A new lesson

I know it has been a long time since I have posted. To tell you the truth, I think I have had a couple of fears. Ultimately, it has come down to me feeling ineffective for Christ. Sure, a massive insecurity I am sure that I do not own alone.

I have been learning so much from God over the last year. I have been hit with proverbial 2x4s. I have honestly come up out of the darkest pit and I know God has been with me. The walk has not always been full of sunshine but it was a path I needed to take to move onto more of what God had in store.

So back to my feeling inadequate for God and ineffective. Since stopping the blog some months ago, I stopped seeing and hearing God clearly. The chatter around me became noise and I felt like I wasn't being used. I am sure you know that feeling...feeling like you are struggling so how in the world would God be able to use that.

Last night, I met up with a friend of mine from Toledo. It is too long of a story to get into here; however, it was the first time in a long time when I clearly saw and heard God and knew I was being effective if I was letting Him use me. I was blessed to meet a friend of hers and hear his story. I won't go into details here. He is in the middle of a struggle and I was reminded that the pain and struggle we go through can be used as a victory story to help someone else. Then, I ran across the following verse this afternoon.

2 Corinthians 1:4-5 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. 5 For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.

Our stories and struggles shouldn't be a source of pain and shame but used as an opportunity to help those around us. We are all very flawed and if we take the time to care for those around us, we can turn our stories into a piece of joy instead of pain.

I am grateful to have been so wonderfully blessed. Thank you Lord for washing me clean and helping me have the strength to help others through their hurt so that they might find YOU.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.3

Day 2 - Patient

Day 2 – I began today debating going to urgent care after not sleeping last night due to my fall. I decided to go thanks to prodding from a few friends. You can’t just ‘go’ to urgent care – it is an event. My friend was gracious enough to take me and off we went. After waiting 30 minutes or so, someone came to get me for X-rays. I had so many X-rays, I’m surprised I am not glowing. However, I did hurt multiple extremities. We were in the urgent care for over 3 hours and walked (I use that term loosely) out with an ace bandage on my left wrist, a half cast on my right wrist and an air cast on my right ankle/foot. They aren’t positive about fractures but at the very least it is severely sprained.


As I sat there for hours waiting results and relief – it struck me kind of funny when a little boy asked his mother what a patient was. She fumbled over trying to explain the meaning. However, you have to laugh a little…urgent care is the ultimate definition of patient. One woman was ready to leave, another was yelling at the nurse, and meanwhile there was squad car after squad car with yet another patient. While you are a patient in that situation, it is very difficult to be patient.

The nurse I had today was a woman we have had before in that urgent care. She looked relieved to see my friend and I because her day had been one horrible experience after another. Even while we were there, she went to give me a right handed brace and it was left. Then she went to give me an air cast and it was a pediatric one in an adult box. The poor woman needed a smile, grace and true patience. We gave her a place of rest and laughter and I truly feel like that is why we were there today. Even though I was hurt, the experience was about being a light in her day. I’m grateful that God used us even in the goofiest of circumstances and that I was not so focused on the pain that I missed it. We get so self-focused that we miss the little blessings along the way. The sooner we realize it isn’t about us – the better off we are.

Romans 1:20 (The Message)


But the basic reality of God is plain enough. Open your eyes and there it is! By taking a long and thoughtful look at what God has created, people have always been able to see what their eyes as such can't see: eternal power, for instance, and the mystery of his divine being.

Day 1 - A New Day - A New Blog

I took one day off of blogging since my 100 day challenge was over.  I missed it terribly.  Therefore, I am starting fresh and looking forward to new lessons with God. 

I was walking along today at  Walmart and pretty soon I was face down on the floor wondering what just happened.  As I slowly stood up, an employee who was standing right where I fell said, "Oh, yes...there's stuff on the floor."  Really?!!  I think I gathered that the moment I fell down.  Then the manager came by and said they were trying to keep an eye on the spill.  Instead, two employees were talking instead of guarding the spill and I took the fall.  Apparently, someone had picked up a bottle of fabric softener and it leaked all over the store.  It was a clear liquid so no one would have seen it.  There were no caution cones and the spill was strewn across entire back of store.  I was so irritated that the employees were talking instead of doing what they were asked to do and guard the spill.  As soon as I stood up, I could see the spill but you had to look very closely. 

As I hobbled out to the car, God impressed upon me how often we have pitfalls right in front of us and because our eyes are focused the wrong way, we miss them and fall.  Only if our eyes are fixed on Jesus will we not fall.  We might stumble but He will make our footsteps firm.  So, while I was quite frustrated with the whole situation - as always - God has a lesson in everything if you really tune in. 

Psalm 37:23-24
23 If the LORD delights in a man's way,

he makes his steps firm;


24 though he stumble, he will not fall,
for the LORD upholds him with his hand.