Your prayers are being answered

I just now realized I never came back on here to give an update to those who follow my health.

I had been having pain in my upper right abdominal area for 2+ weeks. Multiple doctor visits, an ultrasound and then a CT to try and figure out what was going on. Last I posted I had found out I had kidney stones, an enlarged kidney and a possible mass on my liver. I asked for prayer.

Thank you all for praying!

The good news is I got a good report at my follow up appointment. My kidney at the time of CT was no longer enlarged. The mass on my liver appears to be benign. And while I do still have kidney stones they didn't appear to be currently causing a blockage. No further testing or appointments needed. That was all great, but I was still having pain.

Well I feel your prayers and God is answering them. That pain has since subsided. It is still slightly there but no longer waking me up at night or causing problems. However, I need to still ask for prayer.

The pain is now lower. Perhaps, the doctor is right in thinking the kidney stones are *trying* to pass, but I would imagine the pain would be much worse if that's what was happening right now. The pain last night was in the area of my appendix which of course concerned me. Whatever it is I hope and pray it is nothing serious and goes completely away soon.

The other thing is this. I feel perhaps as if I, or even maybe we, are under attack. Of course anyone trying to serve our Lord is going to be under attack. The devil does not want this. But it's as if- if it's not one thing lately it's another. So I ask for prayer. Prayer for God to guard our marriage and make it stronger, prayer for God to bring peace throughout the struggle, prayer for pain to subside and no further health issues to complicate things, prayer for us to continue to serve Him first and foremost in our lives regardless of anything else that surrounds us, that our words and actions bring glory to His Holy Name.

Thank you all.

My 3 People

Yesterday, J ended his sermon with a question. That question was to think about who it was in your own life who led you- who talked to you- about Jesus, so that you could make that decision of accepting Him as Lord and Savior?

So this morning, that led me to think about those people in my life who did that for me. And God told me- write, write about that. Now. Write.

I was raised Catholic but I didn't yet know Jesus, and I didn't know there was a difference. I moved to Texas and that's when everything changed. 

I got sick and life as I knew it ended. I went from doctor to doctor, trying to figure out my diagnosis of what was wrong with me. Placing the pieces together seemed like a struggle, yet although those pieces of my health were a mess, other pieces were being placed in an even larger way, an eternal lasting way. Life as I knew it was just beginning. 

This is where those people who witnessed to me (were an influence on my accepting Jesus as my Lord and Savior) intersect my life. And probably only 1 of the 3 may even know it.

One of the diagnoses I received was sjogrens. Sjogrens, for me, I found out years later is actually all just a part of my lyme disease. But at the time I had a word to place to part of my symptoms, so what did I do? I searched for a support group. There wasn’t one nearby but there was one for Lupus and I was told that Lupus and Sjogrens had similar symptoms. So I reached out and was invited to come. 

So I’m at this Lupus meeting and there was one girl in particular who stood out to me. Probably because she was only 1 of 2 similar in age to me but also because in a funny way I could relate- neither of us looked as old as we were. After the meeting, we talked, exchanged info and said we wanted to meet up sometime. Due to the circumstances in my life to follow, meeting up never happened, but what did happen was keeping in contact with both her and her mom on facebook. Facebook of all things, people typically laugh at the thought of it, but it’s a huge witnessing tool. I have another story on that posted somewhere else on here. So now I’m friends with them on facebook, and what I'm witnessing on there is the love for Jesus, declaration of that love for Jesus, and talking about one church in particular. It’s peeked my interest. They are planting that seed that will soon be watered.

And now, another 1 of these 3 influential people. Sitting in a doctor’s office. Yet another doctor, typically I felt, another waste of time. But this was far from it. The visit resulted in nothing medically, but a lot spiritually. You see as I was getting up from my seat, walking towards the door of the room to leave, the doctor looked at me. She stopped me and said she goes to a particular church, she sings in the choir, and if I’m ever interested she thinks I would like it there. The same church as the first person. Not something you would expect to hear from a doctor- another reason I love Texas, but I guess my love for Texas is besides the point. That seed is being watered.

And the 3^rd. Well this person is the one who probably knows she had a huge impact on my life, I think I’ve briefly mentioned it to her before. My ex at that time of living in Texas got a job and had to go through training with a group of people. Since we didn’t know anyone there, those were the people who developed into our friends. I tried to build my own friendships by inviting the group of people over to our apartment several times for game nights and get-togethers. I seemed to connect with one of the girls in particular. It was us 2 couples that kept getting together repeatedly and turned what was my husband at the time’s coworker into a lasting friendship. She was the one who visited me in the hospital, who called to see if I was ok, who stood by me when times got even tougher. But she was also 1 of the 3 who influenced my coming to accept Jesus Christ. She often talked about God and asked questions or made comments that made me really think- about God and my relationship or lack there of with Him. She mentioned her church and how much she liked it. Yet again, the same church as the first 2. Something big was happening here. That watered seed was being cared for in order to grow.

Then God came in and did something huge. A story in itself posted elsewhere on here, I was saved. I now knew Him, I accepted Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior. Without those people in my life, where would I be? I really don't know. The thought of their impact on my life is profound. Thank you to my 3.

But I just want to add in one last part that happened after. 

At this point, after being left (though still living together physically) by my ex, I’m hurting big time, and I want to go to church. Not just any church though. This church, this church that I now feel God leading me to. This church that all 3 of those people, who don't even know each other, all go to. But at the time I’m not walking much and in a wheel chair lots. So I need my ex to help me even though he wants to leave me. What are the odds of that actually happening? Well, in my favor when it’s God’s favor. My ex brings me reluctantly to this church and here’s a story I’ll never forget.

It’s the end of the church service and everyone stands up to sing. I remain seated in my wheel chair. I remain seated, with tears down my face. I can't hold it in. I feel it's meaningful here to know that up until this point in my life, I was never a crier. Never. It showed weakness to me. But at this point it is through my weakness that God can show His strength. It is through my weakness, in fact, that I am therefore strong- because of Him. I am moved to tears by the feeling of being fully present with the Holy Spirit. I am moved to tears by this immense power now within me. I am moved to tears that even though my husband at the time wants nothing to do with me and is only there for the appearance of helping, this peace within me is ever lasting. I am moved to tears because all those pieces came together and I now received Jesus and He now lives in me.

So let me ask you the same question my husband yesterday asked all of us. 

Who was it in your life who helped lead you to Jesus? And what would have happened if they didn’t speak up? If they didn’t make that bold move to have that perhaps uncomfortable conversation with you? Would you know our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ? Now, what would happen if you don’t go out and do that for someone else? Will they not know our Lord because of you? Or will they come to know Him because of you? Will you choose to make a lasting impact that will be with them forever, planting a seed that will grow into a decision lasting all eternity? 

Make that your goal this week. Get out there and speak the truth, the truth of the Good News that God is with you and He can be with them too.

God bless and thanks for reading. It’s all for His glory!

Carries me through this

The dr called. Again, come in today instead of tomorrow. I'll be heading there in just under an hour. Your prayers are appreciated.

As I was getting ready my mind was wandering. And it came upon this. And then I felt, God told me to write, on this topic.

I had a dr's appointment last Tuesday, ultrasound Wednesday, dr's appointment this Monday, CT scan Wednesday, dr's appointment today Thursday. I can't keep this pace up. Add in church, bible study, grocery shopping, spending time with my husband and things for my stepdaughter, and I really can't keep this pace going. I'm so worn out. I hope and pray that when I go to the dr today it can all be over, there is nothing wrong, no more testing or appointments needed. Because really if I need it, I also need God's strength to get through it. And I know He will provide it.

But here's the thing I feel I'm supposed to write about. When you have a chronic illness, in my case the ones affecting me here are MG and Lyme Disease, everything is tougher. So you add in all these appointments and they really wear you down. That's not a good thing when your body is already worn down just from the chronic illness. Now what if, what if, I need to have surgery, treatments or keep these appointments going? That means my body isn't going to be at it's best capacity going into it because I'm already worn down. And the stress just adds to it. So now appointment after appointment, already worn out, say I need surgery- well my body definitely won't be prepared to get through that. So again, God's strength is all I need to rely on. I can't do this.

And I feel that's all I'm supposed to write about. Maybe this post was for me, a reminder to depend on Him, that He's the One who gets me through this.

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. 2 Corinthians 12:9

Prayers that He carries me through this. Amen? Thank you and God bless you.