I'm Back! Here and There

     I haven't been blogging lately because I have been busy moving and also dealing with health issues in the middle of all this moving business.  Needless to say, it's been difficult.  I don't know how many times a week I'll be blogging for awhile, but when I have the time and health I will.

     Now, with that said, difficult times and changes in life can wear on a person.  We get tired and weary.  Angry and frustrated.  We tend to lose focus on the bigger picture.  Change and difficulties happen to all of us.  We don't like change at times and we never like difficulties, but they are ever present.  The biggest problems I have are, "What will happen next?" and "How will God work it all out for good.  The move was great, let me say, but the process is painstaking and time consuming, nevertheless, stressful.  Thank goodness it was just down the street.  Living with my mom for four years now, then moving from a house to an apartment is very interesting, considering my mom has collected over fifty years of stuff.  I also have way too many clothes and shoes and the stuff in the my bathroom has two bagfuls of stuff, and I didn't think I had that much!  With each move I've made in my life I've had to let go of stuff.  My mom is learning she has to let go as well and it has been tough. All change is like that.  There are things we have to let go of.  

     That now, brings me to health issues.  I have what's called Chiari Malformation and Syringomyelia, which means that my brain stem has been pushed down into my spinal column and has cause holes in my spinal cord.  There are things I had to let go of when it began to affect me fourteen years ago.  Today while riding in the car with my mom, we drove by the bowling alley.  Bowling was one of my favorite things but can no longer do it.  I was also reminded in my devotions about how I use to play volleyball and no longer can do that either.  About the only exercise I can get is to walk.  I use to walk about two miles about three or four times a week, but have had some difficulty in that even, lately.  BUT, I CAN walk, and that is amazing considering my first neurosurgeon I had was very surprised that I could and that was fourteen  years ago.  It was hard to let go of the things that I use to do and it's still hard to deal with the fact that I have limits.  Lately I've learned that no matter what we go through in life, God takes care of us and He provides ways for us that are unbelievable to most people, and everyday is good, in spite of circumstances.

     We must endure to the end and do it gracefully, not kicking and screaming, which I have done.  I have kept thinking of Philippians 4:13 all week.  "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."  That keeps me going lately.  I want to take "I can't" out of my vocabulary and replace it with, "I can...through Christ."  We can not do it all, I have found out, but we can do all things through Jesus Christ.  Life will bring pain and strife and there will be changes.  It's how we look at life that makes the difference.  It's also trusting in God that He will supply all you need.

    God bless to you all!  Have a great weekend!

Sabrina

Things We Just Don't Understand

     Today I'm at my wit's end.  Several older friends have had or have illnesses, some worse than others.  I have battled with an illness for the last year.  I think to myself, "God's got it under control".  I supposedly have "faith" that it will all work out, but do I really believe it?  Today it all came to a head when I got a call about a young friend who is really sick.  I really don't understand any of this nor do I like it at all.  People always ask why and for good reason.  No, God does not want us to worry.  He wants us to trust Him when things go wrong, but that doesn't mean He doesn't understand us and how we work.  Bad things happen in life, and no, we don't understand.  The two most powerful words in the Bible or even in all language are "but God".  But God is there with us to help us through pain.  But God comforts us.  But God gives us strength.  But God brings us to Himself.

     It's never easy and for awhile I thought it was.  Just trust, just have faith.  But God gave us emotions for everyday life, our ups and our downs and our sideways too.  I am an emotional person and either let everyone know it when the emotion comes or I stuff it and call it faith, then I really let everyone know all at once---all my emotions.  Picture that if you will.  Not a pretty picture, huh?  In my life lately there have been a lot of troubles, mostly with illnesses and when we don't understand what's going on we sometimes doubt.  Honestly, I don't doubt God's plan, I just don't understand it, but I have doubted before and so do many others.

     I guess what I'm trying to get across is this; though it says in the Bible not to worry or doubt and count it all joy when we suffer, we still wonder why and don't understand, but God does know why and He understands it all.  My heart is heavy with all that is going on, but I do trust Jesus will be there when we need Him.  I may cry a little, but knowing that I can count on Jesus, gives me hope.

T*R*U*T*H* in Our World

     I just want to say that I am finally back blogging after a 12-day absence.  I have been battling an ongoing illness that through me for a loop.  I'm glad to be back.  I still may not blog daily because I am in the process of moving and am quite busy, but here is my blog post for today.


     Isn't it amazing how the Truth of the Bible has been so twisted in our times?  Lies become truths and truths become lies, in the eyes of the world.  Muslims are not to be treated harshly, but Christians can be treated badly.  This is in no way a political blog today, but in view of the times, I thought I would bring it up.  No one should be treated harshly for their beliefs, at no time.  God gave us free-will to be used as we want it to be used.  The Bible also states that Christians will be persecuted as Jesus was.  Some even killed, as Jesus was.  Should we hate Muslims?  No.  We need to love them and pray for them as Jesus loves them. From the beginning of time, people of different nationalities and religions have hated one another.  Jesus says to love one another and He also says to love our enemies.

  Some people say we are in the end times, and some people say, "Well they have been saying that for centuries."  We, in reality do not know when Jesus will come again, but we should be ready.  If we as Christians are persecuted, so be it.  Stand firm in your beliefs as followers of Christ.  Don't back down, but do so in love.  Let's not hate those who hate us.  Let's love each other as Christ loves us.  The truth in this world is that the world is full of hate, and we as Christians must be ready for the battle ahead.

More of The Word

Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
 In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct^[a] your paths.

Our own understanding of life is not the same as what God does for us.  Trust Him and He will direct your path, whether or not things go well or not.  There are a lot of things I just don't understand, but I trust God knows what He is doing.  If you are discouraged or dismayed, don't worry, lean on Jesus and trust Him through your pain.  

God's Word

Psalm 139:13-15

¹³ For You formed my inward parts;
You covered me in my mother’s womb.
¹⁴ I will praise You, for I am fearfully andwonderfully made;
Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well.
¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from You,
When I was made in secret,
And skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

     I thought, that once in awhile, I would just share a verse to encourage others in the journey called life.  If you feel that you were a mistake and are worthless, remember these words.  God bless each and every one of you!

Sabrina

Uncertainty

     Life is full of uncertainties.  It's a journey we all need to go through.  You have the uncertainties that are of good, like being a spouse, a parent or maybe even winning the lottery.  When you are about to get married, you wonder how well you will do as a spouse.  When expecting a baby, you wonder if you'll be a good parent.  When you buy that one lottery ticket, the uncertainty of winning is overwhelming.  The good things in life can leave you feeling uncertain of the outcome, just as the bad things leave you feeling the same way.  You may have come down with an illness and don't know where it will leave you.  You may have lost your job and don't know where your next meal will come from, or you may have a child in need of some sort.  For those going through these things, you are left helpless and sometimes in despair.

     Life isn't about how good things will turn out in the end, it's about how you go through those times that end up being not so good.  We never know what will happen in the next year, the next month, the next week or day, or the next moment, but Jesus knows and He is in control of all of it.  There is a certainty in that.  It is certain that Jesus loves you, takes care of you and provides for you---in all things.  The plans that Jesus has for you is a certainty that He will give you hope and a future.  The greatest thing we can give Jesus is praise in the midst of trials.  Giving Him glory in any situation is the greatest gift to Him.  People praise God for healthy new-born babies, but some, blame God for death and destruction, and that my friend is the farthest from the truth.  God is love and Jesus gives us peace.  It is the enemy that wants death and destruction for everyone so that they may perish, and he wants that especially for believers so that we will not have joy.

     The best defense to have against the enemy is to have joy through your problems that could become obstacles in your life.  To persevere through the muck and mire of life.  A journey through life always has pain, but not all the time.  We may suffer little, we may suffer much, but to God be the glory, He does not keep us there in the filthy pit.  He brings us out of the deep hole we fall into with grace and mercy and love.  In my young adult life I experienced the mire, and in my mid-life for awhile as well, but God gave me the victory in His salvation and restoration from the pain I went through.  When I feel like my life is chaotic at times and it brings on too much stress, Jesus says, "Peace be still".  In your life you can have the same peace, no matter what you are going through, and that is for certain. 

Weekend Update

     God is so great!  I just have to share my week with you.  I have been writing a book called, "I Never Loved Dogs Until I Met My Husband".  It's a parody on sticking your foot in your mouth.  Well the great thing about it is that the first publisher I went to wants it.  I am in awe of how amazing God is!  I have a lot of work ahead and am excited about it.  I know that if I put Jesus first in this, He will supply all my needs.  My life is in His hands.  I have to share one of the stories about my book; one reason why I wrote it.  When a was about 10 or 11, I started writing short stories.  I loved getting into a fantasy world of someone else's lives.  Later, while going through some emotional turmoil I thought I would write about my life.  Now into the future, back in November I decided to start a 50's list.  I would soon be 50 in May.  I made a list of 10 things I would accomplish in my 50s.  The first was to finally write my life story.  That's not what happened.

     The second reason I wrote this book; I'm always on Facebook making crazy comments and two times in a week I stuck my foot in my mouth and was very embarrassed and upset because I said something that seemed to sound really bad.  Now, 10 months later I finally accomplished my first book.  The reason I am so excited about this is that I have never finished anything in my life, when it came to something like this.  God was truly in this.  I praise Him when the good comes, and I hope I would praise Him even when the bad comes because He teaches me in the bad times.  I grow in the bad times.  Then, like now, He shows me how well He takes care of me, in spite of all my sins I have committed along the way.  

     There are many obstacles in my life as I write this, but I know that God has His plan and will always be right here with me, when I fall, to pick me up and hold me tight.  If we just wait on the Lord and look for times in our lives when He has shown us amazing things, we would have abundant joy in our lives and always be thankful.  Have faith and trust to believe that God is able to do anything in your life.

     Tune in tomorrow for a Sunday addition of T*R*U*T*H* In Life and have a great Labor Day weekend!