My heart is overflowing
with Praise
to the Lord
who has granted to me
a good report for the biopsies:
All are benign, Praise HIM!
But at the same time, my body
is not fully healed yet.
The Chronic Illness remains.
And my heart aches for friends of mine
in deep trials:
the friend whose son is newly diagnosed with cancer,
the friend whose children face court battles,
the friend whose own life hangs in the balance
with a terminal illness
and so many others . . .
Where is God in the midst of our questions?
Where is He in the midst of our longings?
He is still Good, and HE still has blessings
to pour on us,
wherever we find ourselves walking.
He never leaves us alone
to face the trials,
He walks with us through
every step.
And His Grace is sufficient,
for
HE, Himself, is our blessing.
Thank you to a dear friend who blessed me with this song,
I pray it blesses you as well:
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.
I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.
For I am the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;"
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior;"
Oh, dear friend! How I thank God WITH you!!! I just rejoice in the wonderful news, and yet, with you, I hurt for all of those who are hurting. Life is filled with so much heartache, yet, our dear, precious Savior was a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. Oh, how acquainted He was! I can't wait to listen to this song...I hadn't thought of Twila Paris in a very long time. She used to be one of my favorites! Love and appreciate you so much, sweet sister.
ReplyDeleteDear Cheryl, I am so very grateful for all of your prayers, my friend! What would we do without our Dear Savior who walks us through each trial? How thankful I am that we have a High Priest who feels every pain and understands! And, I keep you in my prayers too! Much Love and Hugs to you!
DeleteI am praising God for your Good report, and I am standing with you in prayer for answers/healing for those you love.
ReplyDeleteDear Barbie,
DeleteThank you so much for your prayers! What a blessing to be able to lift each other up before our Savior! I pray that you are feeling better also, and that your pain levels are lessening too!
Thank you. The verses you included are perfect for today. I love your sweet and gentle spirit, your strong and resilient backbone, and your righteous stand. You bless me just by being your transparent, vulnerable you.
ReplyDeleteDear Sue,
DeleteI am so grateful that the Lord blessed you with those Scriptures today. You bring so much encouragement to so many, with your open heart of Grace-Living. I am humbled that God would let me bring a touch of that encouragement back to you. HE is our only HOPE, isn't He? I would be tied up in bitterness if it weren't for Jesus. Oh may we cling to Him ever more!
I was so glad hearing the news from Facebook. Remember the praise nights? I was able to continue for a few more days 😂😂. I am thankful God answered our prayers.
ReplyDeleteYour testimony is an encouragement, Bettie.
Bear Hugs, sister
Dear Ifeoma,
DeleteOh, yes, those times of praise are so sustaining for us! I am so thankful for your prayers and your encouragment dear sister! Many Hugs and Much Love to you also!!
Thank You, God! I rejoice with you that the biopsies were benign, Bettie. I also empathize with you that the chronic illness remains, also the burdens of your friends. Yes, God never leaves us and walks beside us all the way. I love those Isaiah verses and the song, too. Thank you for encouraging us even in the midst of trials, my friend! Love and hugs!
ReplyDeleteDear Trudy,
DeleteThank you for your love and support my friend! I know you understand the weight that comes with chronic illness, so I truly appreciate your encouragement here. What a precious Lord we have, who does walk with us, and then lets us share that sweet gift with each other along the way. May you be blessed and feel His Love today! Hugs!
Hi Bettie,
ReplyDeleteI am so glad to hear your good health report! What wonderful news! It's hard to understand why we still struggle with other issues or see friends and family going through such challenging times but it's so helpful to know that we can't possibly comprehend what God sees in our situations and we have to trust that in his sovereign way, we know he holds it all within his capable hands. Sending much love and celebrating with you! xoxo
Dear Valerie,
DeleteThank you for your prayers and support! How precious to know that we can "trust that in his sovereign way, we know he holds it all within his capable hands." I am so thankful that we can hold each other's hearts up to Him as we walk these roads, and He will always listen! Much Love and Hugs to you also!
I'm rejoicing with you, Bettie! Your biopsy results are wonderful news! Even as the mystery of sickness and pain remains and is such a problem for so many, and our hearts ache for those we love who bear these heavy burdens. Joining you in prayer for your loved ones, my friend. The outcomes are very much in His hands. And we can always trust God's heart, even when we fail to understand His hand at work.
ReplyDeleteThose lovely, encouraging verses from Isaiah are particular favourites of mine. They speak to us of not fearing, no matter what we have to walk through, but believing God is ever present and takes great care of us. Yet we feel the heat of the flames at times and often think we are at risk of drowning in our difficulties. I guess it all comes down to trust. Do we trust our fluctuating feelings or do we trust more in God's overseeing goodness and grace? Sending blessings, love and hugs as you recover a measure of strength! xoxo
Dear Joy, Thank you so much for all of your prayers, and for your dear understanding heart! I appreciate the way that you share from the midst of your own trials, and point the way to walking with Jesus through the trials. And, yes when we feel those flames close by, and our fluctuating feelings seek to bring the fear into our minds, I am so glad that our God is ever present. May He bring you refreshing for these last few days of October! Much love and hugs! xoxo
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