Christian Living Archives - Page 8 of 14

Articles, Christian Living, Devotionals, Disability

Blog and Life Update

Below is an update from a newsletter I recently sent out, and I thought I would share it here as well.

Health/Life Update

Hello Prayer Warriors,

Thanks for your continued prayers! For those of you who are just now reading my blog and following my journey, I am currently dealing with some ongoing health issues. Over the past two years I have had three major surgeries and been home bound much of the time. One surgery was to remove my colon and the other two were from complications dealing with my small bowel. Because of my Cerebral Palsy, I have a neurogenic bowel and bladder which means they are slow and do not function normally. We think this is the cause of the recurring bladder infections I am dealing with that have been hard to treat. Due to constant infections, I have been on antibiotics continually over the last few months. However, I have an appointment with a new urologist at Wake Forest Baptist Hospital in Winston Salem, NC in a few weeks. While I know, this is not an easy fix, I pray that he is able to shed some light on the situation.

The past two weeks have been some of the hardest days physically that I have dealt with in a while. I have been bed bound most days with pain, no energy, and dealing with side effects from medications, However, in the midst of all of this, God is faithful. I am so thankful for all the folks praying for me and lifting me up during this season. Your prayers and encouragement mean so much to me and I am daily blessed by you. One verse that has encouraged me lately, and a scripture I am holding tight to right now is Romans 8:18 which states,

“For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.”

Blog Update-
Prior to my last surgery in May, I posted a Bible verse or inspirational quote on the blog each day that I called “Daily Inspirations.” However, I have not kept up with those, but am starting them again this week. Through the month of October the theme for my “Daily Inspirations ” is going to be favorite quotes from people that I consider to be “Heroes of The Faith,” so stay tuned for that.

Also, I am currently writing a 31 day series on the book of Nehemiah through the month of October. I would love for you to read along with me as I study the Word, and post about what I am learning. I may not be able to post every day but I will post as often as possible.

To read my Nehemiah series visit here –

https://ameliamcneilly.com/category/31-days-nehemiah/

Books, Christian Living, Reading

Jilted Book Review

About the book:

Jilted (David C. Cook, June 2016)

Lynda Turner has struggled with depression since her husband abandoned her and their young daughter fifteen years ago.

Yet unexpected hope awakens when a local ex-convict shows interest. As long-hidden secrets resurface, Lynda must fight for her emotional stability and for a life where the shadow of shame is replaced by the light of love.

Jilted tells of a woman who has lost the joy of living, a man determined to draw her back toward happiness, and a town that must—once and for all—leave the past where it belongs. It is a gentle reminder that all things can work together for good.

My Thoughts:

Jilted is the third book in The Mended Heart Series by Denman. Before this latest release I was not familiar with this series but now I am a huge fan. The author has a way of drawing the reader in and grips at the heart strings from the page one. This book is a story of a woman who has dealt with heartbreak and depression and who is on a journey and hopes to find joy again. I laughed, cried, and prayed with this character and did not want the story to end. It truly is a story that shows that God truly does work out all things for His good. If you need a new series to read this summer I highly recommend this one. You want be sorry.

I was given this book by Litfuse in exchange for my review.

About the Author:

Varina Denman is author of the Mended Hearts series and a native Texan. She spent her high school years in a rural town and now writes stories about the struggles women face in similar small town settings. She and her husband live near Fort Worth, where they enjoy spending time with their five mostly grown children.

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Articles, Christian Living, Disability, Family, Friendship

Update from Amelia 💛

Hi friends! Thank you all so much for your prayers over the past few weeks.

My surgery went well. My intestines were kinked together and pressing against my abdominal wall, but Dr. Dobson was able to fix the problem without complications — Praise the Lord!

I am currently home and recovering. I saw Dr. Dobson again this past week and he is hopeful that things will continue to improve. However, I am still extremely weak so prayers for strength, energy, and stamina would be greatly appreciated. I have therapy exercises that I am doing, and am now able to get in the pool so that is helpful. Also, I have a wonderful home health nurse visiting me weekly which is super helpful and encouraging, and I also receive palliative care services. I recently received a hospital bed from palliative which has helped me rest so much better at home. I am deeply grateful for all of these healthcare professionals who make my recovery easier, and who help to ease my pain. They are such a huge blessing to me and my family. The Lord has been so good to me and I’m thankful for the strength He gives me daily to press on!

Thank you all for your continued prayers and support. It means so much to me. I am daily inspired by your calls, notes, and visits. I am still home bound and unable to be out and about but I love having phone calls and company for those who live nearby. Give me a call sometime or stop by for a visit. I would love to hear from you and know how you are doing. I am so thankful for all of you! Please let me know how I can pray for you as well!

I hope you all are enjoying the weekend and this warm weather! Summer is here! 😊

Articles, Christian Living, Disability, Family, Friendship

Leave it in the Hands of the Healer

On Friday (tomorrow), I go in for another surgery on my small bowel. Because of my previous surgeries, there could be a lot of risks involved with this. However, I am praying that all goes well and this will improve my quality of life. The past few months and especially the last few weeks have been extremely hard health-wise. I have spent a lot of time in bed with a lot of pain, but in the midst of all of the hard God has been incredibly gracious. He has blessed me with two wonderful parents who love and care for me so well. I know it is not always easy for them but they show Jesus to me everyday in their care of me. God has also blessed me with an amazing group of friends who daily encourage me in different ways, and are continually praying for me.

It is so much easier going through the hard seasons when you have a solid group of people alongside you. I thank God daily for the community He has given me. Most importantly though, I thank God for the relationship I have with Jesus Christ.

Without Jesus, I would be living as a lady with no hope. Without Jesus, I would be scared out of my mind right now (I am nervous, but I would be even more so without the Lord), and without Jesus, I would be bitter. But Jesus still gives me LIFE and HOPE even on the most dreary days.

When my body is tired and overwhelmed, and I am not knowing how to pray the Lord knows. He understands, and is giving me the nudge I need to carry on. At times it may seem that the Lord is completely absent but He is not. He is always there loving and leading. The Lord knows me better than anybody and loves me more than anyone ever could so why do I doubt Him? Why do I fear? He has proven faithful over the course of my 31 years, and He will continue to do so.

Over the weekend, I let thoughts of fear and worry creep in my mind. They brought along misery, sadness, anger, and doubt. During those moments the Lord gently reminded me that since I have Him, I should have no fear. This verse came to mind from Isaiah 41:10 –

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

This truth from Scripture reminded me that I have no reason to worry. God wants to know that I trust Him and will surrender my everything to Him even if I don’t know what the future holds.

My act of obedience during this season is trusting the Lord and fearing Him instead of fearing my circumstances.

As Friday nears I am focusing on fearing God and trusting Him to carry me through. As one of my favorite songs says, “leave it in the hands of the Healer and walk away.”

Surrender your fears to Him today and His peace will rule in your heart more than you could ever imagine.

Thank you to all who have prayed for me. Your prayers are being felt, and are greatly encouraging. My friend Erin will be updating via email. If you would like to receive these updates join the Google Group here, or send me a message.

Articles, Books, Christian Living, Reading

Pocket Prayers by Max Lucado

A while ago, I wrote a review for the “Pocket Prayer” books by Max Lucado. To read more about them visit here. Following the review, the publisher asked us to gift the books to people in our lives and I am going to share with you about two of those ladies below.

Pocket Prayers for Moms is going to be given to my friend Josie. Josie is one of my dearest friends. We have been best friends since college at CIU. Josie is a single mom to her five year old Daughter Lydia and Jo is one of the best mom’s I know. Both her and Lydia have been having some health problems recently, but they are tough and live with the joy of Jesus everyday. I am so thankful for the love and encouragement that Jo brings to my life each day and I pray that this little book encourages her soul.

Pocket Prayers for graduates is going to be given to my cousin Laurie who graduates with her Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing very soon. Laurie and I have always shared a sweet relationship and I am so thankful for the friendship that we share as we have gotten older. I am so proud of her accomplishments and know that she is a wonderful nurse. I look forward to seeing how God uses her in the future.

To find out more information regarding these books and to purchase copies visit https://amzn.to/1VgCJqv.

Articles, Christian Living, Disability

Fearless

Fear. All throughout Scripture Christ commands us not to fear. However, as humans that is easier said than done. Sometimes the circumstances of life can be so overwhelming, and you don’t know how to be unafraid. Sometimes the future can seem so dark and scary in that you don’t want to move for fear of what will or won’t happen next. It would be so much easier if we could just know what was around the bend, but as one of my favorite Amy Grant songs says, “Sometimes, it’s better not to know, which way its going to go, what will die and what will grow, it’s better not to know.”

Those are simple but very true words. We may not know what is next in life, but there is one who does, and His name is Jesus. I have never been more grateful for His presence than I have been in this season.

If you have been following my journey for the past year or so, you know that I have been having some serious health problems. In January of 2015, I had my colon removed and following that spent over five weeks in the hospital due to life-threatening complications. Following that, has been a huge recovery process, but in November things started to get worse again. After several months of pain and problems with my ostomy, I saw my surgeon in March and he told me news that I didn’t want to hear — more surgery. More surgery for me could be complicated and very risky, but it has to be done. Dr. Dobson said there are possibly partial blockages and scar tissue but he will not know the extent of what is going on until he goes in. Due to my previous surgeries, this one is not going to be easy and there are more risks involved than normal — we are not sure what to expect or even how long I will be in the hospital. Because of what happened last year, not knowing more details has been hard, and I have been fearful of the outcome.

However, the Lord has so gently and lovingly reminded me this week of all the times He commands in His word not to fear or be afraid. Jesus is my everything, and He deserves my full obedience in all circumstances. No matter what occurs, God wants me to obey His word and trust Him. The situation is out of my control so worrying about it is not going to change anything. But there is one thing I can control and that is my choice to trust the Lord and surrender my will to His which means trusting Him with my life and believing that He is powerful enough to handle what comes my way.

[clickToTweet tweet=”If I believe Jesus like I say I do then I should be fearless. ~@ameliamcneilly” quote=”If I believe Jesus like I say I do then I should be fearless. The only person I need to fear is God, and He will take care of the rest. “]

Lately, as I have been meditating on different Scripture passages related to this, God has given me a peace that passes all understanding. My circumstances have not changed, but my heart has. As 1 John 4:18 says, “perfect love casts out all fear.” Other verses that have encouraged me are:

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” ~Isaiah 41:10

“Peace is what I leave with you; it is my own peace that I give you. I do not give it as the world does. Do not be worried and upset; do not be afraid.” ~John 14:27

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” ~Joshua 1:9

“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” ~Matthew 6:34

In closing, I want to thank all of you for your encouragement and prayers. It means so much to me. Several have asked how they can specifically be praying for me leading up to the surgery so I have decided to send out an email with regular prayer requests and updates regarding my surgery. The surgery is set for May 20, and I would love for you to be a part of my squad of prayer warriors cheering me on in this journey.

Send me a message by visiting this link and I will add you to the list. Thanks friends!

https://ameliamcneilly.com/contact/

Articles, Christian Living, Devotionals, Disability

Rest

This past week has been a hard one. My body is struggling with infections. I have been dealing with staph/skin infections and now a sore throat. Yesterday was spent in bed, and today will be much of the same. My body is in total rebellion at the moment. Earlier as I was thinking about everything and feeling overwhelmed, God gently reminded me of the verse in Matthew 11:28-30 that states,“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

In the quiet of yesterday afternoon I was reminded that even in the hardest circumstances I can always be at rest, and the reason for that is Jesus. Jesus will carry my burdens so I do not have to. He loves me and desires to give me freedom. God does not intend for any of us to live as overwhelmed, anxious, or tired when He offers His rest. This does not mean God will never allow us to have trouble, but that He will carry and give us His strength when troubles come.

Sickness may be present, jobs might be lost, marriages failing, discontentment abounding, but Jesus wants us to let go of these stresses and come to Him. He is ready. He is waiting. He will fight your giants so let Him. I am so guilty of striving and wanting to do more, more, and more.However, God has shown me lately that it is not how much I can do for Him, but instead how much I rest in Him.

He wants all of me, and to be the king of my heart in both the good and hard times. He wants my trust in every area of life, including the trials.

Rest can only come when you are fully surrendered to Christ, and trust Him to care for you in the way He feels is best no matter the circumstances.

I would ask that as you think of it please remember me in your prayers as you think of it. Pray that the Lord will provide healing and rest for my body. Thanks friends. How can I be praying for you?

Spend some time today in the Word getting to know the only One who can give you the rest that you so desperately desire. Jesus will never let you down.

Below is a song that has been a source of great encouragement to me lately and I hope it encourages you as well.

Trust in You – Lauren Daigle –

Articles, Blog Series, Christian Living, Devotionals

Clothed in Christ – Holy and Dearly Loved

“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.” ~Colossians 3:12-15

As a woman I love a good outfit. I enjoy shopping, putting together outfits for special occasions, and feeling pretty. What woman doesn’t, right? While there is nothing wrong with desiring to look nice outwardly, so many times we fail to work on how we are looking on the inside. If we are honest, we could all use a character check occasionally, and that is exactly what the passage in Colossians 3 gives us. If we are to be the people God us intends then we should strive to glorify Him in every area of our lives.

Verse 12 begins by stating, “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved…” — this statement is the entire motivation for why God’s children should be clothed with the qualities that are mentioned later in these verses. We are chosen and beloved by God, and as mentioned in Deuteronomy, God calls us His treasured possession.

No matter who we are or what we have done, God loves us with an everlasting love. The day we accept Him as Savior, our lives become new.

As a believer we are to put aside the former ways of life, and display the love of Christ by having compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forgiveness, love, and peace. These qualities are not always easy to live out, especially during hard seasons. When we are not actively pursuing Jesus and His Word, we cannot glorify him in the way that He deserves. To another person, the life we live may seem perfect. However, even though we may appear to have it all together on the outside, if others do not see Jesus in us then nothing else matters. This passage calls each of us to live out these characteristics regardless of what our circumstances are.

Also, it is important for each of us to be on guard focusing daily on renewing our mind, and guarding our gate. The things we allow in will eventually spill over into how we live. If not, thoughts of anger, bitterness, and selfishness will consume us instead of love, gentleness, and compassion.

Over the next couple of weeks, I will sharing about each of these characteristics and what God is teaching me. I would encourage you to study this passage in Colossians along with me because I would love to hear how God is using it in your life as well.

Be sure to check back on Monday for my next post focusing on compassion.

To view more posts in this series please visit here.

To receive my blog posts in your inbox subscribe here.

Articles, Blog Series, Christian Living

New Blog Series – Colossians

Happy Friday, friends. I am excited to announce that beginning next week I will be starting a new series on my blog based on Colossians 3:12-15.

“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.”

This is one of my favorite passages in the Bible and I look forward to studying it in more detail and share with you what God is teaching me through it. Be sure to check back next week for the first post.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Articles, Christian Living, Devotionals

Love Bears All Things

The entire chapter of 1 Corinthians 13 on love is extremely convicting to me, especially the statement, “Love bears all things.”

Love may be easy when things are going our way, but this verse is not just talking about loving in the good times. This verse specifies the word all, which also means loving when times are tough and being willing to suffer for the sake of that love. When I read this particular verse I always think about the love of Christ, and ask myself, do I love Christ enough to suffer for the sake of loving Him? Am I willing to bear anything – persecution or death for the sake of loving Christ, and for others in my life that I love. I think that is what Paul is referring to in this statement, and is a sobering reminder for us to love in the same manner that Christ loved us.

Jonathan Edwards, one of my favorite theologians speaks of this matter and he gives several ways “love bears all things” in this regard. They are:

Love bears all things is being willing to undergo all sufferings, of all kinds, that are in the way of duty. For example, to prefer the honor of Christ before their own. This means to suffer and being willing to lose all things whether it be family, earthly possessions, etc. for that love.

Love bears all things is being willing to undergo all sufferings, of all degrees that are in the way of duty. This means to forsake all for the sake of Christ and to endure all degrees of mocking, contempt, etc for the sake of that relationship.

This type of love mentioned above is one that never gives up and has the ability to endure any hardship, sorrow, or disappointment that comes. This is how we should strive to love Christ and the people he puts into our lives. I think the true test of love in any relationship comes not when things are easy but when things are hard, and loving a person during the unlovable times. After all, that is how Christ loves us. When we are going through hard times and love does not come easy, Christ loves us anyway. There is nothing that we could go through that would make Christ not love us, and we should apply that concept to all the relationships God places in our lives.

Take some time today to pray and to surrender yourself to the Lord. Ask Him to show you how to love Him better, and ask him to give you wisdom in finding the ability to love the ones He has placed in your life.

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