Repost...

This is an older post from '08 that really speaks volumes to my families current situation and my thinking on the matter. Hope to log in soon to share reflections of the last four months of our journey. Until then as always friends, Keep your head up because that is the direction of the Son-shine... My True Thanks Giving: Ever feel your attempts at communicating the emotions that accompany the exhaustion in your heart are just plain feeble? Sometimes it's just beyond your words to express the isolation that your individual experiences can lead you to on those coarser days. There's a sadness that begins to settle when you realize the weather patterns not changing, so you better put on your raincoat and raise your umbrella because this will be a long storm. I've known those feeling and I've always thanked the Father for teaching me that those feelings are a misconception. They are like illusions. Lies of the heart that the Devil uses to separate us from the Father's loving hand. They cannot and will not reflect the certainty of Joy that comes from resting in the Father's love. Romans 8:26 "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express." Now that's not to say we aren't surrounded by flesh. So for the most part many of us (maybe not all, but for most of us) we'll need to discard the lies of the flesh so that we can press on. Those feelings will come, but the challenge for those of us who believe is to release them and instead cling to what is real & lasting. Philippians 3:3 "For it is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the Spirit of God, who glory in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh." I am always so profoundly impressed when the Father equips me to stand in His love. Job 36:15 "But those who suffer He delivers in their suffering; He speaks to them in their affliction." What a remarkable strength that clearly surpasses my own. A renewal that can only come from a parent's affirming love. No matter what type of up bringing we 've had, no matter who we looked at for parental guidance we were always strongest when we received reassuring love. A great example of that is in Luke 15:20 (The example of the Prodigal Son) "So he got up and went to his father.... But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him." What loving mercy. My Faith deepens each and every time the Lord chooses to personally come down and rescue me, even when it's from myself at times. Isaiah 66:11-16. What protection, what generosity like no other. Don't you just love it when you know sometimes all the aspects of your day were specifically designed to refresh you?... to get you to hold on. To protect your grip from slipping. He doesn't have to do that. He doesn't have to repeatedly demonstrate His love (I mean come one he gave us Jesus already) but he does. Sometimes it's in a babies smile, or your children's laughter, or the Churches' voice singing, or in the pages of the bible, or revealed in answered prayer. Perhaps it's in a hug without words, or a listening ear, or a loved ones forgiveness, or your forgiveness to that loved one. All of it, big and small, a design of love from God. I thank you Father this day. I truly do. See He doesn't accuse; He doesn't grow impatient; He just reaches down and takes hold of us. Now if that's not giving I don't know what is. That my friends is exactly why I had a wonderful Thanks Giving Holiday. Love you Daddy! Philippians 3 (continued...) vs.7 But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. 10I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.

He has Already Made Me Victorious

1 John 4:4 (NLT) "But YOU belong to God, my dear children. You have ALREADY won a VICTORY over those people, because THE SPIRIT who lives in you is GREATER THAN the spirit who lives in the world." ....THIS IS THE POWER that propels me to stay joyful. The power of the King of Kings. I RELY ON THIS TRUTH knowing that He who sits above all forces of nature and all darkness of this world has already made me victorious by redemption thru the blood of His son. He makes me whole and protects my soul from all challenges that I face because I stand in His mercies. Not because I am worthy, but because He gifts me that freedom. So here I stand in the firm grip of His sovereign hand, delighting in the Brightness of His eternal glory. God is able.

There is a Hope in Jesus

So much going on... too much to share in the limited time I have before waiting for the office to open so I can make the next call to the doctor, but to those that have been following our journey I'd like to add a brief share. A few months ago I was told several things were going on and wrong with my back. Most of it manageable, but at the time it was creating trouble with my walking and created numbness in the hands and feet. I had developed two cyst, one in the neck and one in the lower spine as well as several bone spurs thru out the disc. I needed intense physical therapy that ended prematurely because my body couldn't handle the shifting that came with some of the techniques. (PT's advice, not whatI wanted as it was finally starting to help some of the pain). I started to get sad again and needed extra doses of God's good word. I thought that it was going to be way too much to digest after the various things I had moved past the last 2 1/2 years (only by God's good strength), when suddenly none of it even mattered anymore. Within weeks of that diagnosis, my daughter was diagnosed with a really bad S curve do to scoliosis of her spine. Quickly and swiftly we were being told she should under go surgical intervention for this condition. We went for the second opinion consult at a very well known Hospital in the city and they confirmed we should move forward. This was such a devastating blow to myself and Hubby as she is very tiny. It will require major surgery. After tons of prayer and lots of support from family and church family we made the decision to move forward. The best part has been watching my daughter's faith grow. After the crying and the initial shock from all of it, she told me, "Mommy it's going to be okay. God had put this in my life for a reason and I know it's also to help me stay close to Him." I couldn't believe the little voice with such power that was talking to me, but she has been a pillar since. And trying to use the opportunity to share God with everyone she meets through the multiple Dr. visits and various testing. I am learning a lot through god using my own child. However, some days are hard especially because she has some other health issues that take a toll on her little body. Watching her deal with all of this has been one of the most challenging things I've endured as a parent. I myself have been chronically ill in some form or another for the last 13 years and God has always kept me joyful, but nothing prepared my mine for this. I love her so much. I am asking God to help me remember He not only created her, He also loves her more than my heart can house. If you too are sad or overwhelmed, please know and trust God is always working. Please know your are not alone. He loves us so much and merely wants us to turn towards Him during these difficult times. Sometimes things are stacked soooo high. If you focus on the fact that they are swaying as they are rising and not on the Wisdom of the one who strategically placed them on top of each other then you loose sight of trusting that none of it it will fall over. God's been engineering along time. He doesn't need my understanding of His skill... just my submission to it. We know He is working; God is able! Psalm 107:26-28, 30-31 NIV ...; in their peril their courage melted away:. They reeled and staggered like drunkards; they were at their wits’ end. Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he brought them out of their distress. They were glad when it grew calm, and he guided them to their desired haven. Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind.

Hope

One thing the World's darkness can never snuff out is the light of Hope that lives inside my Soul as I await for the redemption of my Soul....& that's not because there hasn't been several attempts to do that, but rather because it is not dependent on that which surrounds my life force, but instead on Him (Christ) who provides it from deep within me..."Hope= the act of looking FORWARD to something with DESIRE and REASONABLE CONFIDENCE"...Romans 8:24-25 (NIV) For IN THIS hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25 BUT if we HOPE for what we do not see, we WAIT for it with Patience.....no matter what the trial is shouting at you...rest assured knowing that In Christ we can have full completion and one day these fleeting things will pass! Love and Peace friends.

All that He Gave...

"Yet it was our weaknesses He carried; it was our sorrows that weighed Him down....He was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. All of us, like sheep, have gone astray....No one cared that He died without descendants, that His life was cut short in midstream. But He was struck down....When He sees all that is accomplished by His anguish, He will be satisfied.....And because of His experience, my righteous servant will make it possible for many to be counted righteous, for He will bear all their sins. I will give Him the honors of a victorious soldier, because He exposed himself to death." Isaiah 53:4-12 NLT...& this is why I Love Him so :-) ♥...Hope everyone Has a wonderful Weekend Celebrating The Resurrection of Christ, without Him I personally could endure nothing!

God Can and He WILL...

Metaphorically & literally..I've felt the sting of when you’re knocked to your knees on a course surface & your trying to muster up the strength to rise back up thru the burn from having wounded them only to be knocked back down on to them again. You have two choices at that point, either get back up or stay down. I might have taken a few too many minutes to shake of the sting & pull up off that first downed knee, here and there, but they both ready to be used. Ready to rise up, and keep it moving..God equips us regardless of the equipment, if we let Him! Phil. 4:13-20 For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength… And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus. Now all glory to God our Father forever and ever! Amen.

This School Year in Review

What a difference a year makes. I can't believe it's already April. Very thankful my youngest was brought home.(Disclaimer: I believe every kids is different & that public education offers many wonderful Educators)...However for my family, this year offered so much for my once shy, isolated baby,who was often the subject of bullying. Though she still feels comfortable playing by herself...she's learned to feel free anytime of day to resort to prayer thru any trial big or small, made great friendships, learned her talents, excelled in her weaker subjects, fallen in love with reading, and participated in an awesome cooperative learning group with some beautiful children. What a gifted time this year was, thanking God for how much she's grown. :) “Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10