I recently had a friend that was upset and deeply disappointed and hurt because they were not invited to an event that they felt they should have been privy to.
I suppose as human beings we think we are number one! We constantly think of only ourselves. We want to feel like we are important. For us women, we want to be the prettiest and most stylish. For you men, you want to be the champions, the winners, associated with the elite and higher class.
Now back to the story about my friend. After a day of sulking and mulling over the situation, they finally spoke to Christ about changing their heart and outlook on the situation so as not to become bitter or angry....and Christ's response to them was "I'm not invited to many occasions to which I wish I could be invited to."
Well that seemed to end that conversation quickly and quietly. It quickly dissipated and suddenly an overwhelming peace came over my friend as they realized that the Lord of the Earth cared to know their name and feel their hurt (as it says in the song by Casting Crowns entitled "Who Am I").
Not because of who I am, but because of what You've done,
Not because of what I've done, but because of who You are.
I am a flower quickly fading, here today and gone tomorrow.
A wave tossed in the ocean, a vapor in the wind...
I just thank God that regardless of what sin I commit, whether it be pride, anger or bitterness that He always watches over me. So who am I to feel that I have the right to feel like I should be privy to certain situations when my God isn't even invited? Although He is omnipresent, omniscient and omnipotent He is not always called upon.
I pray that you will bring the struggles you are facing today to our Savior's attention and call upon Him for His forgiveness and help.
Composed by Tina and typed by Aaron
Update: We have been doing better lately. Tina has had fewer large seizures over the summer and she is getting stronger with the help of some in-home occupational and physical therapy. We are so thankful for all your continued prayers and for the Lord's grace and strength He gives us each and every day that we call upon Him.
Current prayer needs: I am going back to work on Monday and Tina's mom will be going back home in 2 weeks. Tina hopefully will be receiving some support from a home health aide but that will only be for 1 hour a day. Please pray that Tina will continue to get stronger and more independent so that she can take care of herself during the day (going to the restroom, walking without falling, getting something to eat etc...). Please also pray for my family in Georgia as they are grieving the loss of my younger cousin Adam who recently died. I have so many wonderful memories of our childhood summers together and he will be missed dearly, although it warms my heart to know that he and my younger brother Jeremy are now hanging out in heaven.
Friday, August 17, 2012
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
Uniquely Yours
A while back Aaron and I watched a cooking show called "Food Network Star". At the end of the show the judges consider all the chefs and their abilities and ultimately who is the chef that will move on from the panel of competing chefs.
Apparently we missed the beginning of the episode where each of the chefs presented their "style" of what their cooking show might look like. At the end of the show one of the judges commented to one of the chefs that they weren't really sure who the "genuine person" of this chef truly was considering that he portrayed one personality on stage (a rapper) and a different one when presenting his dish in a casual outside environment, i.e. he was a different person. Upon being questioned, it seemed he had struggled with this same issue his entire life. Of "who he truly was" he mentioned that he didn't genuinely know who he truly was as an individual.
In Psalm 139:14, David writes "I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made...". You see, God wove us together before the beginning of the Earth; all of our days were ordained for us; however, we must choose what Romans 12:2 says by not "conforming" to what we think this world wants us to be for we were created to be unique. Allow God to transform you into the unique, wonderful and individual person He created you to be (Psalm 139).
Don't allow yourself to conform to what you feel others want or to what others perceive that you should be. If you live your life in this way you'll always feel as if you have a void that you need to feel.
For you are one of a kind. You are special. You are unique. Only you can be you. When you deny who you were truly made to be, you deny God the opportunity to shape you to be "uniquely yours" in a powerful and mighty way.
Share your unique talents and gifts with others today. Maybe then they can discover their own unique and individual selves and not feel as though they have to conform to the ways of this world.
Update: Tina has been doing a little better overall the past few weeks, e.g. less seizures and fewer symptoms but she still struggles with very limited mobility, weakness and other cognitive/physical difficulties. I am writing this, Tina is getting chemo at MDA. We just got the results today that the cancer has remained stable, i.e. it hasn't regressed or progressed. We were hoping that it would have regressed more but at the end of the day we remember that Tina's health and life are in the hands of her Healer and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Composed by Tina and typed by Aaron
Apparently we missed the beginning of the episode where each of the chefs presented their "style" of what their cooking show might look like. At the end of the show one of the judges commented to one of the chefs that they weren't really sure who the "genuine person" of this chef truly was considering that he portrayed one personality on stage (a rapper) and a different one when presenting his dish in a casual outside environment, i.e. he was a different person. Upon being questioned, it seemed he had struggled with this same issue his entire life. Of "who he truly was" he mentioned that he didn't genuinely know who he truly was as an individual.
In Psalm 139:14, David writes "I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made...". You see, God wove us together before the beginning of the Earth; all of our days were ordained for us; however, we must choose what Romans 12:2 says by not "conforming" to what we think this world wants us to be for we were created to be unique. Allow God to transform you into the unique, wonderful and individual person He created you to be (Psalm 139).
Don't allow yourself to conform to what you feel others want or to what others perceive that you should be. If you live your life in this way you'll always feel as if you have a void that you need to feel.
For you are one of a kind. You are special. You are unique. Only you can be you. When you deny who you were truly made to be, you deny God the opportunity to shape you to be "uniquely yours" in a powerful and mighty way.
Share your unique talents and gifts with others today. Maybe then they can discover their own unique and individual selves and not feel as though they have to conform to the ways of this world.
Update: Tina has been doing a little better overall the past few weeks, e.g. less seizures and fewer symptoms but she still struggles with very limited mobility, weakness and other cognitive/physical difficulties. I am writing this, Tina is getting chemo at MDA. We just got the results today that the cancer has remained stable, i.e. it hasn't regressed or progressed. We were hoping that it would have regressed more but at the end of the day we remember that Tina's health and life are in the hands of her Healer and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Composed by Tina and typed by Aaron
Thursday, June 14, 2012
Forgiveness....Part 2
After typing Tina's recent blog entitled "Forgiveness" for her I realized that God put something on my heart to add to it...
Recently I have been teaching my daughter Katie about the concept of forgiveness and how Jesus forgave all of our sins and as Katie likes to put it "He takes all of our bad stuff away when we ask Him too". Well, the other morning I confess that I allowed myself to get upset because Katie kept calling out again and again for my attention but I was busy helping Tina so I raised my voice and told her to wait. A few seconds later I raised my voice again, this time not in anger but in an attempt for her to hear me since she was halfway across the house. I called out to her and told her that I was sorry and to please forgive me. There was a slight pause and then I heard a small angelic voice say "It's ok daddy." A little while later I was helping her brush her teeth and I asked her again to please forgive me for yelling at her and to my surprise she smiled and said "Daddy....don't you remember this morning??" At first I was puzzled because I remembered what I had done wrong...but then I remembered what happened afterwards. "Ohh do you mean that I don't need to ask you to forgive me again because I already asked you to forgive me this morning? She looked up at me and sweetly smiled and said "Yes, of course Daddy." The concept of forgiveness made perfect sense to her at the age of 4. And Jesus said "unless you become like little children you shall not enter the kingdom of Heaven." Matthew 18:3
Have you ever been there before? You do something wrong and then you ask God to forgive you but for some reason you feel like you have to keep asking for His forgiveness. Well I have been there plenty of times, especially when I feel like I have "really blown it". This moment in time with my 4 year old reminded me that when we come to God and ask Him to forgive us that He does so willingly, graciously and immediately. So my encouragement for you today is... when you ask Jesus to forgive you, immediately receive His forgiveness, ask Him to help you from doing it again and then leave your burdens at the cross where they belong.
Update: Tina has had one seizure and a lot of fatigue and weakness this past week but she has not had any serious side effects from the new chemo. Praise God! We are so grateful to Him for each and every day He blesses us with :)
- A messenger of God
Recently I have been teaching my daughter Katie about the concept of forgiveness and how Jesus forgave all of our sins and as Katie likes to put it "He takes all of our bad stuff away when we ask Him too". Well, the other morning I confess that I allowed myself to get upset because Katie kept calling out again and again for my attention but I was busy helping Tina so I raised my voice and told her to wait. A few seconds later I raised my voice again, this time not in anger but in an attempt for her to hear me since she was halfway across the house. I called out to her and told her that I was sorry and to please forgive me. There was a slight pause and then I heard a small angelic voice say "It's ok daddy." A little while later I was helping her brush her teeth and I asked her again to please forgive me for yelling at her and to my surprise she smiled and said "Daddy....don't you remember this morning??" At first I was puzzled because I remembered what I had done wrong...but then I remembered what happened afterwards. "Ohh do you mean that I don't need to ask you to forgive me again because I already asked you to forgive me this morning? She looked up at me and sweetly smiled and said "Yes, of course Daddy." The concept of forgiveness made perfect sense to her at the age of 4. And Jesus said "unless you become like little children you shall not enter the kingdom of Heaven." Matthew 18:3
Have you ever been there before? You do something wrong and then you ask God to forgive you but for some reason you feel like you have to keep asking for His forgiveness. Well I have been there plenty of times, especially when I feel like I have "really blown it". This moment in time with my 4 year old reminded me that when we come to God and ask Him to forgive us that He does so willingly, graciously and immediately. So my encouragement for you today is... when you ask Jesus to forgive you, immediately receive His forgiveness, ask Him to help you from doing it again and then leave your burdens at the cross where they belong.
Update: Tina has had one seizure and a lot of fatigue and weakness this past week but she has not had any serious side effects from the new chemo. Praise God! We are so grateful to Him for each and every day He blesses us with :)
- A messenger of God
Thursday, June 7, 2012
Forgiveness
Those who seek God's forgiveness are spared eternal judgment.
Remember that God speaks to you not only through your times of prosperity but through your times in the desert. Many times it is in the desert that you draw nearer to Him. For it is then that you seek and cry out for Him the most. For we require His love and mercy. It is in His righteousness that you will be restored.
I love the song lyrics to the song "At the foot of the cross" by Don Moen. He so elegantly speaks the truth about how we should portray Jesus. He says "trade these ashes (our sins) in for beauty, and wear forgiveness like a crown."
The next lyrics portray an image to me about the entirety of our existence when he says "coming to kiss the feet of mercy, I lay every burden down." All of our filth and unrighteousness is forgiven by Christ. He allows us to give up our burdens and forgive others as He has forgiven us, as Christ sees us as beautiful and precious to Him. We too should see others through His eyes no matter the circumstances. "Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you." (Ephesians 4:32)
I know it isn't always easy; however, we must remind ourselves that Christ does it for us on a daily basis. We aren't Christ, be we were made in His image.
Life can be hurtful, discouraging and dreadful at times but always remember...Forgiveness is needed to bear the burden off our shoulders and onto Christ's. For that is why we must "lay every burden down at the foot of the cross".
Blog was composed by Tina and typed by Aaron.
Update: These past few weeks seemed to have been more difficult than usual. Tina has been having more seizures than usual (several a week) and she is very weak on the entire left side of her body. Her last MRI showed that the Avastin appears to be still working by shrinking the tumor overall, however a small portion of the tumor has crept over to the other side of her brain (across the midline). Due to this, her doctor recommended that she start a second chemotherapy medication this weekend in order to be a little more aggressive in the treatment protocol. The medication is called Temodar and it is supposed to have much milder side effects than other chemo agents. Please continue to keep us in your prayers: Tina - meds will continue to kill the cancer cells completely with minimal to no harmful side effects and that her left side would get stronger and NO more seizures, Katie - she will continue to remain bubbly and filled with the Joy of Christ as God continues to protect her eyes and heart during this, me - God will continue to give me the strength emotionally, mentally and spiritually to care for my family, all 3 of us - that God would continue to allow us to bring Him glory through this trial. Love, Aaron.
Remember that God speaks to you not only through your times of prosperity but through your times in the desert. Many times it is in the desert that you draw nearer to Him. For it is then that you seek and cry out for Him the most. For we require His love and mercy. It is in His righteousness that you will be restored.
I love the song lyrics to the song "At the foot of the cross" by Don Moen. He so elegantly speaks the truth about how we should portray Jesus. He says "trade these ashes (our sins) in for beauty, and wear forgiveness like a crown."
The next lyrics portray an image to me about the entirety of our existence when he says "coming to kiss the feet of mercy, I lay every burden down." All of our filth and unrighteousness is forgiven by Christ. He allows us to give up our burdens and forgive others as He has forgiven us, as Christ sees us as beautiful and precious to Him. We too should see others through His eyes no matter the circumstances. "Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you." (Ephesians 4:32)
I know it isn't always easy; however, we must remind ourselves that Christ does it for us on a daily basis. We aren't Christ, be we were made in His image.
Life can be hurtful, discouraging and dreadful at times but always remember...Forgiveness is needed to bear the burden off our shoulders and onto Christ's. For that is why we must "lay every burden down at the foot of the cross".
Blog was composed by Tina and typed by Aaron.
Update: These past few weeks seemed to have been more difficult than usual. Tina has been having more seizures than usual (several a week) and she is very weak on the entire left side of her body. Her last MRI showed that the Avastin appears to be still working by shrinking the tumor overall, however a small portion of the tumor has crept over to the other side of her brain (across the midline). Due to this, her doctor recommended that she start a second chemotherapy medication this weekend in order to be a little more aggressive in the treatment protocol. The medication is called Temodar and it is supposed to have much milder side effects than other chemo agents. Please continue to keep us in your prayers: Tina - meds will continue to kill the cancer cells completely with minimal to no harmful side effects and that her left side would get stronger and NO more seizures, Katie - she will continue to remain bubbly and filled with the Joy of Christ as God continues to protect her eyes and heart during this, me - God will continue to give me the strength emotionally, mentally and spiritually to care for my family, all 3 of us - that God would continue to allow us to bring Him glory through this trial. Love, Aaron.
Saturday, May 26, 2012
Secrets
The time is coming when everything will be revealed. All that is secret will be made public. Whatever you have said will be heard in the light and whatever you have whispered behind closed doors will be shouted from the housetops for all to hear (Luke 12:2).
You spread out our sins before You, our secret sins, and You see them all (Psalm 90:8).
"Can anyone hide from Me? Am I not everywhere in all the heavens and the Earth?" asks the Lord (Jeremiah 23:24).
So be careful not to jump to conclusions before the Lord returns as to whether someone is faithful. When the Lord comes, He will bring our deepest secrets to light and will reveal our private motives. And then God will give to everyone whatever praise is due (I Corinthians 4:5).
For the word of God is full of living power. It is sharper than the sharpest knife, cutting deep into our innermost thoughts and desires. It exposes us for what we really are. Nothing in all of creation can hide from Him. Everything is naked and exposed before His eyes. This is the God to whom we must explain all that we have done (Hebrews 4:12-13).
Lord I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against You (Psalm 119:11).
Many of us are living the life that the Samaritan woman lived in John 4. For she had deep secrets that lied within her soul. After Jesus asked for her to "Please give me a drink" (John 4:7) she was shocked that a Jew was asking or even just talking to her for Jews in those days looked down at the Samaritans (because they were considered to be a mixed race). Jesus then promised her that He would quench the thirst deep within her soul. He tells her to "Go and get your husband". She tells him "I don't have a husband" and Jesus replied "You're right, you don't have a husband. For you have had five now and aren't even married to the man you are living with now" (John 4:17-18).
Jesus brought up this woman's past, however regardless of what she had done He loved her and offered her eternal life. The Samaritans in the town believed Jesus was the Messiah because they heard Him themselves, not just because this woman told them about her testimony.
Once she knew her testimony had been exposed, she was set free from all her secrets.
In my own life I know I have had secrets that had held me captive for years. I once read "You're only as sick as your secrets. If you have a list of secrets, you are really sick."
Over the years I have learned to let go of many of my secrets for they fiercely hindered my relationships with some of my dearest and loved friends and they truly burdened my heart, but once I let God's flashlight shine in the deepest crevices of my heart, I allowed my deepest secrets to be my life's saving grace.
Today allow God to relieve you of your burdens. Allow Him to give you the courage to open your heart to those things that are hindering you. Allow Him to expose your deepest secrets to help you set yourself free and bring you closer to Him, for He is your ultimate saving water, just like the Samaritan woman. God is omnipresent (all places), omnipotent (all powerful) and omniscient (all knowing).
Share these thoughts with those around you. You may help someone set themselves free from being captive to their deepest secrets.
Update: I have been really fatigued lately and my physical strength on my left side has been weaker than usual. I have also had a few more seizures since last week. Not really sure why. We just got an MRI done yesterday and we will get the results on Tuesday. Please keep this in your prayers. Recently we were reminded that despite any difficulties we may face in life we need to always start our day by looking unto our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and He will give us the strength that we need for that day.
Composed by Tina and typed by Aaron.
You spread out our sins before You, our secret sins, and You see them all (Psalm 90:8).
"Can anyone hide from Me? Am I not everywhere in all the heavens and the Earth?" asks the Lord (Jeremiah 23:24).
So be careful not to jump to conclusions before the Lord returns as to whether someone is faithful. When the Lord comes, He will bring our deepest secrets to light and will reveal our private motives. And then God will give to everyone whatever praise is due (I Corinthians 4:5).
For the word of God is full of living power. It is sharper than the sharpest knife, cutting deep into our innermost thoughts and desires. It exposes us for what we really are. Nothing in all of creation can hide from Him. Everything is naked and exposed before His eyes. This is the God to whom we must explain all that we have done (Hebrews 4:12-13).
Lord I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against You (Psalm 119:11).
Many of us are living the life that the Samaritan woman lived in John 4. For she had deep secrets that lied within her soul. After Jesus asked for her to "Please give me a drink" (John 4:7) she was shocked that a Jew was asking or even just talking to her for Jews in those days looked down at the Samaritans (because they were considered to be a mixed race). Jesus then promised her that He would quench the thirst deep within her soul. He tells her to "Go and get your husband". She tells him "I don't have a husband" and Jesus replied "You're right, you don't have a husband. For you have had five now and aren't even married to the man you are living with now" (John 4:17-18).
Jesus brought up this woman's past, however regardless of what she had done He loved her and offered her eternal life. The Samaritans in the town believed Jesus was the Messiah because they heard Him themselves, not just because this woman told them about her testimony.
Once she knew her testimony had been exposed, she was set free from all her secrets.
In my own life I know I have had secrets that had held me captive for years. I once read "You're only as sick as your secrets. If you have a list of secrets, you are really sick."
Over the years I have learned to let go of many of my secrets for they fiercely hindered my relationships with some of my dearest and loved friends and they truly burdened my heart, but once I let God's flashlight shine in the deepest crevices of my heart, I allowed my deepest secrets to be my life's saving grace.
Today allow God to relieve you of your burdens. Allow Him to give you the courage to open your heart to those things that are hindering you. Allow Him to expose your deepest secrets to help you set yourself free and bring you closer to Him, for He is your ultimate saving water, just like the Samaritan woman. God is omnipresent (all places), omnipotent (all powerful) and omniscient (all knowing).
Share these thoughts with those around you. You may help someone set themselves free from being captive to their deepest secrets.
Update: I have been really fatigued lately and my physical strength on my left side has been weaker than usual. I have also had a few more seizures since last week. Not really sure why. We just got an MRI done yesterday and we will get the results on Tuesday. Please keep this in your prayers. Recently we were reminded that despite any difficulties we may face in life we need to always start our day by looking unto our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and He will give us the strength that we need for that day.
Composed by Tina and typed by Aaron.
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Miracles
Every miracle begins with an act of faith. We must be obedient to the acts God calls us to, even though we may not see the end solution. We must also not underestimate the power of faith.
I once read that "faith is the step between promise and reassurance." I do believe that God requires us to trust Him to remain faithful to the promises He has given us.
We as believers may wax and wane when we don't seem to receive what we thought would presumably occur. However, God says that His ways are "higher than the Earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts." (Isaiah 55:8-10)
Many days I thank God that His ways are always higher than my ways. For the days I take those steps of faith I see God's miracles. Whether big or small, there is always one there.
When I stand back and look at my life and see my little girl and the love between Aaron and me; I just thank God and stand in awe of His perfect miracles.
Share your faith and everyday view of the miracles that God has placed in your life. Maybe someone in your world needs the empty void in their life to be filled with your words of encouragement and hope. For that gift of hope will return to you in full measure, pressed down and shaken together to make room for more. (Luke 6:38).
Update: I am continuing to remain stable over the past few weeks. I have only had a few seizures which I think were due to me being overly fatigued one occasion and forgetting my meds on another occasion. Despite those minor setbacks I am still hopeful that I am getting better every single day. Please pray that I am able to push myself to regain my strength and physical abilities without overdoing it and causing a seizure. Aaron and I continue to be totally amazed, overwhelemd and humbled by the generosity and support of our friends, family and co-workers. We love you so much and pray that God returns a thousand fold blessing to each and every one of you in the ways that you need it most.
Composed by Tina and typed by Aaron.
I once read that "faith is the step between promise and reassurance." I do believe that God requires us to trust Him to remain faithful to the promises He has given us.
We as believers may wax and wane when we don't seem to receive what we thought would presumably occur. However, God says that His ways are "higher than the Earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts." (Isaiah 55:8-10)
Many days I thank God that His ways are always higher than my ways. For the days I take those steps of faith I see God's miracles. Whether big or small, there is always one there.
When I stand back and look at my life and see my little girl and the love between Aaron and me; I just thank God and stand in awe of His perfect miracles.
Share your faith and everyday view of the miracles that God has placed in your life. Maybe someone in your world needs the empty void in their life to be filled with your words of encouragement and hope. For that gift of hope will return to you in full measure, pressed down and shaken together to make room for more. (Luke 6:38).
Update: I am continuing to remain stable over the past few weeks. I have only had a few seizures which I think were due to me being overly fatigued one occasion and forgetting my meds on another occasion. Despite those minor setbacks I am still hopeful that I am getting better every single day. Please pray that I am able to push myself to regain my strength and physical abilities without overdoing it and causing a seizure. Aaron and I continue to be totally amazed, overwhelemd and humbled by the generosity and support of our friends, family and co-workers. We love you so much and pray that God returns a thousand fold blessing to each and every one of you in the ways that you need it most.
Composed by Tina and typed by Aaron.
Friday, May 4, 2012
Rainbow Promises
Overall we all have our ups and downs. We're human by the way. God has been so gracious in sending support our way in many shapes and forms.
Each day is a personal day from the Lord for His word has given us countless promises and when we seek His face and search for an intimate relationship with Him He will pour out blessings we cannot contain.
One of God's eternal promises to us was that He would never again flood the Earth to destroy all flesh (Genesis 9:13-15). The rainbows we see after the rain are a constant reminder to us to be encouraged and hopeful that no matter what vain imaginations the enemy tries to throw at us, God backs His promises and keeps us from the fiery darts of the enemy. For God is always our eternal rock (Isaiah 26:4b).
This morning God truly gave me a supernatural peace. These past few months have been quite difficult and exhausting, e.g. being in the hospital, recovery and many days of downs both emotionally and physically. BUT, God's rainbow promises have kept us going. "Lord, grant us peace, all we really have is from You." (Isaiah 26:12). I can't tell you how many times we prayed this prayer.
In your moments of desperation cry out to God, "Lord, You are my strength and my song. You have given me the victory over this situation. You are my God. I will praise You. My Father's God, and I will exalt You!"
I pray that you lean on God's rainbow promises today. No matter how difficult and bleak circumstances look, know that Jesus is right there with you, walking with you. I challenge you today to find other rainbow promises He has given us and share those with others.
Update: I have still had my ups and downs over the past several weeks. Due to a change in my meds I had quite a few seizures last week and had to go into the ER over the weekend. But they changed my meds and this week I am doing better.
- Composed by Tina and typed by Aaron.
Each day is a personal day from the Lord for His word has given us countless promises and when we seek His face and search for an intimate relationship with Him He will pour out blessings we cannot contain.
One of God's eternal promises to us was that He would never again flood the Earth to destroy all flesh (Genesis 9:13-15). The rainbows we see after the rain are a constant reminder to us to be encouraged and hopeful that no matter what vain imaginations the enemy tries to throw at us, God backs His promises and keeps us from the fiery darts of the enemy. For God is always our eternal rock (Isaiah 26:4b).
This morning God truly gave me a supernatural peace. These past few months have been quite difficult and exhausting, e.g. being in the hospital, recovery and many days of downs both emotionally and physically. BUT, God's rainbow promises have kept us going. "Lord, grant us peace, all we really have is from You." (Isaiah 26:12). I can't tell you how many times we prayed this prayer.
In your moments of desperation cry out to God, "Lord, You are my strength and my song. You have given me the victory over this situation. You are my God. I will praise You. My Father's God, and I will exalt You!"
I pray that you lean on God's rainbow promises today. No matter how difficult and bleak circumstances look, know that Jesus is right there with you, walking with you. I challenge you today to find other rainbow promises He has given us and share those with others.
Update: I have still had my ups and downs over the past several weeks. Due to a change in my meds I had quite a few seizures last week and had to go into the ER over the weekend. But they changed my meds and this week I am doing better.
- Composed by Tina and typed by Aaron.
Friday, April 13, 2012
Cruise Control
Several years ago there was a song about Jesus taking the wheel. Do you remember that? Well, whether or not that was one of your favorite songs I imagine that it may have caused you to stop and think. "Who is in the driver's seat of my life?" Over the past several years this question has come to my mind many times, especially lately. If you are anything like me you like to feel like you have some control of your life and what does or doesn't happen to you. Well I have learned that while I do have some limited ability to steer my "ship" through the "seas of life", ultimately I have no control of the winds, waves and weather. Only God is in charge of those! To some this idea may seem frightening or discouraging but for me it brings a reassurance for two main reasons.
#1 God loves me. Since I have asked Jesus to come into my heart, this has been a reality to me. Just like the song I sang as a child still echoes in my mind. I know that Jesus loves me because the bible tells me so.
#2 God is in control. Like the verse in 1 Chronicles 29:11 so clearly states, God is Lord of everything. "Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the splendour, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all."
Therefore, if God loves me and He is in control of everything...I can choose to sit back, relax and trust that He is guiding and directing everything in my life for my good as I release control to Him and cruise through the "seas of life". This isn't always easy but with God I can.
Update: Overall Tina has been doing a little better over the past 2 weeks since she started her Avastin injections although she has been having a lot of difficulty with sleep again due to the steroids she has been taking. Continued sleep deprivation (as you may have encountered) affects every area of your life and it has been causing some difficult side effects for both of us, but God has been faithful to rejuvenate us and give us His supernatural strength to carry on. Please pray that her sleep gets better and we will also be praying that God gives you His supernatural strength when you need it as you release control of your life to Him.
- A messenger of God
#1 God loves me. Since I have asked Jesus to come into my heart, this has been a reality to me. Just like the song I sang as a child still echoes in my mind. I know that Jesus loves me because the bible tells me so.
#2 God is in control. Like the verse in 1 Chronicles 29:11 so clearly states, God is Lord of everything. "Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the splendour, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all."
Therefore, if God loves me and He is in control of everything...I can choose to sit back, relax and trust that He is guiding and directing everything in my life for my good as I release control to Him and cruise through the "seas of life". This isn't always easy but with God I can.
Update: Overall Tina has been doing a little better over the past 2 weeks since she started her Avastin injections although she has been having a lot of difficulty with sleep again due to the steroids she has been taking. Continued sleep deprivation (as you may have encountered) affects every area of your life and it has been causing some difficult side effects for both of us, but God has been faithful to rejuvenate us and give us His supernatural strength to carry on. Please pray that her sleep gets better and we will also be praying that God gives you His supernatural strength when you need it as you release control of your life to Him.
- A messenger of God
Friday, March 30, 2012
Life's instruction manual...
Have you ever tried to put something together without using the manual. Guys are notorious for this. We look at the parts in the box and then at the picture on the box and assume we got it. Well, this happened to me about a week ago. A dear friend of ours came over to hang out with Tina while Katie and I went to a Daddy/Daughter dance (it was awesome by the way). When we got home our friend left only to return a few minutes later with a flat tire. "I got it", I said as I walked out to her car. About 30 minutes later as I was laying under her car I was feeling a little frustrated and had to ask her to help. She got the manual and it turned out that I was missing a crucial part. After I located this missing part the job was done in about 5 minutes.
This reminds me of life. So often in life we (myself included) go around saying "I got it" only to wind up feeling frustrated later. But it doesn't have to be that way. God gave us an instruction manual for life. It's called the Holy Bible. If we will admit that we need help and turn to His Word we will find that we will find the answers to life's questions and that even when life is frustrating we don't have to feel that way. So, if you are feeling frustrated today by life's challenges take some time to pick up the best instruction manual ever written, God's Holy Word. If you are not sure where to start, I would recommend starting in John (New Testament) as well as Psalms and/or Proverbs (Old Testament).
Related verse: "All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness..."
2 Timothy 3:16
Update: It has been about 1 week since Tina had her Avastin treatment and she will have another week sometime late next week. She appears to be doing better at times although she is still struggling with extreme weakness on her left side, shakiness, some sensitivity to light and sound and difficulty sleeping through the night. But...we still keep looking to God and His word for our comfort and for direction and guidance for our lives.
- A messenger of God
This reminds me of life. So often in life we (myself included) go around saying "I got it" only to wind up feeling frustrated later. But it doesn't have to be that way. God gave us an instruction manual for life. It's called the Holy Bible. If we will admit that we need help and turn to His Word we will find that we will find the answers to life's questions and that even when life is frustrating we don't have to feel that way. So, if you are feeling frustrated today by life's challenges take some time to pick up the best instruction manual ever written, God's Holy Word. If you are not sure where to start, I would recommend starting in John (New Testament) as well as Psalms and/or Proverbs (Old Testament).
Related verse: "All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness..."
2 Timothy 3:16
Update: It has been about 1 week since Tina had her Avastin treatment and she will have another week sometime late next week. She appears to be doing better at times although she is still struggling with extreme weakness on her left side, shakiness, some sensitivity to light and sound and difficulty sleeping through the night. But...we still keep looking to God and His word for our comfort and for direction and guidance for our lives.
- A messenger of God
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Follow my voice...
Have you ever got up in the middle of the night in search of water or the restroom and noticed how difficult it is to see without any light? You search and grasp for something to hold onto and for some sense of direction. Well, in our house one of our favorite family rituals is to read Katie a bedtime story and then rock her before she goes to sleep. As we finished reading her story tonight she walked over to grab her favorite blanket and pillow and then proceeded to turn out the light. And then...there was silence and no movement for a moment. Although I couldn't see her I could sense that she was trying to locate where I was. She stopped and called out "Daddy I can't see you." As any loving father would do I reassured her and said "Katie, I am right here. Follow my voice." A second later she was snuggled up warm and cozy in her daddy's arms.
Have you ever felt like you were walking blindly through life? Constantly grasping for some sense of direction, not sure of which way to turn, not knowing what lies ahead in your future...I have. Been there, done that, got the hat. But...it doesn't have to be that way. God clearly tells us in the Bible that if we will listen to His voice that He will guide us and direct us. Check out what Jesus said in John 10:27 "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me." That means, if we are in Christ that we can have direction in life and in the darkest of times when we feel scared, lonely and directionless if we listen closely to His voice it will lead us to His loving and comforting arms.
Update: Tina and I have had a pretty rough week. We got news this past Tuesday that the cancer that was removed one month ago with surgery has already returned. But...we serve a mighty and powerful God who reminds us daily that He is well able to take care of us. Additionally, Tina is also scheduled to start some treatments with Avastin tomorrow and we are confident and hopeful that she will be feeling better really soon. Please keep this in your prayers. Earlier this evening Tina was feeling exhausted from the day and was wearing her eyemask to help block out any light to avoid any sensory overload. Since she was unable to see, she was relying on me to help walk her around and at one point she stood still and seemed hesitant to take a step forward. It was in that moment that I leaned close to her and gently whispered in her ear..."Tina, I am right here. Follow my voice." :)
- A messenger of God
Have you ever felt like you were walking blindly through life? Constantly grasping for some sense of direction, not sure of which way to turn, not knowing what lies ahead in your future...I have. Been there, done that, got the hat. But...it doesn't have to be that way. God clearly tells us in the Bible that if we will listen to His voice that He will guide us and direct us. Check out what Jesus said in John 10:27 "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me." That means, if we are in Christ that we can have direction in life and in the darkest of times when we feel scared, lonely and directionless if we listen closely to His voice it will lead us to His loving and comforting arms.
Update: Tina and I have had a pretty rough week. We got news this past Tuesday that the cancer that was removed one month ago with surgery has already returned. But...we serve a mighty and powerful God who reminds us daily that He is well able to take care of us. Additionally, Tina is also scheduled to start some treatments with Avastin tomorrow and we are confident and hopeful that she will be feeling better really soon. Please keep this in your prayers. Earlier this evening Tina was feeling exhausted from the day and was wearing her eyemask to help block out any light to avoid any sensory overload. Since she was unable to see, she was relying on me to help walk her around and at one point she stood still and seemed hesitant to take a step forward. It was in that moment that I leaned close to her and gently whispered in her ear..."Tina, I am right here. Follow my voice." :)
- A messenger of God
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