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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, Christian Living, Devotionals, Friendship

Loving the Unlovable

If we are honest with ourselves we can all think of people from different parts of our life that have been hard to love. Examples could be that one person from high school who sought to make your life miserable each day, the neighbor who is always starting trouble, the co-worker that is always pointing out your flaws, or that one family member who is always telling you you are not good enough. Of course there are also extreme examples of those who are hard to love like people who commit murder or those who participate in terrible acts of violence. However, the unlovable may not necessarily be someone that is considered an enemy, but rather an outcast. Maybe befriending and loving that person would make you uncomfortable and force you to step out of your comfort zone. As Christians, the Bible speaks specifically to this topic. God is very clear in His command throughout the Word that we are to love everyone.

No matter who you consider unlovable, or what they have done — God calls us to love them anyway.

I know from personal experience that can be a hard pill to swallow. Certainly God cannot expect me to love someone who made fun of me everyday for years, and made me out to be a laughingstock right? Wrong. In Mark 12:31 Jesus gives the command to, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Also, Matthew 5:44 states, “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” Jesus was the perfect example of this. He was persecuted and scorned but He still loved. In John 13 when Jesus washed the disciples feet He knew that some of them in that room would later betray Him. However, He still served and showed them love.

Christ could consider each and every one of us unlovable because it was our sin that He died for, but instead He loves us with an everlasting love that we do not deserve.

Being a friend to the unlovable takes on a whole new meaning when I think of the sacrificial love of Jesus. He is the example we should follow with everyone we come in contact with. Our purpose should be to love like Jesus loves. Instead of treating others as an enemy or outcast, we should look at them from God’s perspective.

Everyone deserves to hear the Gospel and have a chance to know Jesus as their Savior. This includes our enemies, and we need to live our life in a way that would be an example of this.

Take some time right now and search your heart and ask God to show you the person in your life that has been hard to love. Ask God to give you wisdom on how to love this person, and to show you some ways to serve them.

Disability, Friendship

Sweet Friendship

Yesterday morning my friend Tessa called and asked if she and her sweet baby girl Dakota could come visit to which I said, “Of course!” After the craziness of the past few days — it was so encouraging to visit with Tessa and love on Dakota.

Tessa and I originally met earlier in the year when she was one of my home health nurses after my surgery. She was one of the bright spots in such a hard time and I am so glad God allowed us to meet and become friends. We have stayed in touch long after my home health services have ended and her friendship has been such a blessing.

Lucy was also excited to see Tessa, but she is a little miss diva, and did not like all the attention being on the baby and not her but she did share her bed. She is such a diva dog..haha! Oh well, she needs to learn to get over herself! 😉

Have a great Wednesday everyone, and thank God for the friendships He has blessed you with!

31 Days, Articles, Disability, Friendship

Day 21 – Falls of Grace – Some Days You Just Have to Laugh

Yesterday morning, my friend Josie called me. Josie and I met when we were at CIU, and both lived on Walker 1 (shout out to all of our Walker 1 ladies). I truly believe she was one of the greatest gifts God gave me while there and we have been best buds ever since. That was ten years ago and our friendship is stronger than ever. Jo and I relate on a level that no one else understands because we both have physical disabilities, and are able to call each other and share our stories, frustrations, and laugh about our daily struggles because we totally “get” them.

Yesterday was one of those days.

Jo called and I answered and she said something like “So dude, this morning at the track while exercising my wheelchair flipped back and I hit my head and instantly thought of you.” We both started laughing. Once we calmed I said something like “Yeah, I’ve hit my head so many times I have become an expert, and so now when I fall, as I am going down I think of my head and try not to hit it, and about protecting any electronic devices I am carrying namely my phone” (Priorities, people, priorities!). I then tell her that I have a recent “fall story” too.

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 Jo or I in either of our falls. I think Jo and I are two of the most graceful “fallers” I know. Well, most of the time that is. 😉

I don’t know what you are going through today, but I do know laughter and friendship can make everything a little better so when you’re having an “OH CRAP” moment, take a deep breath, calm down, and try to find the lighter side and call a friend. It will make you feel better, I promise.

P.S. Josie is one of the most creative people I know and she has a business called “Little Big Creations,” and makes some awesome things. Check it out here. 🙂

To read more posts in this series visit here.

31 Days, Articles, Christian Living, Devotionals, Friendship

Day 10 – God is Faithful

One week ago today, my dear friend Erin got married. It was such a joyous day and I was so thankful to be a part of it as a bridesmaid. That day was such an answer to many prayers prayed over the years and evidence of God’s faithfulness in both her and Jeremy’s lives. Even in crazy hurricane weather, with power that did not come on until thirty minutes before the ceremony, all ended up being well and everything was beautiful. It was such a great time of seeing and catching up with old friends.

Weddings are also a reminder for me of God’s faithfulness and the great love He has for His children. We are His bride, His beloved, and He pursues us daily. He is always standing at the end of the aisle with a smile and embrace ready for us to come to Him and commit. He treasures us and fulfills our greatest desires with Himself. He is truly the greatest lover of all time and any other love is second to His.

God is my rock and even in the midst of this season of trial, God has shown up and reminded me that He is faithful in ALL things, even in the hard. He is the faithful leader in my life and has great plans for me even when I do not understand. He rejoices in me and wants me to rejoice in Him. Isaiah 62:5 states, “As a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you.” As I have spent time in the Word today that is exactly what God has been reminding me of. On the days where I feel tired, overwhelmed, or lonely, He reminds me that He is all I need and He loves me with an unfailing love! When I think of God in this light it is hard to be discouraged because His faithfulness and love are so evident. Take a moment and dwell on God’s faithfulness in your life today and thank Him for all the ways He has been there for you.

To read more posts from this series visit here.

31 Days, Articles, Disability, Family, Friendship

Day 3 – Cleaning Up the 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.

31 Days, Articles, Disability, Friendship

Day 2 – Fearfully and Wonderfully Made

“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful,I know that full well.” ~Psalm 139:14

Psalm 139:14 states that we are fearfully and wonderfully made. However, if we are honest, somedays I know that we don’t feel that way, or at least I do not. And that has been my sentiment as of late. Since my surgery, I have had issues with my weight and retaining fluid. One day my weight is up and another it is down. My hair has also not recovered from the trauma of all I have gone through and on certain days, “bad hair day” does not even begin to describe the state my hair is in. Even my lovely mother who is a hair-dresser has no clue what to do with it. I know I am in a hot mess on the days not even my mom can work miracles. Ha.

Also, there is the issue of “the bag.” I have an illeostomy bag due to my colon being removed, and do not worry, I will spare you most of the details. However, this bag causes disasters from time to time and it has caused a major upset to my clothes closet. A lot of my clothes do not work anymore because of this, or rather, they don’t look the same. The first day I got ready to go somewhere post-op and post hospital I had a meltdown in my closet and yelled out, “I have absolutely no clothes to wear!!” Many would think I was exaggerating but it was true. Well, mostly true! 😉

Although, once I calmed down, I realized that this just gives me an excuse to shop and what girl doesn’t like the thought of that. It also helps when your best friend’s family owns the cutest clothing boutiques (MimiBella – check them out. They are awesome), and who immediately drops what she is doing to help me find me some new clothes. That is a true friend right there. Love you, Sara!

Seriously though, I know that all women have days where we do not feel beautiful enough, and go through seasons where we feel nothing is right — which takes me back to Psalm 139:14. It is true, even when we do not “feel” like it, that we are “fearfully and wonderfully made.”

There is nothing about our bodies or health that God has not created or does not understand. We are made in His glorious image, and because of that we are beautiful.

It is because of that truth, that I am able to get up every day and move forward with confidence even in the midst of major changes to my life physically, emotionally, and spiritually. In the midst of all my “crap,” God is here and He is giving me the strength to carry on. And dear sisters, He will give you the strength to do the same so let that be encouragement to you today.

Articles, Friendship, Music, Uncategorized

God is Faithful

Happy Friday, friends. Yesterday, I posted about gratitude, and last night I was reminded yet again about how much I have to be thankful for. I have been home bound for the last year or so due to health problems and about six months ago, I honestly did not think I would live to see another day. But here I am, and I am so thankful. Around a month ago, I remembered that one of my favorite artists, Laura Story, was going to be performing at The Billy Graham Training Center at The Cove. I knew that if I could physically make it I wanted to be there. However, when I called to order tickets I was told they were sold out but would be put on a waiting list. I was bummed, but did not think much more about it until Monday when I got a call saying they had two tickets available if I wanted them. I purchased them, and prayed all week that my body would cooperate so I would feel like going. God was gracious and gave me the strength to go, and I am so glad He did. It was a night focused on worshipping the Savior and was a great reminder to my soul of God’s faithfulness. God is restoring my life and even in the hard continues to prove Himself faithful to me every single day. His power is unfathomable and His mercy is unending. He loves and listens to even the smallest desires of my heart, and knows my love language better than any person ever could. I think sometimes we get so caught up in the big picture that we lose sight of the little gifts God gives us.So as I head into this weekend my mind is focused on the goodness and majesty of the God I serve, and am grateful for the progress He has made in my journey. Jesus truly has done the miraculous in my life so instead of getting worried and stressed about the future of my health and life, I am going to focus on the good of today. His power is truly sufficient in my weakness, and is also sufficient for whatever you may be going through as well. Take some time to seek His face and don’t miss out on thanking him for the little blessings He has brought your way. He is and will always prove to be faithful.

Pictured above is the beautiful view from the cove, and me with my dear friend Natalie. So thankful for her friendship and the encouragement she brings to my life.

Articles, Books, Disability, Family, Friendship, Music, Reading

Gratitude

Two weeks ago, Pastor Pete Wilson of Crosspoint Church in Nashville preached a wonderful message on gratitude and at the end of it challenged each of us to share five things that we were grateful for every day for five days. This was known on social media as#‎5for5CP‬. Below are some things that I shared each day. If you are alive, you have something to be grateful for. Spend some time today thanking God for the gifts he has blessed you with.

#‎5for5CP – Day 1

1. I am super thankful for the friendship and sisterhood I share with @sara_at_mimibellas. Thankful for the continued encouragement she gives to me each day and the truth she speaks in my life. ‪#‎bestfriends‬ ‪#‎kindredspirits‬
2. Encouragement from the word – Psalm 119
3. Good books – My current read is “What Keeps You Up at Night” by Pete Wilson.
4. Diet Coke with Lime – ‪#‎itsthelittlethings‬
5. Good music – I have the album “Little Songs” by Jon Guerra on repeat! So good!

#‎5for5CP‬ – Day 2

I’m so grateful for all of my furbabies! 🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶
1. Lucy Lou
2. Coco
3. Tebow
4. Anne Girl
5. Rowdy Girl

‪#‎5for5CP‬ – Day 3

1. Days like today spent by the pool
2. Summertime
3. My recovery. 2015 has been a hard year so far for my health but God is restoring me and bringing healing in His time.
4. My current view. Such a beautiful day!
5. Sunshine 🔆🔆🔆

‪#‎5for5CP‬ Day 4 –

1. The dear friendship I share with @caseyrummy! So thankful God allowed us to be friends. I love your weekly visits with Malakai. They encourage me every time and also keep me sane haha! Love you! 💜
2.Malakai – love this little guy so much! He brings me constant joy!‪#‎ThursdaysWithMalalkai‬
3.Strawberry Lemonade from McDonalds – my weekly treat from @caseyrummy! Delicious!
4.Dinner brought to me by my dad from my favorite local restaurant, Jans! Love their chicken and their salads! So good.
5. Encouragement from the Word today! Philippians 3:13-14

‪#‎5for5CP‬ Day 5 –

1. I’m forever grateful for the wonderful and Godly parents that I have been blessed with. So thankful to have them as my best friends. Thanks for never leaving my side this year, and for taking such good care of me while I’ve been sick. Also, most importantly thanks for being examples of Jesus in my life. Love you! 😘
2. Family – Love you all! 💜
3. Life – 2014 and 2015 have been extremely tough due to some health issues and I am so thankful for the gift of of being alive. Thankful to Jesus for the joy of today.
4. Hebrews 6:19 ⚓
5. Prayers and encouragement from friends – Thanks to all of you who have prayed, encouraged, and supported our family during this season. We are thankful for and love you all.

Articles, Books, Christian Living, Friendship

Prayer, Future Husbands, and Singleness

I am 30 years old and have been praying for my future husband since I was 12. That is 18 years of praying for a man I have never met (or at least I don’t think we’ve met). Lately, I have wondered if I am called to a life of singleness, but the Lord commands us not to worry about the future, just focus on today. Leslie Lud y frequently tells the story of her sister-in-law Krissy who was single for many years before God sent her the man she is now married to. Before marriage when people would ask Krissy, “are you called to a life of singleness?” Her response was always, “Today I am.” I love that perspective, and it is now my response as well. Since I am single today then I am called by God to be single in this season unless He decides to send me a husband. One fact that I have learned over the years is that Jesus Christ is always enough and is my ultimate fulfillment. Sure, there are days that are really hard as a single person, and the struggle is very real, but that is when Jesus meets me in my need and gives me grace upon grace. Because of His grace, I have the strength I need to most importantly live for Jesus, and to honor my future husband (If God wills that I should be married one day).

Proverbs 31:12 states that a wife of noble character is to bring her husband “good not harm all the days of her life.” This verse does not only apply to women who have already met their spouses, but to single women as well. We should be living all of our life in a way that ultimately glorifies the Lord, and also in a way that would be faithful to a future husband. One way to live this out is by praying for your future husband even before you meet him. Even if one never marries, your prayers will not ever be wasted.

Several years ago I was reminded of the power of prayer in this area after hearing a friend’s testimony. She shared that one night she woke up at 3am and felt the Lord telling her to pray for her future husband. She spent the remainder of the night in prayer because she knew he was in trouble. She continued to pray for him daily after that. A year later, when she was getting to know the man who is now her husband, he told her that he was involved in a car accident that almost took his life. As he told her the details of how it happened, it was exactly the date and time that the Lord woke her up to pray. When I heard this story I was reminded that God values and honors our prayers for a husband even when we cannot see what He is doing.

One of my favorite books on this topic is titled “Praying For Your Future Husband,” by Robin Jones Gunn and Tricia Goyer. In this, the authors share Biblical encouragement and wisdom on how to pray for your husband and prepare your heart for his. It also gives ways to pray for your sisters in Christ. I would like to share some of these, and I encourage you to spend some time this week in prayer for your future husband as well as your fellow sisters as we are trying to be the women God has called us to be.

Pray for his Heart – Pray that your future husband will give his heart to Jesus Christ. Pray that he will trust the Lord each day to get him through whatever life may bring, and for his thoughts and actions to reflect the love of Christ. Pray these things also for yourself and your friends.

Pray for Strength – Pray that your future husband will have inner-spiritual strength and that the Lord will give him strength to fight temptations and difficulties. Pray that the Lord will mold him into the leader he needs to be. Also, pray the same things for yourself and your friends. Pray that God will give you strength in areas where you are weakest and allow His strength to make you strong.

Pray for Loyalty and Faithfulness – Pray that your future husband will be faithful to the Lord in every area of his life. Pray also that he is loyal to the friendships that God has already given him, and pray that he is already faithful to you. Pray these things for yourself and your friends.

Pray for Protection – Pray that your future husband will be protected from the evil one. Pray that he puts on the armor of God each day and for the Lord to help him fight not only the outward sources that try to bring him down but also the sin nature inside. Also, pray the same protection each day for yourself and your friends.

Pray for Contentment – Pray that your future husband will be content, and have patience as he waits for God to lead him to you. Pray that his heart will not be hardened during this time, but instead that he grow closer in his relationship with Christ. Pray that he spends his time focusing on serving Christ and others, and not dwelling on being single. Pray that Christ alone will always be enough. Pray for the same contentment for yourself and your friends.

To learn more and to purchase “Praying for Your Future Husband,” visit here.

Be encouraged today, and know that I am praying for you!