’s greatest weakness and struggle becomes the platform through which she brings encouragement to many and glory to God. How many people have been encouraged by Laura Story and her music?!

I love how she has utilized her platform – how the Lord has utilized her platform – to share her most significant struggle. Laura, thank you. You are a gift to me, and to many!

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