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Devotion: How Illness Reminds Us Daily, His Plans Are Not Our Plans

May 31, 2012 By 2 Comments
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"'For I know the thoughts that I think toward you,' says the Lord, 'thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.'" (Jeremiah 28:11) Some may not believe this, but my father once owned a dog with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, or OCD. Lady, a lovable Australian shepherd, firmly believed everything had a place. In her mind, it had better stay there. With a steady supply of farm equipment in our yard, this was no easy task. If the car was parked in the driveway instead of under the carport, she would bark. If a feed sack fell off the back of the truck, she would bark. A bucket left in the yard would bring a barking alert. The pleading in her eyes revealed the world would end if things were not put back in their … [Read more...]

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Devotion: Allowing Jesus to Spring Clean Our Hearts

February 13, 2012 By 1 Comment
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"Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me." (Psalm 51:10) My home is filled with clutter. Some areas I try to keep neat, yet others, such as our guest room, remain an embarrassing mess. I have made excuses for this disaster, but a deeper reason besides laziness exists that allowed this room and others to fill with junk. Keeping this room full of useless things and shutting the door was seemingly less painful than facing the harsh reality: the reality of an empty room never to be filled or used by a child. My survival tactic for battling countless years of infertility remained the same: hide the mess behind closed doors and pretend it doesn’t exist. The scar tissue that blocked my fallopian tube … [Read more...]

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Devotion: Consider the Deer?

January 20, 2012 By Leave a Comment
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"My God shall supply all of your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:19 ) This winter, I have been fascinated by the size of the male whitetail deer found in the woods on our property. Unlike other deer, these bucks have a mysterious dark coat, a result of living deep in the forest away from humans and sunlight, which gradually bleaches their fur. This coat serves as a perfect camouflage around trees and other vegetation. Their massive size has brought an interesting paradox. How can these deer survive on so little? As I walk through the woods, I see very little food sources in these pine thickets, yet some of these deer reach weights in excess of 200 pounds. I’m sure a biologist or wildlife … [Read more...]

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Devotion: The Illness Wilderness

November 10, 2011 By Leave a Comment
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"Even though I walk through the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me."(Psalm 23:4) When God released the Israelites from their Egyptian captors, He did not immediately bring them to the land He had promised them. Instead, the former slaves began a journey into self-discipline, trust, and courage. They had to learn to walk under submission to Jehovah, trusting Him to lead as a cloud by day and a glowing fire by night. Upon encountering other tribes in the region, they were commanded to fight and overcome, rather than face oppression from outside forces. The Israelites were not allowed to settle in the region. Rather, God instructed Moses to keep moving forward. Throughout … [Read more...]

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Devotion: Seeds Beneath the Pain

November 1, 2011 By Leave a Comment
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"It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest seed you plant in the ground. Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds of the air can perch in its shade," (Mark 4:31-32). A humble seed contains an amazing miracle. Within a tiny seed lie all the potential possibilities placed there and only seen by God our Father. Only God can take a seed from an apple and turn it into a tree. Yet within God’s wisdom there is a season of waiting. The season of waiting produces growth, as it gives the plant time to develop roots deep into the earth, providing nutrients and stability. This stability is a primary factor in helping plants weather storms and endure hardship. In order … [Read more...]

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What is the Best Time of Day to…

May 11, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Ever stood around the pharmacy & wondered where all the people suddenly came from? As someone who lives with a chronic illness you may want to print this article out for your fridge or to stick in your Woman's Health Resource Journal to refer to when you are making plans. When should I have surgery? As early as possible in the morning. When you live with an illness I know it can be hard to get up & get there to a surgical center or hospital. But let's be realistic. . . are you really sleeping anyway? And most often you are unable to eat, drink or take your medications in the morning, so the sooner in the day you can get in, the better off you will be physically. Plus, studies have shown that patients have fewer anesthesia … [Read more...]

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