Because of God's great love.

2 Timothy 4:7-8 “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day.”  Remembering a dear friend who danced her way into Heaven two years ago today.  She taught me about the kind of person that I wanted to be. I am a better person for having known her.  I am so thankful to God for the gift of her friendship. I am forever changed because of her friendship and influence on my life.   

My life verses come from Lamentations 3:21-23, 32-33 “Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love. For he does not willingly bring affliction or grief to anyone.”  In the past 2 years I have experienced God’s love, grace and healing in so many ways.  It has been a journey, that is for sure.  Yet, it has been a journey, that I would never change.  

My heart and body have known deep pain… But today I testify that God has been very faithful.  He has proven his love over and over again, to someone who at times doubted God and His goodness.  He has brought healing to places in my life that at times when I lost hope, I truly felt these places would never heal. I felt hopeless about finding relief from the excruciating pain in my back.  For the last 8 months I have experienced such a reduction in pain, that I can once again function in my day to day activities.  God has healed a grieving heart that questioned if I would ever want to “go deep” in my friendships and relationships again.  God taught me to see people and situations through his eyes. His compassions never failed!  Great is His faithfulness!  His love never failed! God is so very good!  I am a better person today, I am closer to God today, My love for him has grown to a depth I never knew existed because of the journey that he has walked with me on and many times carried me through.  I am trying to find words for something that my heart cannot express and I think that is ok….. 

I am going to let this song speak for me today. 

Overflowing With Thanksgiving

Colossians 2:7 – “Let your roots grow down into him and draw up nourishment from him, so you will grow in faith, strong and vigorous in the truth you were taught. Let your lives overflow with thanksgiving for all he has done.” 

I am overflowing with thanksgiving this week!  For the better part of the last year and a half I have had very intense pain in my back. This year I have had Dr. appointments every 2 to 4 weeks at a pain clinic. Many times I prayed (begged, pleaded with God) to take away the pain - to heal me.  After all of this doctoring we were left with one option. About a month ago I underwent a procedure that burned the nerve roots, so that I would not feel the "pain" that is still there. It worked!  I have been given relief from the pain.  I am SO grateful for this feeling of being pain free.  It is amazing how pain can change your outlook and your "feeling" about life in general. Many times I felt forgotten by God. Many times I wondered where he was and why didn't he "fix it"?  But I can tell you today... God does care. GOD IS FAITHFUL. 

This experience with pain, has been a growing experience for me. God became so real to me, even though my prayers seemed to be "unanswered".  I look back through my journal and realize He answered my prayers, in ways I didn't understand, but now as I look back I see it. 

As I mentioned before, a nerve was burned interrupting the message that was being sent to my brain telling it that my back hurt.  As I think about that, I think about God protects us in life from things that would hurt us.  There are experiences in life that would surely change our lives if they were allowed to impact our lives. However, I believe that God puts a hedge around us many times to protect us, a hedge that is unseen, but still there. Psalm 91 tells of us God's protecting arm around us, when it says among many things that "[God] will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands."  I encourage you to read Psalm 91 today and see what it means to you today. 

I leave you with this song today, it has given me strength and encouragement many times.  Chris Tomlin "I Lift My Hands"  Praying that you will know that God is love and God cares today, in whatever area of your life you need to see it.