“He who refreshes others will himself be refreshed” (Proverbs 11:25b). There is a lovely home in my city that lifts my spirits each time I see it. I drive by it intentionally because it makes me feel happy and refreshed just by looking at it. It is separated from the street by a white wooden fence, and each summer this fence is covered with beautiful flowers. The house is very neat and cozy-looking, giving the impression that anyone is welcome to stop by for a visit. I also know a lovely, godly woman who reminds me of this house. She is a delight to be around, and although I’m sure she has problems, the joy and refreshment of her presence is like those cheery flowers. She is a model I would like to imitate. Living with pain … [Read more...]

"My soul finds help in God alone; my salvation comes from Him. He alone is my Rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will never be shaken." (Psalm 62:1-2) It is late winter. Cold, gray and blustery. Generally every year after Christmas, I have a "crash." That is a time when my autoimmune diseases flare up, and I have an unusual amount of pain and fatigue. At first it is a few weeks of big pain. The kind of pain where your skin hurts, even to the fingernails. Trying to lay still on a wrinkled sheet is intolerable. The pain season usually lasts a few weeks. Then I move on to my "beached whale" mode. That is such a time of fatigue that sometimes I feel too tired to breathe. I have to ponder the idea of opening a can of soup, or … [Read more...]

"He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” (Ecclesiastes 3:11) It’s Autumn in Melbourne and the trees are changing color. There’s a street near my home that is lined with beautiful oak trees and the color from those trees is amazing. It only seems last week, there was no sign of red in the leaves, yet each time I drive beneath them, there is a little more color. I thought once it would be good to take a picture of the same tree, each day as it changed color and lost its leaves--but even then, we would still miss some of the beauty. Somehow I find it hard to believe that it’s Autumn. Often, I feel like I’m just … [Read more...]

"In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God." (Romans 8:26-27) The Lord knows us. He knows us better than anyone ever has, or ever will know us. He knows and understands our infirmities, the daily afflictions that trip us up and restrict us. There is comfort in knowing that no matter what we are going through, the Lord understands and is with us as we suffer. Do you feel that sometimes no one can comprehend the degree of pain, frustration, or depression that your illness is … [Read more...]