Devotion: Cycling Through The Grief of Chronic Illness – Again and Again

28-grief-cycle

"My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing, and make music." (Psalm 57:7) Father, I long to sing these words. I long to sing to You, with a feeling of steadfastness! In the New Webster's Dictionary the word "steadfast" is an adjective, meaning; firm, fixed, constant. Another line stated that steadfast means constant in behavior or calm and controlled. With my whole heart, I know that the Lord is faithful and loving. I already know by heart that He is always present and caring for me. Yet I live in this body and deal with chronic pain and fatigue--every hour of every day. And along with the pain and fatigue I worry about things like our finances; just covering our medical bills is so hard. As I struggle, … [Read more...]

The Purpose of Trials

"Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him." (James 1:12 NIV) This winter in Virginia has been somewhat unusual because of the extremely cold weather & more snow than usual. Cold weather often leads to increased pain levels related to various health concerns. During these cold temperatures, the pain related to my peripheral neuropathy has been quite intense. As I was reading God's Holy Word this morning, I was drawn to James message about considering trials pure joy. Sounds quite contrary to the way most of us (& especially me) perceive the trials we encounter in life-in fact, we strive to avoid these frustrations … [Read more...]