Some thoughts I’m impressed upon to share, while sitting in the ER with Steve, Thursday, December 7, 2017.
I’ve been blessed to be asked of late, by many people, how I’m doing through all this. The love is felt from you all!❤️ Thankful and grateful for all you precious people God has placed in our lives.
I needed to sit and reflect a while in order to really give an accurate answer to that.
It will be 4 years next month since Steve first fell ill. Before we knew it was cancer.
(Took 3 months to get the diagnosis).
How am I doing? God has been my Rock, my Strength and Sustainer, my Peace, for which I’m eternally grateful!
Heb. 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
2Cor. 12:10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Rom. 5:2 through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
2Cor. 9:8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.
2Cor. 12:9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
These are precious promises that I hold on to!
I have joy in so many ways. But alongside of it is sorrow. They seem to co-exist within me at this time. It is a paradox, but scripture says:
Psa. 30:5 Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning.
Psa. 126:5 Those who sow in tears Shall reap in joy.
Hab. 3:18 Yet I will rejoice in the LORD,
I will joy in the God of my salvation.
John 15:11 ¶ “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.
Acts 20:24 But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.
I post these scriptures so all will see Jesus. He is the Author and Finisher of my faith. He is my Savior and I believe His Word.
So, I face those moments, allow that pain and shed a few tears. I allow the sadness. It’s human and God designed us with emotions, but they are just moments. Moments of how our life looks nothing like the life we dreamed of. It died, we mourned, but our eyes and hearts are fixed on Jesus. We believe and know God has something planned that is His best for us. Not what we may think is our best, but His. The best is yet to come. We mourn the loss of health, not being with our children and my parents. We transitioned our church that we planted 15 1/2 years ago. We are sad, because we miss everyone, but we are joyous in its new beginning with Pastor Chris Reif, his wife Heather and 2 precious kiddos.
Our trust and hope are in God! So our thoughts do not linger on worry or the sorrow or pain. Rom. 15:13 ¶ Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck what is planted; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance. He has made everything beautiful in its time. ~ Ecclesiastes 3
Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know.” ~ John 14:1-4
Don’t know the way? The way is Jesus. John 3:16, John 14:6 Read the Book of John. May you know the One Who is our peace, our joy, our comfort and hope.
In the grip of His grace,
<>< Monica