Disability Archives - Amelia McNeilly

Articles, Christian Living, Devotionals, Disability

Somewhere Down the Road

Sometimes life can be just plain hard. Sometimes answers do not come. Sometimes we wonder if they ever will. In these moments fear can take the place of peace in our hearts, and fear can rule in place of Jesus Christ. The older I get and the more life I live, I am reminded all the more that peace does not come from the material things we possess, relationships we have, health, or financial security, etc.

No, true peace only comes from Jesus.

Over the last year I feel that my life has been stripped away, and much like the changing of seasons, the Lord has been changing my life and maturing me into a stronger woman for Him. It seems like everything that I have put confidence in has been removed by God, but it has also drawn me closer to Him and shown me what is really important.

A life lived for God is not meant to be a life lived in ease. A life lived for God is meant to be a life surrendered to the Father saying not my will but yours be done.

That also includes accepting and rejoicing in suffering. In the midst of trials and uncertainty, fear can tend to take over. However, God commands us throughout His word, “Do not fear,” and “do not be afraid” (Joshua 1:9). We may not know what is ahead but He does. So in whatever you may be going through today, “cast your cares on Him for he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7). Surrender your life to Him — your struggles, your joys, everything. He is strong enough to handle them, so let Him. We may not understand all of God’s plans on this side of Eternity but one day we will. As one of my favorite songs from Amy Grant says,

“Somewhere down the road,
There’ll be answers to the questions.
Somewhere down the road,
Though we cannot see it now.
Somewhere down the road,
You will find mighty arms reaching for you.
And they will hold the answers at the end of the road.”

To listen to the entire song visit here.

31 Days - Nehemiah, Articles, Christian Living, Devotionals, Disability

Mornings With Nehemiah – Prayer

Hi friends thanks for reading my blog today, and thanks for journeying with me as I study the book of Nehemiah. I look forward to all that God will teach us.

As I have read through the book of Nehemiah — especially Chapter 1, I immediately notice Nehemiah’s willingness to pray and cry out to the Lord. In the first chapter Nehemiah finds out the devastating news that the wall of Jerusalem has been destroyed and He is devastated. Immediately after this, where does He turn first? He begins to pray and repent of his people’s sins and he cries out to the Lord to have mercy on His people. He has a repentant heart, and in his distress focuses his gaze on Christ. Nehemiah repents for his people and then asked the Lord to show him mercy in the sight of the king(1:6-11).

Following this, we find that God grants Nehemiah his request. The King listens to Nehemiah and supports his mission to leave and go help rebuild the wall for his people. However, for us, an important truth we should take away from this passage is Who Nehemiah Nehemiah consulted with first. Not friends. Not Family. He went straight to God when he was in despair.

As believers, God should always be who we turn to first — in hardship, as well as in our joys. So often though, He is the last resort.

God is our Heavenly Father, and He is a jealous God. He delights in communion with us and desires for us to come to Him with everything. He is always ready to listen, forgive, and give the guidance we need.

For the theme of this series, I will often use the phrase, “Guarding your gates!” Throughout the book, Nehemiah and his men rebuild the gates of the city that were destroyed. These city gates brought a sense of protection to the people living there. In the same way, we need to put certain things in place to guard and protect ourselves, and our minds.

One way to do this actively is by praying. One of the best ways to guard ourselves daily is by taking everything to God in prayer. Recently, this has been such a good reminder for me. Lately, I have been overwhelmed and anxious regarding my health, but then I read Nehemiah and am reminded to pray and give my health and anxiety over to God. By doing this, my situation may not immediately change. However, by praying and guarding myself in this way, I am able to continue on with my day carried by the strength of Jesus.

At some point today take some time away to spend talking with the Lord, even if it is just for a few minutes. Your time with Him can change the outlook of an entire day. Instead of calling your friend and sharing your latest work drama, call out to God instead.

The same God who Nehemiah prayed and trusted can also help you, you just have to let Him in.

Have a blessed Thursday wherever you may be, and know that I am praying that God will grow and sustain you during this season.

Articles, Christian Living, Devotionals, Disability

Guest Post – When Trials Overwhelm your Soul

Below is an article from my friend Jeanne Harrison which was originally posted on Revive our Hearts. I asked Jeanne if I could share this. As I have read this over and over, I am reminded that God never forsakes us and will carry us through anything we face. I hope it encourages you as it has me.

I wanted security, and You gave me chaos,
Wanted esteem, and You let me know shame.
I wanted success, and You handed me failure,
Wanted Your pleasure and drank of Your pain.

I wanted simplicity, and You gave me troubles,
Wanted grandeur and was brought to nothing.
I wanted approval, and You handed me rejection,
Wanted Your blessing and tasted Your suffering.

So I packed my frustration and all my complaints
Into two giant burlap sacks.
One I named “Bitterness” and the other “Disappointment”
And heaved them upon my back.

Thus I began my journey to You,
Because I needed an answer, You see,
For all of the things You’d promised me once,
And failed to deliver to me.

But the loads, they grew heavy with each passing day,
‘Til I fumed with fury and hate;
And I moaned and I wept and I stumbled at last
Beneath their unbearable weight.

I looked at these bags, laden with trials,
And deep in my soul I knew,
That I could not carry, nor change, nor fight them;
There was but one thing left to do.

I reached both arms, fierce as I dared,
And I hugged them to my breast.
Then I heaved and hauled and wrenched until
I’d wrestled them into my chest.

I cried to the heavens, “I embrace these trials!
I welcome them full unto me.
Let them now work Your will in my life
So that I may be more like Thee!”

The trials spilled over, into my lap
Each of them laid before me.
And as I sat and stared anew,
Suddenly I saw them most clearly.

I wanted comfort, and You gave me character,
Wanted completion, and You gave me patience.
I wanted glory, and You gave me humility,
Wanted Your promise, and You gave me Your presence.

I wanted ease, and You gave me strength,
Wanted cheap idols, and You offered me wealth.
I wanted garbage, and You gave me riches,
Wanted Your gifts, and You gave me Yourself.

I laughed and I danced and I started to sing,
For the treasures I held in my lap!
Then I looked back and forth and finally found
My two giant burlap sacks.

And the names on the bags were rewritten,
For God had seen fit to destroy
Both “Bitterness” and “Disappointment,”
And to name them “Steadfastness” and “Joy.”

I fell to my knees and worshiped and cried,
“Oh God, all along You knew—
That deep in my heart from the very beginning,
All I really wanted was You.”

About the Author:

Jeanne Harrison grew up as a missionary kid in the Philippines for the first fifteen years of her life. Today she is a regular blogger for Revive Our Hearts, and the author of Loving My Lot: A Young Mom’s Journey to Contentment and Hiding in the Hallway: Anchoring Yourself as an MK. Jeanne lives in Macon, Georgia, where her husband, Clint, serves as the Executive Pastor at a local church. Together they have four wild and wonderful daughters, ages 1, 3, 6 and 8.

Articles, Christian Living, Devotionals, Disability, Holidays

Because He Lives – Easter 2018

“But the angel said to the women, Don’t be afraid. I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He isn’t here, because he’s been raised from the dead, just as he said. Come, see the place where they laid him.” ~Matthew 28:5

2018 has been hard to say the least, especially the past few weeks. My need for the hope of Christ is more evident now than before. Today, I am thankful for the sustainment God gives and for life. A few weeks ago I could have lost my life due to a complete bowel obstruction, but God was bigger than my diagnosis and I am now back home under the wonderful care of my parents, hospice, and my dogs.. The gift of the death and resurrection of Jesus seems more real and applicable to my life now more than ever before.

I am a bit of a worry wart and I have been pondering many scenarios lately, and living in the land of “What-ifs.” The Lord has been remiinding me that I need to trust Him more than my own understanding. He died and rose for me to live an abundant life of peace and freedom — not fearing what is to come. That does not mean that troubles won’t come, it just means Christ will be with us and the through the trials that come our way. He will also be there to celebrate with you on days where your life is filled with joy. There is nothing God cannot handle. As Matthew 28:5 states, “Don’t be afraid. I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He isn’t here, because he’s been raised from the dead.” Living with worry is disobeying the Word, and therefore goes against what God has done for us. When we are doing these things we are not living and abiding in Calvary Love as Amy Carmichael so often says in her writings.

Today, God reminded me graciously of the beauty and truth of the Gospel and helped me to see past this medical fog I have been in. Even though my life is hard and some days I do not see outside my bedroom, unless I am in the hospital — God is still good and He is flooding my heart with peace and truly giving me what I need to live with life and Godliness. On this day of Easter I am reminded over and over of the Gospel and the beautiful gift God gave for our sins in His son Jesus. I am also thankful in the little things as I press on day to day. Without the Gospel and the Eternal Salvation from Christ, I would be nothing and instead of joy, my heart would be filled with bitterness.

Friends, I don’t know what circumstances you are facing today or the worries that are going through your mind but whatever they are give them to Jesus. If you know Him as your personal Savior be thankful for His faithfulness in your life because there is always something to be thankful for. Spend time praising Him today for the victory we have in Him and what He overcame.

If you don’t know Jesus as your personal Savior– talk to Him, repent, and ask Him to be the Lord in your life. Lay your sins, worries, and weariness at His feet and He will pick them up and give you peace that passes all understanding. I hope even if we never see each other on this earth, that we will meet in Eternity. It doesn’t matter what your past is, or what you have done, God loves you and wants you to draw near to Him. Allow Him to carry your heavy load. 2 Corinthians 5:17 states,

“So then, if anyone is in Christ, that person is part of the new creation. The old things have gone away, and look, new things have arrived!”

And Matthew 11:28 states,

“Come to me, all you who are struggling hard and carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest.”

One of my favorite songs is “Because He lives” by Bill Gaither, and it has been playing in my head for days. So to close, I hope these words encourage you as they have me.

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow

Because He lives, all fear is gone.

Because I know He holds the future

And life is worth the living,

just because He lives.

Articles, Christian Living, Devotionals, Disability

Sometimes you just have to laugh!

As a person who has lived with a disability and now chronic illness — it is very important to find the humor in hard situations. To cope with my long days laughing is needed for my sanity. Over my entire life but especially in the last year we have had some hard moments that ended up with both my parents and I on the floor laughing. If someone had seen us they would think we were crazy for laughing at the most inappropriate times.

Recently I was going through some of my old blog posts and found this story that I had totally forgotten about until now and it made laugh out loud. There is nothing I like more than conversation and laughter with friends and family. Being bed bound is tough but laughter always makes things better. My motto for this season has been, “So let’s laugh a little, dance a little, and hope a little more.” Spend some time today catching up with a friend and have a good laugh!

Here is a glimpse into my crazy!

Before continuing, for those of you freaking out right now at how lightly I am treating falling — chill. It’s all good and it is a daily part of my life. I fall as naturally as most people walk, and have been trained to fall without getting hurt. Plus, it is better to laugh than to cry, and makes enduring the hard days much easier not to take everything so seriously.

This past Saturday my parents and I went to see the movie “Woodlawn.” I was not feeling the greatest and in all honesty was a bit annoyed and not in the best of moods before walking out the door. As I was leaving, I got my purse and headed for the door to get my crutches and lost my balance, fell forward, and face planted into the dog bowls by the door. This was a lovely indication as to how my day was going so far. As soon as I hit the ground I started laughing so hard it made it impossible to get up and meanwhile my mom is nearby laughing too and neither one of us were much help to each other. Oh the joys of having Cerebral Palsy, but it was totally what I needed to lighten my mood and ironically it made the day a bit better. Also, don’t worry, no harm was done to me during my fall.

Articles, Blog Series, Christian Living, Disability, Friendship, Music

In the Time That You Gave Me

Over the past two years, especially the last year, I have been reminded how precious life is. Being sick with a chronic infection that can be terminal can change ones perspective. It makes each moment matter. It makes you live and love the life and people God has blessed you with that much harder.

It also makes you cling to Jesus in a deeper way than ever before. Ever since I have been young I have desired to live for Jesus and put Him first above all else. As different areas of my life occurred I have experienced the Lord in deep ways, but nothing like the past few months. When it seems like all you have has been stripped away, you can fully focus on Jesus with no distractions. It has made me see Jesus in a different way — really see Him, and in the hard of the past couple of weeks that has been such an encouragement to me.

My emotions have been all over the place lately because in the last two weeks pI began hospice care in my home, and then was transported to Mercy Hospital for what we thought was a bowel obstruction. While I am thankful for Hospice, and the wonderful care they provide, it still makes me sad that I am now a candidate for their services. The hope is that I can be released, and won’t need them after a few months. I do not know what the future looks like healthwise for me at the moment but I will share what I do know. I apologize for the lengthy explanation but I value your prayers and encouragement. I’ve had a lot of questions about what is going on so I wanted to share it with you. I know it can be confusing getting little updates here and there so I hope these makes sense.

I have a chronic bladder infection that is not curable due to the nature of my bladder from Cerebral Palsy, but the antibiotics I am taking are working well at keeping it down. However, I am to stop this treatment in one month and then re-evaluate treatment options then. Also, there is a chance that these antibiotics will stop working before then. The main goal is to keep it from going sepsis again and for me to have a better quality of life. Bladder infections can change extremely fast so while today it may be holding its own I could wake tomorrow needing to go to the ER. Sadly, we have exhausted a lot of treatment options already and another surgery is not likely. I see my urologist in October but I’m praying he has a cancellation before then. Many of you have asked about me receiving second opinions, and I have but due to the specifics of my case Dr. K in Charlotte is the one most qualified in the state to help me. There are other places out of state that I could try but my insurance doesn’t cover out of state medical care. Although even if I could get a consultation out of state, they would most likely come up with the same conclusion.
Also, we know that just like my bladder I have a lazy bowel which is why I had my colon removed in 2015. Once that got under control my bladder problems started to worsen and now I’m having issues again with my bowel. I spent almost five days in the hospital last week treating my bowel issues. Initially, the radiologist said I had an obstruction and ileus but Dr. Dobson said it was my neurogenic bowel being sluggish and not moving properly. Even my digestive system is a bit sluggish but since things are backing up that is causing a lot of fluid retention. Thankfully things are working better since the hospital, but there is no easy fix and these flare ups could happen more and more. I am going to see my gastroenterologist in Charlotte at the beginning of June so I am praying and hoping he has suggestions on how to best maintain things and keep them from getting even worse. I am retaining a lot of fluid which is very uncomfortable. I’ve been on medicine for that but it is not working as well as we would like it to. I have spasticity from CP and that makes my muscles tight and now that is worse because of. the fluid. All that together makes walking and moving extremely difficult for me and when I do move I require lots of help due the muscle issues and being weak. I have gained so much weight from the fluid and also cannot wear a lot of my clothes anymore. But like my doctors and parents remind me, this is out of my control and I’m doing the best I can.

Unfortunately there are no easy fixes for any of it, and it has been terminal before and unless a miracle happens it will be terminal again. We just don’t know how soon. It could be weeks, months, or years, but that is for God to decide. No matter what doctors say, God is the decision maker and I will not leave earth before it is my time. Life can change in the blink of an eye which makes me desire and pray for those who do not know Jesus as their Savior and Lord. It hurts my heart to think of all the good people in this world who will not go to Heaven when they pass away.

So much joy is missed if you don’t know the Lord. The more suffering I experience I can’t imagine going through these same trials without God. Without God I think I would have given up long ago and become bitter. Thankfully though, God has carried me through everything.

On to a more cheerful note, if you know me well then you know that I have a deep love for music. For every season I’ve gone through I have at least two songs that represent life during that time. When I hear a song where the lyrics could have been taken from my journal, I immediately thank God for that glimmer of hope. Not to sound sappy, but God truly does know the way to my heart. It may be just another simple song to some, but to me it is the encouragement God is giving me that day.

Lately, my music of choice has been Joey and Rory, MercyMe, and Ellie Holcomb. However, mainly I play Joey and Rory’s and Ellie’s albums over and over along with MercyMe’s latest single, “Even If” (thanks to one of my dearest friends Casey Rumswinkel for first introducing me to that song and to Sara for gifting Ellie’s album to me. These sweet girlfriends of mine know me well).

A few months ago Casey texted me a link to it and said “You need to listen to this.” For whatever reason I did not listen then, but a few days later I remembered and listened. The message hit me in the deepest area of my heart. Similarly during that same time, I heard the song “You Love Me Best” by Ellie and oh my word it made me cry all kinds of tears.

God knows me in the deepest of ways and He does love me best. Nothing can lift one out of the pit better than God showing them evidence that He truly sees them. What a gift it is to be known in that way.

Another one of my favorite tunes right now is by Joey and Rory from their “Hymns That are Important to Us” album. This is the song that inspired the blogpost for today. When recording the album Joey was battling cancer that took her life soon after the album was released. Her dream before dying was to complete the Hymns album, and every song on it is beautiful. One song in particular that has become a favorite is called “In the Time that you Gave Me.” This has become one of my theme songs for this season, and for life in general. The meaning of this song has taken me to another level of appreciation considering my circumstances. The lyrics talk about the hope of living and loving life in the time we are given on earth. Its simple and realistic message reminds us to live for the Lord now, and make the most of each day He gives us. We are not promised tomorrow so that is why it is important to love Jesus and live well now. No one is perfect but if we strive to live for Him, God will use us and be glorified.

For me that is my only goal and desire — to love Jesus above all else and to serve Him well in the time He gives me.

I will leave you with one of my favorite lines from the song. Also, click the videos below to hear the songs that have been mentioned here.

Disability

Dealing with Stereotypes

Stereotypes are something that have always been and always will be in existence. However, that does not make them less annoying and less hurtful. No one is perfect and I think if honest, we have all been guilty of giving stereotypes to someone or something whether it be intentional or unintentional.

As someone who has been a victim of stereotyping, I try to look at people for who they really are and not judging them for who I think they are. I have a disability called Cerebral Palsy, and because of that I walk with arm-crutches. Over the years I have received special and somewhat degrading treatment because of this. There is usually not a day that goes by when out in public that I do not receive “the look,” or special treatment from someone. After dealing with this for thirty years I have grown not to pay it attention, but nevertheless it is still there. When I refer to “the look” I am talking about the gaze or stare that I receive from another person which usually displays pity.

I realize that the people giving these looks do not mean any harm but they are just not sure how to respond.

A recent example of this happened last weekend. I went out with my mom to the movies and to do some shopping. While shopping I used a wheelchair because since the surgery my energy is not what it used to be. However, all through the day I just kept noticing “the looks.” It was stare after stare and after a while one just wonders — “okay seriously, have you people never seen a wheelchair before?” “Do I have something on my face or in my hair?” (Note, that I am being a bit funny here but seriously it can be a frustration).

I used to travel frequently for my job, and a lot of times at the airport the easiest way for me to get assistance was to use a wheelchair. On my last flight, during the security process, the officers treated me different and did not listen to anything I had to say. Instead, they spoke to my friend and told her to tell me certain things. That was when my friend and I both spoke up insisting that I could speak for myself and that I had a mind of my own. Just because one uses crutches or a wheelchair for assistance does not mean they are less independent or successful than other people. It also does not indicate that a person has a mental disability along with the physical one, even though that is a common misconception. Some people can look past it and others cannot. I had someone tell me once that he thought disabled people wanted pity to which I responded, “no we just want normal treatment.”

I am fortunate that I have friends and family who love, support, and encourage me, and I learned a long time ago not to let these stereotypes of me define who I am. Jesus Christ defines me and I am so thankful for His love and grace.

I know I am not the only person struggling with stereotypes today and I want to encourage you not to let stereotypes and “crappy” treatment or thoughts from others define you. You are worth way more than that!

Everyone has a disability, some are just more visible than others. I want to challenge everyone this week to look past appearances and stereotypes and treat others the way you would want to be treated.

Disability

Being Thankful During Trials

“I thank God for my handicaps for through them I have found myself, my work, and my God.” ~Helen Keller

This is one of my favorite quotes that always inspires me. Every time I read it I am reminded once again that God does use our so called “handicaps” whatever they may be to mature us, and grow us closer to Him. Helen was a remarkable woman who did not let her struggles of being blind and deaf define her life. Instead of drowning in self-pity she allowed her disability to make her stronger, and it became a blessing in many ways rather than a curse.

I can relate to this in my own life. Growing up with Cerebral Palsy, I have dealt with numerous challenges throughout my life, and recently been reminded of those challenges more than ever. However, as I look back on the struggles I have had, I am thankful for them because they have helped mold me into the woman I am today. Even though my life has been hard at times, it has been during those struggles that I have truly matured and most importantly grown closer to Jesus! Some of my biggest revelations in life have come in part to the struggles I have dealt with. Do I believe that Jesus rejoices in the suffering of His children? No, but I do believe that He will work everything out for His good, and will use our experiences to glorify Himself (Romans 8:28).

We all have our own set of “handicaps” we struggle with, and it is often hard to have a good perspective. Recently, that has been difficult for me. However, the Lord has reminded me of His faithfulness throughout my entire life, and no matter what He allows in this life I can find joy because He is my Savior. It is not about me and my desires but about Him and His.

Once we drop the selfish attitude is when we start to learn from what He is doing whether it is good or bad. No matter what struggle you are facing right now be encouraged that God does love you and wants to work in you. He can make something good come out of the crappiest of days. So just like our friend Helen Keller take some time to “thank God for our handicaps for through them we can find ourselves, our work, and our God.”

“I thank God for my handicaps for through them I have found myself, my work, and my God.” ~Helen Keller

Articles, Blog Series, Christian Living, Devotionals, Disability

Set Your Mind on Things Above

Happy Wednesday friends. It’s the middle of the week and I pray wherever you are that your week is going well. In my time with the Lord lately the following verse from Colossians 3:2 has been coming to mind. It states,“Set your mind on things above, not on earthly things.”

So much of a persons joy and contentment comes from our perspective. It all comes down to what we are feeding our minds with each day. For example, is your days spent worrying and fretting over the “what ifs” in life, or are you surrendering those thoughts to the Lord? Are you watching, reading, or listening to anything that triggers discontentment or envy? It is easy to allow our minds to be filled with worry, stress, anger, etc., especially during a difficult season. At times you may wonder why you cannot get certain thoughts from your minds, or why you cannot feel God’s presence in a situation. However, if we are dwelling on the things of this world, that can produce in us discontent, fear, and worry.

I love HGTV and shows like “Fixer Upper,” “Rehab Addict,” etc. In and of themselves they are not bad, and may seem harmless. Although, if watching them makes you discontent or envious with what you have then you may need to reevaluate your viewing habits. Another example is if you are constantly afraid and filled with fear regarding certain situations — are you watching shows that make the fearful thoughts in your mind worse? Are you reading books that keep your mind in a constant state of fretting?

One last example is one that I have been guilty of in the past has to do with Facebook and Pinterest. It is so easy to scroll through the feeds and begin comparing yourselves to others. These social media outlets tend to help folks make life look picture perfect, but nobody’s life is perfect. When it seems like others have the perfect house, the perfect health, a wonderful husband, etc., it can stir up thoughts and feelings in our hearts before we know what hit us. These outlets are not bad in themselves, but if we allow them to grow seeds of jealousy, discontentment, and bitterness then it is time to take a step back from them.

This post is part of “The View Looks Fine From Here” series that I started last week. Being homebound and bedbound leaves a lot of time for me to dwell on life and thoughts like never before. Some days I do not even leave my bedroom and “view” is not very exciting. Because of this, I try to be guarded in how I fill my mind. Life is hard and dealing with a chronic illness everyday is not easy. I learned a long time ago that if I was going to have the right mindset during these circumstances that I needed to be guarded with how I spent my time — what I am watching, reading, listening to, etc. I am sick enough without adding in worries, discontentment, and jealousy. My days and suffering are so much easier to deal with when I am focusing on ” the things above,” and not on my current circumstances.

Below are some questions I came up with a couple years ago to help me with this, and I recently found them, and been using them again. I pray that they help you keep your eyes fixed on Jesus, and that you allow His peace and joy to fill your hearts and mind daily.

Questions to Ask Ourselves:

1. Are the television shows and movies I am watching glorifying to the Lord? How do I feel once I’ve watched it? Does it make me have sinful thoughts or attitude?

2. Does the music I listen to glorify the Lord? Does it cause me to want to draw closer to Him or does it make me discontent? Does it change my perspective for the better?

3. Does the books and magazines I read glorify the Lord or do they bring negative thoughts to my mind?

4. Does the conversations I engage in glorify the Lord or myself? Does the words I use affirm others or tear others down?

Also, below are some Bible verses that have helped me along the way regarding these areas, and I pray they encourage you as you focus your gaze on Christ, and surrender to Him daily.

Bible Verses:

Philippians 4: 8-9 – “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”

Romans 12:2 – “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Proverbs 4:23 – “Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.”

Ephesians 4:22-24 – “To put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.”

Disability

Hope a Little More – Latest Health Update

Hi friends and prayer warriors! I had an appointment yesterday with a new Infectious Disease doctor in Charlotte. Unfortunately though, I got sick Tuesday evening and was in severe nausea and pain yesterday. Because of that I was unable to make the long trip. Jodie, my hospice nurse, agreed and called the doctor to explain. We were getting discouraged because we had not heard anything by end of day.

Then yesterday evening, Dr. McCurdy, my new doctor called me himself. He told me that the full culture results he ordered on Tuesday weren’t back but he was already seeing at least one bacteria in my bladder and he thought I needed to start antibiotics asap. While this might not be the best choice, hopefully this med will work well enough to keep infection from worsening before he gets the full results on Friday.

The Dr. was super nice to talk to. I’ve hardly ever received a call from a Dr. directly. He was very concerned and is willing to work with hospice to help me which is amazing. This Dr. is a Godsend and an answer to prayer! Thanks for praying. and pray things do not worsen and that we will know more soon. I am so grateful and love each one of you and I will keep you posted! Just remember that no matter what circumstances you are facing, He is still good. #hopealittlemore

Somewhere Down the Road

Mornings With Nehemiah – Prayer

Guest Post – When Trials Overwhelm your Soul

Because He Lives – Easter 2018

Sometimes you just have to laugh!

Here is a glimpse into my crazy!

In the Time That You Gave Me

Dealing with Stereotypes

Being Thankful During Trials

Set Your Mind on Things Above

Hope a Little More – Latest Health Update

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