Well, she’s done it again … that sweet wife of mine has penned my thoughts to a T! Read and be blessed!Thanksgiving
in the words of Bonita SeeligLast Thanksgiving, Steve and I were barely hanging on. We were exhausted from a full year plus of stressful chemo, MRIs, blood work, medication changes and additions, back pain, terrible hip pain, and the overwhelming uncertainty of tomorrow. Now after hip surgery, the hip is still healing, but over a year of no cancer growth, that news has lessened the stress. So, we have had fun times with family and friends, and we are walking daily with this disease. God has placed us on this journey, and also given us a ministry to the suffering. Who would know that God still uses those in difficulty? Well, we have read that in The Word all our life, and now we walk this journey with Him in the lead.
Beth Moore’s ministry, Living Proof, has challenged their women to memorize the book of James. I thought “what a lofty goal.” My mind is full of medicine, complications, doctors, doctors’ instructions, schedules, and the unexpected. How could I challenge my brain to do any more than I am? But, my brain is also weary of those things that stress everyday life, so I opened the book of James. I read:
“James, a bond-servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes who are dispersed abroad: Greetings. Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” (James 1:1-4 NASB)
Isn’t it like The Word of God to capture you where you are, hold you secure, and keep you from forgetting who holds you in His hands?
During this time of ministry to the suffering, I have met several women (more than I would like to count) who have loved ones with the disease of Glioblastoma brain cancer. I never fail to say to them that there will be times of JOY. As surprising as that seems, there are special, tender times of joy. “Consider it all joy…” the scripture says. I haven’t been able to be joyful with the “all” word yet. But I know that I am being refined because I am developing endurance. For, I know Who is holding my hand.
My dear friends, Terri and Vicky, have lost their husbands this year. This is their first Thanksgiving, and then Christmas, without their husband (their best friend, their boyfriend, their strong rock in their home, their fellow partner in ministry, the love of their life). They have chosen to walk this journey close to The One who has promised them the “perfect result.” I am honored to call them friends.
Thankfully, I humbly say, that I am also a bond-servant of the most Holy God and the Lord Jesus Christ. I believe in Him with all my heart, and I believe that I will live eternally with Him because of the faith that I have in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Happy Thanksgiving to all of you who have been such encouragers to us! All praise and honor and glory be to Him who called us to persevere. What a journey!
(Why not join the challenge, during this season, to memorize with us the book of James? Take apart every sentence, every word. Live with it daily on your heart. If you, or I, only end up memorizing one verse or just read through the book, what have you lost? YOU HAVE GAINED WISDOM. James 1:5 🙂
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Archives for November 2014
Thanksgiving
November 20, 2014 By
