"Though the mountains be shaken & the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed," says the Lord who has compassion on you. (Isaiah 54:10 NIV) Just lately, my life has been somewhat overwhelming to me. It felt like there was just so much on my mind & so many things I "should" be doing, but I didn't seem to be able to do much, or cope with the fact that I couldn't. While I still believe strongly that God is in control of my life, its felt like I was losing control & everything was going to pieces around me. Maybe it's the time of the year, maybe I'm just tired & in a rut right now, the reason doesn't really matter. The promises in this verse in Isaiah hit me this week … [Read more...]
Happy New Year
“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!”(Philippians 4:4 NIV) It’s that time of the year when people greet you with “Happy New Year” – in shops, on the street, at parties & at Church too. Even if you hardly know them, it’s customary to respond in the same way. Sometimes though, I find myself wondering if indeed I will be happy in the coming year. As time goes by, my physical problems seem to get worse & I hear again the words of a specialist who told me I’d probably end up in a wheelchair & only be able to work for about 10 years. Up until now, he has proved to be wrong with those forecasts. While there has definitely been deterioration over the 20 plus years, & I am no longer able to work … [Read more...]
Being Summoned by God
"The Mighty One, God, the Lord, speaks & summons the earth from the rising of the sun to the place where it sets." (Psalm 50:1 NIV). Reading the description of creation in Genesis, I recognize first, that God summoned us "from the dust of the ground" & breathed the breath of his life into us. (Genesis 2:7 NIV). He created us in his image to give glory back to him. With this loving act, part of our design is to hear his call. We have a choice to respond. Often, I let other things summon me, getting too much of my attention. I do not mean the important needs for my daily care, but the things that make my life unbalanced, & not always in tune with God’s best ways. Jesus sought his Father at the rising of each new day. He got the plan & … [Read more...]
Keeping Our Vision
“Where there is no vision, the people perish, but he that keepeth the law, happy is he” (Proverbs 29:18 KJV). I have heard this verse quoted many times & applied to many circumstance. I recently realized how applicable this verse is to those of us with health conditions. Living with limitations, it is easy to lose vision for our lives. Having to give up a job, career, ministry, or daily household tasks, we can feel useless & unnecessary. It becomes easy to fall into depression & isolation, & we can indeed begin to “perish”. I found that happening to myself at one point. The more depressed & isolated I became, the more difficulty I had bringing myself back in to contact with others. I was denying the truth of God’s … [Read more...]
Our Tears are Recorded
"Record my lament; list my tears on your scroll, are they not in your record?" (Psalm 56:6 NIV) Have you ever thought. "How much does God really care about my physical & emotional pain?" Living with chronic pain daily is not easy. I remember 25 years ago saying " I usually have 1 or 2 bad pain days a week". But what happens when it gets turned around & we say "I usually have one good day a week if I am lucky?" Ouch! That hits home doesn't it! A good & loving parent will sit by the bedside of their sick child night after night. As loving parents, when our child hurts, we hurt. Our hearts break when we see our children going through things that are hurtful to them whether they are young children or adult children. We fall on our … [Read more...]
