Learning vs. Living it

HOPE S.H.A.R.E.D. (Share How Abba Relates Every Day)



J after surgery

J before surgery

My daughter, J, had sinus surgery on Monday.  She didn't want to have surgery.  Who would blame her?  It's summer.  She nine years old and wants to play outside (when it's not 100+ degrees like it is this week), go to swim practice, and compete in a swim meet later this week.

I didn't want her to have surgery.  Who likes to watch their daughter "freak out" when getting an iv and almost crying because she has to wait an hour with it hurting her hand?  Or watching her become frustrated with annoying nasal drainage?  No one does.

We want our children to only experience joys, not sorrows; health, not sickness; comfort, not pain; acceptance, not rejection.  We want to same for ourselves.  Don't we?

Then why do we have bad experiences?  Remember, we live in a world where people have chosen their own way, instead of God's way.  Life isn't perfect.  We all suffer the consequences of a fallen world, fallen from perfection. 

God wants to use our daily trials as training ground. 

With trials, we learn to trust God.   

With disappointments, we learn to depend on God. 

With lessons, we not only learn about God, but we live out God's promises. (or at least have the opportunity)

For J, this week is a week of trials, disappointments, and lessons.  She learned about God's awesome power last week in Vacationa Bible School.  This week, she gets to live it out. (or at least try to)  

What is God teaching you through your trial?

Are you only learning about God, or living out God's promises?

Romans 8:28  We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose.

P.S.  By the time I finished downloading pics to post this blog, Jadyn feels much better!  She even swam this evening, praise the Lord!

Linked to:  1-Minute Bible Love Notes

Lessons from Last Year's Fear (3rd and final part)

The story continues...(You may to read the last two posts to catch up)  My daughter, J,  came home from the hospital around 5:00 p..m.

Reasons I survived...
1)  God's preparation

I was reading "Experiencing God Day By Day" by Henry and Richard Blackaby for my quiet time.  The day before J went to the ER with swelling in her ankles and an odd rash on her legs, the scripture reference was Romans 14:23, "But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin."  The writers say, "Whenever God reveals something, He expects us to believe Him and adjust our lives accoringly.  What does this mean?  It means we trust Him implicity for all our needs (Phil. 4:19)...It means we approach crises with the assurance that God will bring good from them (Romans 8:28).  It means we overcome anxiety during stressful situations because God instructs us to bring our requests to Him. (Phil. 4:6)...Faithlessnes is sin.  "But without faith it is impossible to please Him (Heb. 11:6)".  And the day J would go to the hospital, God prepared me with another devotion about Phil. 4:6, "Be anxious for nothing..." 

God used scriptures to prepare me. 
 Phil. 4:6 “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made know to God.”  I love verse 7, “and the peace of God which surpasses all comprehension shall guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”  I experienced these verses the day my daughter couldn't walk in the hospital. 

2) God's provision
The next day, the girls had a snow day and went to play with some friends.  I noticed some bruising on my J's ankles, where she had swelling previously. I called her Dr. and he said he would try to get her scheduled with a rheumatologist.  I called my rheumatologist neighbor (God's provision) to discuss J's symptoms and ask for advice.  After dinner, J complained of being cold so she went to take a shower.  When she got out, her knees were swollen and she couldn't walk without a limp.  I called my neighbor back and explained her knees were swollen and her rash was bigger.  She and her husband, cardiologist, (God's provision) came over to look at J.  They felt we could give her ibuprofen and wait until our next day appointment with our pediatrician.  

 The next morning (Friday), J’s swelling in her knees had subsidedr.  We continued to give her ibuprofen.  I texted our rheumatologist neighbor to see if she could help us see a pediatric rheumatologist.  She spoke with one on call that day.  When we saw our pediatrician, he called the rheumatologist and spoke with her about J's case, while we were there that day.   Our pediatrician thought she had HSP (Henloch Schonlein Purpurar) with the migrating arthritis and rash.  It is an inflammatory reaction of the immune system to medication, or after strept.  We had an appointment with the rheumatologist the following Monday (totally a God-thing to get into a specialist so quickly).

3)  God's protection
J felt great over the weekend.  We kept her on continuous ibuprofen and waited for our Monday appointment (Valentine’s Day).  We thought we would go and hear, “Yes, she has HSP…no worries.”  However, she did not confirm the diagnosis and thought she had acute rheumatic fever.  With rheumatic fever, J could have had heart problems, none.  With the HSP, she could have had kidney problems, none.  God is good.   The Dr. prescribed prophylaxis antibiotics until she is 21 years old to prevent J from ever getting strept again.  If she gets strept, she could get the rheumatic fever again, with possible damage to her heart.

J had another echocardiogram that same week.  Heart: perfect.  Three months later, J went to a pediatric cardiologist.  He said she did not have any effects, and won't, from this episode of rheumatic fever.  Praise the Lord!

God prepared me, provided health care when we needed it, and protected J through it all.  Most importantly, I learned lessons about fear and faith I can apply for years to come. 

What is God teaching you about fear or faith? 


Linked up to:http://biblelovenotes.blogspot.com/p/friday-blog-hop.html

Rough Week?

I prayed I could post, "Thank you for praying for me and my daughter ("bear").  Everything is great now." (You may need to read my last post if you have no idea what I'm talking about).  Well, not yet.  Maybe tomorrow.  Please keep praying.  But in the midst of chaos, God reminded me of a few thoughts about trials for followers of Jesus.

1)       Recall God’s faithfulness to Hold. 

God is always with you.  And like a parent comforting a hurting child, He holds us through the tough times.   Psalm 23:4 says, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.”  (emphasis mine)

2)       Rely on God’s faithfulness to Help.

God wants us to call to Him for help.  I love the promise of Psalm 46:1.  “God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble.” (emphasis mine)

3)      Rejoice in God’s faithfulness to Hope

God wants us to rejoice.  Rejoice.  Really?  Paul says in Philippians 4:4 “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!”  I think Paul knew what he was talking about when he wrote this from prison.  Paul also gave us the “how to hope” later in verses 6-7.

  “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.   And the peace of God, which surpasses all, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

May God grow us all in our trials this week.

The Clean Up

I’m sure some of you are wondering how to clean up a pond of liquid detergent.  I’m sorry to say (and happy to say) I’ve got experience in this.  I failed to tell you in my last blog that this happened one other time (slow learner, I know).  It happened about five years ago.  My initial response: “Are you kidding me!”  Of course five years ago, I had three little girls (ages 5, 3, and 1) helping me with the clean up.  I did the best I could to return the liquid to its original container and then made the biggest mistake of my life (I wish this was the biggest mistake of my life).  I added water.  Do you know what water does to a pond of detergent?  Of course you do.  What was I thinking!

The next day sitting at the breakfast table with my girls, I hear a “Pfsssss” coming from my utility room.  That is never a good sound.  I ran to see what was going on.  To my surprise a plastic two liter of Coke had spontaneously busted.  Really?  Didn’t know that could happen.  I had to laugh, or I would cry. (Maybe I did cry first).  One day after cleaning bubbles!  Can you believe it?  The Coke wiped right up!  The thin layer of detergent left the day before, neutralized the stickiness.

So, my clean up this time:  Used my hands to get most of the liquid back into the container, wiped the floor with paper towels, and then, yes, I used  7up to neutralize the slick film of soap left behind.

My thoughts:  Sometimes God gives us (followers of Jesus) trials to prepare us for the next.   God prepared my floor with soap, knowing the Coke would come the next day.  Some of our “little trials” are preparing us for others, and sometimes bigger trials.  I know you’re asking, “And that is supposed to encourage me?”   Depends on how you look at it.  Now that I’ve had a trial of spilled soap twice, I thought of some conclusions about trials.

God uses trials for us to:

1)       Prepare us to Remember.

 Remember the times God has been faithful in the past.  Write it down.  Because of His faithfulness in other trials, we can trust Him now. 

Psalm 36:5 says, “Your lovingkindness, O LORD, extends to the heavens,
Your faithfulness reaches to the skies.”

Also, remember the trials you “passed” and take good notes.   Remember the trials you “failed” and learn from them (Do not add water to soap!).  It’s ok to share how you’ve failed.  It also shows you are “real”.

2)       Prepare us to Relate.

God sometimes uses our trials to allow us to relate to others that have gone through a similar test.   God uses our stories to create bridges to share hope.  Hopefully, we learn from our trials and can encourage others.   

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 says, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,  who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”

3)       Prepare us for Reward.

For those who are followers of Christ, earth is not our home.  God is in the process of refining us for heaven (not that we have to earn our way).  He uses every trial to make us more like Christ (if we will let Him). 

Philippians 1:6 says, “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.

It’s taken me a few days to get this post together.  The day after my clean up, my van was hit (no one in it, thankfully), and I struggled with a strong willed child at school, resulting in school counselor intervention.  God’s given me plenty of opportunities to practice these scriptures J.