It Is Finished

“… The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the Name of the Lord be praised.”  Job 1:21

“… It is finished.”  John 19:30

Well, Lord, writing this blog has been a joy.  Thank You for the privilege of writing each and every entry.  While it is time to give up this blog, I know that You have used it in the lives of each person who has read any entry in it.  I am grateful to have been used in this way.  

It is Your perfect timing and will for me to lay aside “By His Grace” and go on to the next adventure in our walk together.  Thank You for providing every word in each blog so that You have been mightily glorified in each post.  Continue to use it as You see fit.  

All praise, honor and glory to You, my Abba Father and Sovereign Lord.  

“… Worthy is the Lamb, Who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!”  Revelation 5:12

Rian

“Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.”  John 15:13

Rian was a really nice guy, Lord.  As one of Your children He became a policeman and was working with the domestic violence program with the Montgomery Police Department.  He was good at his job.

To celebrate the 4th of July he and his entire family gathered at Orange Beach…  parents, kids and grandkids.  They were having a wonderful time until the afternoon of July 3.  That’s when Rian saved his niece from a rip tide current yet was pulled under by it and drowned.  The family is devastated but hanging on to You, Lord.  

I don’t pretend to understand Your ways, Lord, but I do know that You are sovereign over all things.  I pray that You will heal their broken hearts and bind up their wounds.  Strengthen them, help them and uphold them by Your righteous right hand.  By Your grace they will grieve and honor Rian.  Only by Your grace.  

Celebrating!

Thank You, Lord, for the strength and stamina to join in on the celebration of John and Wanda’s 50th wedding anniversary!  It was a glorious time of fun, fellowship, good food and celebrating the wonderful joy of a marriage of two Christians who have spent their life together glorifying You and sharing Your Truth and love with others.  I am certainly one of those recipients and I cherish both of them and the example they set before me of a Christ-centered marriage.  To You be the glory!

Just a few days later the 53rd wedding anniversary was celebrated by my sister and her sweet husband.  Another wonderful example of love and commitment.  Awesome!

THEN I heard from a friend at church that they had attended a 50th wedding anniversary party recently.  WOW!  

Love… commitment… and marriage.  All from You, Lord… all from You.  My prayer is that every married couple would seek You first, commit to You and to each other and live a life that glorifies You in all things.  May they truly be married “till death do us part”.  May it be so, Lord.  Praise You!

The More I Do

“Do not let your hearts be troubled.  Trust in God; trust also in Me.”  John 14:1

Well, Lord, You have made it very clear to me that my level of activity during the day directly affects my body’s ability to calm down, rest or sleep.  On the days that I am more active I am unable to go to sleep until 4am-5am.  On the days that I am less active I am able to settle down, stop trembling inside my body and go to sleep between 2am-3am.  Over and over this is the case.  Last night was a prime example.  

Yesterday my day was filled with doing the simple but necessary tasks of laundry, cleaning bathrooms and a short 15-20 minute time of pulling some weeds in our yard.  No food preparation time, no extra activities other than those that I did while seated.  However, for me, Lord, yesterday exhausted me and, by the time I got ready for bed, my body and mind were greatly overactive and would not settle down.  The good part was that You and I spent some wonderful time together, but the bad part was that I could not get to sleep until 5am this morning.  Then, as has been my custom in the past month, I slept until almost 12 noon today.  I just can’t get sufficient sleep or rest.  Were it not for You caring for me I would not get any rest at all.  The nerve damage of central sensitization strikes again.  

I am certain that You will use this continuing and ever-increasing problem for Your greatest glory.  I am sure You will use it to show the doctors what is causing my central sensitization.  I am sure that You are good and that You love me.  I am sure that You are faithful to take care of me in the midst of this and everything else that is happening in my body.  I am positive that You have a beautiful plan to use this in my life and in the lives of those who know about all these things.  I am positive that You will never leave me nor forsake me.  I know without a doubt that You are God and that there is none like You.  By Your grace enable me to discern how much activity I should do each day.  Strengthen me, help me and uphold me by Your righteous right hand.  Thank You for Your continuing peace and grace in this journey.  Praise You from Whom all blessings flow.

Then And Now

“He allots their portions; His hand distributes them by measure…”  Isaiah 34:17a

“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”  Psalm 73:26

Lord, You have always told me that this health issue will get worse and, of course, it is.  Small decreases but decreases all the same.  Little by little this “whatever” is taking away my abilities.  Little by little my hands are losing their ability to hold and grip things.  Little by little my feet get tangled up and I stumble more.  More and more I find myself searching for just the right word to complete a thought or a sentence.  More and more the internal trembling increases.  More and more I am dizzier, have greater headache pain, and struggle with exhaustion, strength and stamina.  This is the earthly reality.  

But God…

In the midst of it all, Lord, You are faithful and true, loving and gracious, and always leading and guiding me.  You show me in countless ways that You never leave me nor forsake me.  You supply my every need according to Your glorious riches in Christ Jesus.  You are the Lifter of my head.  You are my Peace.  You are my All in all.  By Your grace You are carrying me through this journey.  Of course You are.  That is just Who You are.  God Almighty… Lord God… Provider… Abba Father… Sovereign Lord.  Thank You, Lord.  Praise You from Whom all blessings flow.  

The journey continues…..

One More Step

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”  Jeremiah 29:11 

Well, Lord, You have the plans for me that I suspected You did.  On to another doctor to explore this body to determine what is causing the systemic nerve damage in my body.  This time to the neurology department of the University of Arkansas Medical School.  No appointment set up yet but You will schedule it at Your perfect time.  Thank You for this step in my journey with You.  

Thoughts swarm my mind about this next step.  I am weary of telling doctors my “story” yet I know that You have a perfect plan in my doing just that.  Thank You for Your life-sustaining peace and grace to continue this walk with You.  Thank You for showing us all that we need to know and how to proceed in light of it all.  Thank You for Your faithfulness to enable me to continue this walk with  You.  You have THE plan and I want to follow it.  Praise You from Whom all blessings flow.  

Suffering

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”  Romans 8:28

I’ve known for a while, Lord, that You use great suffering to bring forth great things and great glory.  The other day You brought me to a whole new depth of my understanding of the suffering that I am going through, especially in my health.  The crucifixion comes before the resurrection and You used my Savior’s suffering to bring the greatest gift of eternal salvation to those You created.  I have known this in the past, but You personalized this in my own suffering as I pondered the many scriptures that say this very thing.  I now see that suffering is a privilege from You.

“For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for Him,”  Philippians 1:29

“Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer…“  Revelation 2:10

“The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.” Acts 5:41

“Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.  And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us.”  Romans 5:3-5

“That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know Whom I have believed, and am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him for that day.”  2 Timothy 1:12

“In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God, for Whom and through Whom everything exists, should make the Author of their salvation perfect through suffering.”  Hebrews 2:10

“Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you.  But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when His glory is revealed.”  1 Peter 4:12-13

Thank You for letting me suffer for You, Lord.  It is humbling to know that You have given me such a gift as this.  I now see my suffering in a new light… the light of Your love, purpose and glory.  May my suffering bring You the greatest glory, not only in my life but in the lives of all who know about it.  Your will be done in it all.  Praise You from Whom all blessing flow.