Today was another difficult day...and it seemed the storm winds have been blowing pretty severely, in different directions...at times, it seemed the boat I was in was about to capsize, with unbelievable waves coming against me...the emotions were threatening to dominate me, were trying to convince me that I could not handle the pressures of all the responsibilities on my plate...(running my insurance business from home with some incredible challenges and deadlines, keeping up with photography business editing and orders, staying connected to loved ones I have been ministering to, staying connected with the ministries I am involved with and leading, tending to my full time bible school studies), all these out-of-home areas I love and enjoy so much...all while assisting the love of my life with his post surgery recovery: ADLs...learning how to stand up, sit down, and walk again, manage intolerable pain, laundry, meals, medications, etc...the hours and hours of ongoing fighting the good fight of faith have intensified. Every time Id see him grimace with pain, yet bravely and determinedly press on through it, my heart would break with the heaviness of compassion, wanting to take it from him, to ease his burden...and I had to swallow the tears, and deal with the fears... With one word to describe today: OVERWHELMING. There are 3 parts of me...My spirit, my soul, and my physical body. Today, I was in battle between my tired, sore physical body and my soul (emotions) against my spirit. And heres the truth. I CAN NOT DO THIS. I CAN NOT DO THIS. I CAN NOT DO THIS. No matter how hard I try, no matter how much I want to, the truth is, I CAN NOT. BUT-also within me, dwells an unmeasurable strength, a river that never runs dry, the Greater One, the Holy Spirit, that enables me to draw from Him strength to overcome, so that as tired as I am, as exhausted emotionally and physically I am, the real me, my spirit is stronger, and His OVERWHELMING strength, His OVERWHELMING supply, His OVERWHELMING goodness, HIS OVERWHELMING comfort issues through me with the reminder that I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST WHO STRENGTHENS ME. I CAN do all things THROUGH CHRIST who strengthens me! I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me! HE is the reason. In my own strength, I am weak. In my own strength, I am worthless. In my own strength, I am a wreck. But because of who I am in Christ, because the joy of the Lord is my strength, because the rivers of life flow through me, because the greater one is within me-I can. Thus-the good fight of faith. Friends, when you find yourself going through a battle, there are times when the fighting intensifies before it eases. It is not easy. It is not fun. It is not enjoyable. It can be exhausting. And the enemy will pull every dirty trick and tell every convincing lie he can pull out of his sleeve to deceive...I know, cause I have been living it all this week. But I am sharing with you all, being blunt, raw and honest, because I am human like everyone else. Tests and trials come to each one of us. And its never easy fighting a battle. It takes effort, concentration, energy. AND DETERMINATION LACED WITH THE ABSOLUTE KNOWLEDGE THAT THIS BATTLE IS NOT OURS, BUT THE LORDS! SO BE STRONG AND COURAGEOUS, AND DO NOT QUIT! I HAVE TO SPEAK THE WORD OF GOD OUT LOUD FROM MY OWN MOUTH TO CONVINCE MY OWN EARS WHAT MY HEART HAS ALREADY DETERMINED TO BE SO!!! AND WHEN I SPEAK GODS WORD, HIS POWER IS RELEASED, AND THE SITUATION IS CHANGING! So be of good cheer, for HE has overcome them all, and if we are believers, we are in Christ, therefore, we too have overcome them all, so we can count it all joy. When the devil tries to bring on heat of firing darts against you-combat them with the FIRE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT THAT WILL QUENCH EVERY DART! PUT ON THE WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD! FASTEN ON THE BELT OF TRUTH! PUT ON THE BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS! SHOD YOUR FEET WITH THE GOSPEL OF PEACE! TAKE UP THE SHIELD OF FAITH! DONT FORGET THE HELMET OF SALVATION AND THE SWORD OF THE SPIRIT! PUT ON THE WHOLE ARMOR OF GOD, AND MARCH! GLORY! Keep praying, warriors! I know that during some of my low points today, I was lifted far above it all because of the prayers that carried me, just like I was encouraged and recharged this afternoon when Morganne came home from nursing school, assessed my exhausted state, and gave me a hug that was pure love...As much as this has been difficult for me...its been that much more difficult for my sweet husband...who has gallantly persevered through several hurricane-strength winds that wanted to sweep him off his feet. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! Having done all, STAND!
Posted on: Sat, 29 Mar 2014 04:31:41 +0000
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