I have wanted to write a blog like this
for a while, but it wasn’t until I read a friend of mine’s blog this past week
that I was greatly moved in my heart. My
friend actually lost his wife to a very short battle with brain cancer just over a year ago and his blog
inspired me and challenged me in my own faith (you should read it). No really, go read it. I, myself, was hit with the question, am I really
living in a way that says I trust God, believing He is sovereign, knowing His
plans are best, and that my pain is an opportunity for God’s glory to be seen? You see, I do believe that my pain is for a
purpose, but I want to believe it even more, with greater faith and
obedience. I want to expect God’s glory.
I want to want what God wants and not what Andrea wants.
Over this past year the grace of God in my life has been absolutely amazing, I have so much to be thankful for. Yes, I have had a lot of health problems and are still dealing with some. I have come to realize though that if the Lord
saw it fit for me to be restored to even better health then I would
be, but something bigger is at stake, something beyond me; it is the glory of God.
So this year, I have decided that my aim will be the glory of God; the
glory of God in each and every circumstance of my life. That my constant prayer would be, Father, show
me your glory through my own health struggles, and display Your glory through
me so I might be a testimony of your love, grace, and faithfulness. And even when I don’t see it grant me the
faith to keep moving forward rejoicing in You.
The beautiful thing is when I take the
time to reflect I can see the hand of God all throughout this past year. I have seen the glory of the Lord at work and
I think it is time to give God the praise He is due. So here are a few things God has done over
this past year (in no particular order):
1.
My
heart is beating.
2.
My
heart is beating.
3.
Did
I mention my heart is beating? Glory to
God! When I stop and ponder the depths
of this reality I can do nothing but say, thank You Jesus! Thank You Father for granting someone the knowledge
to invent a pacemaker. I am no longer
dizzy, short of breathe, or experiencing palpitations. Father, let it be to Your glory!
4.
My
blood pressure reached over 100 just over a week ago. It has been in the 80’s 90’s for probably a
year. This is a wonderful gift of grace!
5.
My
husband is a gift of God’s grace, and he has been such a supportive rock for me
during this time. He is a gift of God’s
grace to me.
6.
I
had to quit my job over the summer because of my health. God has provided for Michael and me in
monetary ways we never could have expected.
Indeed, our Father takes care of His children!
7.
I
found out my adrenal and thyroid glands are not working properly, which is why
I am still tired and easily worn out. I
am seeing a holistic specialist and have seen improvements in my health. Glory to God!
8.
I
have truly come to the end of myself in different ways. God has shown me my sin, my brokenness, and
my areas I needed to surrender to Him.
This has been a freeing, empowering, humbling, amazingly good
experience! I believe my faith is
becoming even more real, it’s growing roots. Glory to God!
9.
In
ministering to others I have found I am better able to sympathize and walk
alongside of people in their own struggle because of my own experience. This is a gift!
Yes, I have seen His glory at work and I
am ready to watch it continue to unfold in my journey towards health—physical
and spiritual. All of these things listed above are all things to
praise God about. They are here to
ignite my faith, and hopefully yours as we continue on in this New Year. Yes, our God is faithful and true! He can be trusted. He is always at work in the lives of His
children and it is always for His
glory and our good. He is worthy of our
ceaseless praise.
My prayer is to be a woman of ceaseless
praise; a woman that speaks words of faith, and desires God’s glory over her
own comfort or will. I’m here, in this
season, for a reason beyond myself and I think that’s pretty awesome.
Ps. 103:1-5
Praise the Lord, O my soul;
all my inmost
being, praise his holy name.
Praise the Lord, O my soul,
and forget not all
his benefits—
who forgives all
your sins
and heals all your
diseases,
who redeems your
life from the pit
and crowns you with
love and compassion,
who satisfies your
desires with good things
so that your youth
is renewed like the eagle’s.
As you
look back on this past year, what can you praise God for? What is your hope for the New Year?
