Month: March 2019

Created for Good Works

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I saw this the other day. Pastor Jim Penner says: ‘I’ve talked with and prayed for many who are dealing with physical issues… disease, diabetes, cancers, struggles with weight, muscular and autoimmune disease. The limitations the human family deals with on a daily basis are endless. Yet Ephesians 2:10 says, “You are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus.” God knew exactly what He was doing when He made you. You’re unique in all the world. And that makes you special.’

I would like to look at that verse and take it a step further.

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. – Ephesians 2:10

Image from Bible Verses to Go

So we are not only God’s workmanship but He has created us to do good works that He prepares or ordained for us beforehand.

Physical limitations, location or lack of money or other resources are not going to keep you from the good works God has designed specifically for each one of us. Joni Eareckson Tada has accomplished much for God’s kingdom and rights of handicapped while a quadriplegic. Amy Beatrice Carmichael was a Protestant Christian missionary in India, who opened an orphanage and founded a mission in Dohnavur. She served in India for 55 years without furlough and wrote many books about the missionary work there. She also was bedridden the last decades of her life due to an injury yet still ran an mission and orphanage, prayed great prayers and wrote many encouraging prayers and devotions. Prisoners like the Apostle Paul or present day imprisoned believers have also been used to do works to further the Gospel. God’s purposes and plans will not be thwarted by our circumstances.

It may be you need to be praying and asking God what He has for you to do in your own unique situation. He may have you step out of your comfort zone or may have you do a series of seemingly small inconsequential things that will further God’s kingdom.

Can you think of somebody you know who due to failed health had great influences on others because of their joy and faith with which they walked it out?

My take away is that we are all beloved handiworks’ of God who has uniquely ordained each of us to accomplish specific God-glorifying works.

Application:

Think about ways you have seen God work through you in the past.

Prayerfully consider areas you believe He has for you to work in the future.

Have you let limitations or circumstances keep you from doing what God has called you to do?

Morning Motivation

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Some days begin with my feeling more tired and in greater pain than when I went to bed. Pain has either completely stolen my sleep or made it broken or disrupted. Those are the days I need extra motivation to get up and going. If my schedule allows, and really in need of sleep will take two Benadryl and something for pain and try to sleep. But if, like today, when my closest Colorado friend’s son is getting married, I need to get going regardless of how I feel.

I am an extrovert and love to attend social events but I need to have down days planned on either side of an event. I needed to say no to a fun international potluck/fiesta I was invited to last night because have the wedding today that was much more important I attend. Making those hard decisions, yet encouraging my hubby to attend without me are part of the sacrifices required in my day to day life of chronic illness.

So how do I get going on a morning like today? First of all greet God before I get out of bed. Acknowledge to Him how I feel and my need for His strength to be made perfect in my weakness. (2 Corinthians 12:9) I also try to recount at least three things I am thankful for and express my gratitude to the Lord. Practicing gratitude gets my eyes off of me and on to my faithful, sovereign, good and wise God. My physical therapist gave me stretches I do in bed each morning that help. Today with extra pain from storm system that came through last night I am taking a soak in our tub with magnesium flakes in the water. Often while soaking I do some devotions or blog from my phone.

Today I awoke to an encouraging response to a previous blog post and it made me realize once again God has purpose in my pain and illness.

So as soak, I think of friends on here and social media who I have never met me face to face. There is a special bond and camaraderie among those who live with chronic illness and/or pain. We are the ones who grasp this life and truly understand the limitations that come with it. We are the ones who know the faith and grace it takes to count it all joy and live in gratitude regardless of our hard circumstances.

Knowing I have other brothers and sisters in similar situations motivates me to get up and live life with joy relying on God’s strength and grace. I want the world to see though I have health issues and pain that is not who I am.

I am a blessed, chosen before the world began, loved, adopted, redeemed and one that God lavishes on His grace. (Ephesians 1:3-10). I remember I am chosen, holy and beloved. (Colossians 3:12). As His beloved daughter, He has an eternal plan and a purpose for my life.

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. – Jeremiah 29:11

Image from Bible Study Tools

The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands. – Psalm 138:8

Image from Verse of the Day

I cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills his purpose for me. – Psalm 57:2

Blessings,

Deb

God’s Kind Provision for Painsomnia

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Praise!!!

A few days ago God did something cool. I bought a $3.00 plus $3.00 shipping and handling small needlepoint canvas off EBay. The seller messaged me that she has two others she wants to find a good home for and asked me if I would like to have them. She then said she is sending them to me from Europe for free!!

I do these when I am up with pain for hours in the middle of the night. They are easy to do with little thought and I am able to be praying as I stitch.

The canvases arrived yesterday. The 5″ x 7″ landscape I ordered plus a much larger landscape, three smaller landscapes and a smaller Victorian print. I received a total of six needlepoint canvases with designs printed on them for a total of six dollars!

God is concerned about even the small details in our lives. He is a personal God who knows us so intimately that he knows the exact number of hairs currently on your head.

Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows. – Luke 12:7

If God cares about hobbies that help us pass painful nights, I can trust Him to care for me in the bigger areas of life too. Not only did He kindly provide for me, but He also used this provision to build my faith for the bigger and more crucial things in life.

Ponder how has God met you recently in either minuscule or gargantuan ways and express your gratitude to Him and share with others. I would love to read your stories in the comments.

Blessings,

Deb

Bomb Cyclone

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This week in Colorado we experienced a weather phenomenon called a Bomb Cyclone. For me it was mostly a pain bomb.

Here is a description on a bomb cyclone.

https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/bombogenesis.html

And here is a CNN report on it:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.cnn.com/cnn/2019/03/13/us/winter-storm-blizzard-wednesday-wxc/index.html

I have chronic pain from Mast Cell Activation and a connective tissue disorder called Elhers Danlos. Weather changes greatly impact my pain. I feel pain the day or two before a weather change as well as during it. My husband jokes my pain barometer is more accurate than the weatherman!

Tuesday afternoon it was sunny and 60 degrees and Wednesday morning we were having a blizzard with a record drop in barometric pressure. I had a couple sleepless nights due to the Painsomnia. We were not otherwise that impacted from the weather beyond my husband working from home the day of it, flickering lights and losing half a tall juniper. Other areas had higher winds and more drifting snow that stranded thousands of Coloradans, as well as many across the state losing power.

You can see the snow drifts and our broken bush. Minimal compared to what others dealt with during this storm.

Above is our front storm door plastered with snow even under a large covered porch. All our windows on every side of the house were plaster like this with snow.

The storm moved northeast and really pounded Nebraska causing huge snowdrifts in the western panhandle and horrific flooding in much of the state.

https://www.wowt.com/content/news/NEBRASKA-FLOOD-PHOTOS-Lawmakers-law-enforcement-view-affected-areas-507250911.html

Here is how you can help those in Nebraska impacted by this storm.

https://www.9news.com/mobile/article/weather/severe-weather/historic-flooding-wreaking-havoc-in-nebraska/73-7b091d48-61fe-4d01-b69c-f65e5c1590b3

We lived in Nebraska for five years and areas we lived in have been impacted. We still have many friends in the area and are praying for their safety and that their homes be out of the flood zones.

The Refiner’s Fire

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I believe in seasons of high pain, shattered dreams or disappointments it is so easy to think of all you want, desire and dream more than our all sufficient, all powerful, faithful, sovereign, good and wise God. So thankful that His grace and forgiveness are limitless and no matter how many times I sin or stray from my first love He is ready to forgive and welcome me back.

My husband and I have just walked through the hardest 6.5 months of lies, false accusations and betrayal by those whom we least expected. It has showed me how much He alone is faithful and sufficient, especially when people are not.

Prior to this, I had  4.5 years of being like the children of Israel pining to go back to Egypt for leeks and onions and forgetting about their hardships and slavery. My “leeks and onions” attitude made me look back too often wishing I was back in Arizona and for the friendships we had there, rather than looking ahead or looking up to God. This hard situation revealed a new side to our life back in Arizona (we left there due to health issues April 2014) and made me press hard into God in my pain, confusion and loss.

God also used this to reveal many things to my husband and I about our own hearts in how we responded to this. I would hate to ever walk through this again, but can see God that used a grievous thing for my eternal good and His glory. Hopefully in weeks, months and years to come will see that more and more.

We all know and quote Romans 8:28 “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” But the way things work for good and the purpose is described in verse 29:
“For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.”
The good purpose for all things is to conform us to the image of his son not our comfort or personal happiness.

Often conforming to Christ comes while walking through the heat of a refiner’s fire where the dross of sin, wrong motives and self focus are removed bit by bit. In my flesh, I often want God to be my fire extinguisher and put out the fire instead.

Take away the dross from the silver, and the smith has material for a vessel. Proverbs 25:4

The words of the LORD are pure words, like silver refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven times. Psalm 12:6

He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the LORD. Malachi 3:3

Reading this a few years ago really helped me to endure the fires of shattered dreams, health struggles and all suffering. Today it was a reminder I once again needed.

“One day we took the children to see a goldsmith refine gold after the ancient manner of the East. He was sitting beside his little charcoal fire. (“He shall sit as a refiner”; the gold- or silversmith never leaves his crucible once it is on the fire.) In the red glow lay a common curved roof tile; another tile covered it like a lid. This was the crucible. In it was the medicine made of salt, tamarind fruit and burnt brick dust, and imbedded in it was the gold. The medicine does its appointed work on the gold, “then the fire eats it,” and the goldsmith lifts the gold out with a pair of tongs, lets it cool, rubs it between his fingers, and if not satisfied puts it back again in fresh medicine. This time he blows the fire hotter than it was before, and each time he puts the gold into the crucible, the heat of the fire is increased; “it could not bear it so hot at first, but it can bear it now; what would have destroyed it then helps it now.” “How do you know when the gold is purified?” we asked him, and he answered, “When I can see my face in it [the liquid gold in the crucible] then it is pure.”
Amy Carmichael

My prayer is I will be conformed more and more to His image rather than fighting to put out the fire.

Blessings,

Deb