Tag Archives: prayer

Jan17

365 Moments Of Gratitude: Thankful For Friends You Can Say Even Silly Things To

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I am thankful for all friends. Today, though, I just want to share my gratitude for those handful of friends you can turn to and say pretty much anything to.

This morning, I had a headache.

This afternoon, I had a really bad headache.

I went to lunch – thinking maybe, just maybe, food would help with that. I figured it a possibility since I hadn’t had much to eat prior to lunch. As I get ready to eat, and even eat a few bites, I realize this is the wrong answer. I didn’t feel sick or anything, but my body just was not happy with the idea of food either. So, after a while of pretending I was going to eat and not really eating much, lunch was over.

I should add that I also used some peppermint and balsam fir essential oils, and will do an entirely different post on those later. While they felt good, and helped, my headache would not budge.

So, realizing that God cares about even the small details, I reached out to a couple of friends for prayer. I felt silly, but I know that God answers prayers – even ones we feel are silly! This is a copy of an actual text message I sent to a friend of mine, “Hey, this may be a stupid / silly request, but I have this really bad headache and nothing is helping. I don’t get headaches often. Pray for my head? Haha” As I knew would be the response, they agreed.

Between laying down and getting a little rest, therapeutic grade essential oils, and especially the prayers of friends, I feel much MUCH better. I’m not 100% – but I am feeling a considerable amount better. In fact, I just ate a little of the leftover lunch from this afternoon. My body now thanks me instead of protests.

You see, I am thankful for these kind of friends. To those of you I reached out to today with this simple prayer request, please know you have my gratitude – simply for being one of those kind of friends in my life and especially for your willingness to pray. As we know, prayers make a difference. Thank you, friends!

Jan3

365 Moments Of Gratitude: Thankful For My Doctor

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It is with a thankful heart that I’d like to share gratitude for my doctor today. This man is a proactive doctor who believes in not leaving stones un-turned, and getting to the bottom of whatever medical situation that arises. He instills confidence in his patients.

In about an hour, I will be having a minor surgery, and I’m grateful to be in good hands.

(For those of you who have been following my blog for any length of time, you know I’ve been facing some uncertain health concerns. The prayer is that this surgery will yield benign / good results. I will, of course, update afterwards. Thanks for continuing to stand with me in faith and prayer!)

*******EDITED TO ADD*******
On the same note, still grateful for my doctor. He was calm and reassuring, even as he explained the complexity of the issue. What made the procedure more peaceful still was that, when read to begin the procedure, his assistant turned on the radio. It was set to a local Christian radio station. I cannot explain the calm and peaceful atmosphere. The doctor was very good at what he did, and was able to successfully remove one of the masses. It is being sent to pathology now, and we should have results within 7-10 days — at which time I’ll go in for both results, and to have stitches removed. All in all, it was a good appointment – if there is such a thing in this situation. It is now that we just continue to stand in faith, believing for that good report (benign / no cancer) in a week or so. I’ll update accordingly! Thanks again for continued prayers! I appreciate each and every one of you.
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Dec15

Personal Reflection and Prayer For America – Connecticut Elementary School Shooting

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Yesterday’s tragedy is very much still on the hearts of many people across America and the world…mine included. My heart breaks with the people of Newtown, CT. However, it also breaks with the rest of our nation. These were precious children and loving adults – precious lives cut short. So many people have asked why. A question to which there is no answer. Many people comment that it simply isn’t fair – and it’s not. It’s not okay, and it never should be. As I commented yesterday – I don’t want to be living the day that this sort of thing is commonplace, and when it becomes “just another day” in our lives. We SHOULD be outraged. We should hurt with those who are hurting. We should allow ourselves to be heartbroken with those who are grieving. And we are. Let’s continue to pray for the people in the community of Newtown, Ct – as well as those who are grieving alongside them. Let’s continue to show support and prayer for Newtown, CT – the victims and their families, the teachers and their students who witnessed this tragedy, the first responders and emergency personnel that are processing what they saw, and a nation that desperately needs it. Lives were forever changed, and will not ever be the same.

The personal reflection I am doing, however, tells another kind of story. Yes, we ARE outraged. However, I’d like to pose a question I’ve been asking myself. Where are all these prayer and emotions the other 364 days of the year? It shouldn’t take a tragedy of this magnitude to get us on our knees in prayer for this nation we call home. Along those lines, it should also not take a tragedy like this to make us give our kids hugs, to love on them just that much more. Yesterday, I said several times that (as I was holding one child and waiting for the others to get home from school) I couldn’t wait for them to get home so I could grab them up, hug them, hold them and just love on them. That’s something I should be doing every day. They need to know my love and how much I care about them, regardless of what is going on in the nation. Tragedy or no tragedy, my love for them remains.

My prayer for this nation is that we wake up. We should learn to love our families, our neighbors and yes – that stranger walking down the street. God calls us to love one another. He doesn’t say to love when it’s convenient, and he doesn’t say to love after an emergency happens. He has created us as community people. We need to link arms, and create a resolve that’s unable to be broken. Yes, our hearts SHOULD break when these kind of things happen. But, we should band together in unity during “life as normal” as well. America, Where is our passion? Don’t allow the passion you felt yesterday, and the heartbreak you feel today to disappear as the days go on. Allow God to soften your heart, and to keep it from hardening as life happens around us. Pray for your friends. Pray for your neighbors. Even pray for those you don’t feel worthy of prayer. Pray for the victims in CT, and especially pray for this nation.

May we, as a nation and through the world, never lose hope – and always know love!!!

Dec9

Bearing One Another’s Burdens

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Bearing one another’s burdens…I’d like to dive right into this topic – right after a bit of background and catching up we have to do.

The past few days have been exhausting – both mentally as well as physically. I had a doctor’s appointment this past Thursday that was much less than fun. To recap, I left the doctor’s office with the necessity to have a tetanus shot, another referral to see cardiologist, and surgery scheduled for three weeks from then.

The tetanus shot was because a crafting (cutting) tool rolled right off of my desk, and into my leg. Since there was a puncture wound, the doctor thought it prudent.

The referral to cardiology is to see if they can rule out my heart as cause for some other medical concerns they cannot pinpoint the cause of.

The surgery scheduled is to remove a lump/mass from my back (and possibly one from my stomach) and then sending to pathology to determine what it’s made of. We are, of course, praying it is not cancerous, and nothing else to be concerned with.

I’m also semi-looking forward to the appointment with the breast surgeon to hopefully have answers on that front. All this waiting without having answers is bothering me.

I would like to stress something though. I do not fear a diagnosis, even of cancer. No, I do not WANT one – but nor do I live in fear of it. The absolute truth is that I serve a God larger than life, and He knows exactly how to take care of me – regardless of the outcome. It is His peace and strength that continues to sustain me. Even when there are days I feel like losing hope, I know that He is holding me. The God that holds this entire universe also holds me in the palm of His hand. What a loving and safe place to be!

What has truly made a difference, especially recently, is people. The people that God has in my life have really made a huge difference. As I keep saying, God created us to be community people. We all need other people, myself included. We are not meant to walk through life alone. Not me, and not you. This past week though, God has truly shown His love in such a real way through the compassion and love from friends. As I was discussing everything that is unraveling in my life of recent history, I remarked at how much I’m learning to reach out and connect with people. The reflective response made me think. “Imagine if this had all been going on a year ago, think of how different it would be” and that was so right. I was at a relatively dark place at times, and I cannot say how it would be different – other than really not good.

Another instance of God in action through the heart of friends was to hear a friend’s reaction to my most recent doctor’s appointment. A few days after having explained the situation, we were talking. Not sounding particularly chipper, I asked how the week had gone, or what was going on. The compassion that they probably didn’t even realize they spoke with really illuminated God’s love for me in a real way. It was shared that there was just a lot on their mind, a week full of life unfolding before their eyes, and that they also were struggling with me on the news and/or possibilities of these current medical concerns. At first, it made me sad because I had (especially without intending to) made another person upset or sad themselves. Not my goal. However, as I thought on it, I was appreciative that God has people in my life that are walking through life, and through this situation with me. I truly am NOT alone. This person and particular situation isn’t isolated. There are other people carrying this with me, and I am grateful. I don’t want them to have to, but blessed that they are.

Yesterday, in fact, I was out eating lunch with my children. As I stood up to leave, I was light headed, and spoke with my son about it briefly. Another couple who was nearby heard, and asked if I was alright. Complete strangers. They asked if it was a medical condition. I explained briefly that it was, but I’d been seen by doctors, so far with no answer to explain why this happens. I knew it would be over within minutes, so wasn’t worried too much. What happened next was a phenomenal display of God’s love in human form. The man asked my name. Not sure where this was going, I told him my first name. His response was that they would pray for me tomorrow when their small group Bible study meets before church. It didn’t stop there. They asked if there was anything else, and I felt a strange peace in sharing (very briefly) what’s going on with regards to the unknowns with me medically right now. With compassion they said they would pray, and would continue. They would pray for peace that only God can give. After we spoke, I asked where they went to church, said thank you, and we went on about our day. I was, however, blessed by such a small thing. No, it wasn’t earth-shattering. It was two complete strangers following the heart of God in a little way that made a huge difference.

There have been many people I have reached out to, and who have reached back to me – in prayer and friendship. I could tell you story after story about the people who God has used to bless me in small and large ways. God is faithful – 100% of the time.

The title of this blog post is what I set out to write about here — how, as Christians, we are called (Galations 6:2) to bear/carry one another’s burdens. This passage of scripture may not be directly speaking of carrying situations such as my own, but God used it to speak directly to my heart, to show His love in a real way through the body of Christ, and through such a variety of friends who care. I strive to be that person that people lean on when times are happy, and when times are tough. I’m not, however, used to being that person needing the same.

The entire point I am trying to point out through this entire post is that God loves us with a crazy love. It doesn’t always make sense, but it is real. He calls us to walk through life together. Just as I am finding how not alone I am, you are also not alone. No matter what situation you are facing, you are not alone. You are loved. The God who holds the universe has you safely in His hands. Trust Him with your life, and don’t be shocked when He acts on your behalf – when He shows you love in ways generally unfamiliar. He is a God of love, and a God who cares about even the most minute detail of your life. Allow God to be God, and watch how He takes care of you!!