Behind

I apologize for being really behind on posting a lot lately. There are so many things I wish to share however, my mood and my schedule keep me from doing that. In my busy life, when things get hectic... blogging is on the bottom of the list.. so, it goes first.

Anyways, today I am writing a quick post to ask my friends who read this to please pray for me. I posted a few weeks ago about a friend of mine who is very sick... and well, the severity of the issue is just bogging us all down.

This weekend I travelled home to spend time with my family, and she and I made plans to meet up Saturday afternoon for a chat.

When the weekend came, she was way too sick, and I didn't want to bother her, or be in the way. Naturally, it upsets her when she is unable to spend time with friends because she is so sick... So, I just took a little package and left it at her house for her while she was at the hospital and prayed, hard.

It greatly hurt me as well, I haven't been able to see her since around Thanksgiving... and I deeply miss our chats, her laugh and the wisdom we pass between each other as we share our struggles and discuss life as we know it...

It is the hardest part about coming to Tuscaloosa... knowing how truly far away I am from every one of my friends... It hurts me so much, to be needed, and be away...

Anyways, I will spare you the details.. I know we all have our various troubles. As you go through the week I ask you to be in prayer for me, as well as my friend. Thanks to each of you.

Hurting for a friend

My friend Stephanie is very sick... and has been for quite some time, since 2007 to be exact. Steph is a good faker, and has been able to keep quite about her troubles from most of the world.. until now.

Please pray for my friend Stephanie. She keeps a blog about her perseverance through the pain and now she is at the Mayo Clinic hoping the doctors there can give her answers.

A short background:
In March 2007, Stephanie began experiencing nausea - initially, we thought it was a stomach virus but the nausea has never gone away. She has had nausea 24 hours a day since. In March 2009, she began to throw up every day. She was diagnosed with mild gastroparesis but we were told it did not explain the severity of her symptoms. In 2010 we discovered Dr Thomas Abell at University Hospital in Jackson, MS. He was the first doctor that validated her symptoms and recommended installation of a gastric pace maker. We had that procedure in December 2010. Unfortunately, the pace maker did not work for Steph so in August of 2011 we had it removed. In the process we also learned that she has neuropathy in the nerves in her stomach. The surgeries seemed to escalate her condition and now she experiences intense pain almost on a daily basis. We began to seek additional insight into her situation by seeing as many different doctors as we could. We ultimately asked for a referral to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester and are truly hopeful all the pieces of the puzzle will be assembled here.

For additional information on Stephanie's journey, you can go to her blog at steff-perseverance.blogspot.com/

Have you ever went to a friends house, just praying they were having a good day? Have you ever held a friend while their body was violently shaking, and she was crying out in pain.... These are things I never wish you have to experience, and I hope that with the help of the Doctors, my friend Stephanie can find relief from.

It is hard, as a high schooler and college student not to hang out with friends because you are in such great pain...

As I cry out to the Lord many times for my friend, begging Him to heal her, or to give her some relief... I have become weary. We are all weary for answers, and her illness is the worst that it has ever been. When I want to chat with my friend about her upcoming wedding, the pain looms in the background.

Lord, please heal my friend, if it be your will. If not, please give us comfort and answers.... Teach us to make the most of this. Strengthen us, guide us... lead us, help up to understand. Lord... help my friend.

Proverbs 3:5-6

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

⁵ Trust in the LORD with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding.
⁶ In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He will make your paths straight.

Devotional

Here is my daily Girlfriends in God Devotional.... Wow, what an amazing message... More from me below! :)

May 20, 2011

A Fresh Word of Encouragement
Gwen Smith
Today’s Truth

Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you” (Matthew 17:20b, NIV).

Friend to Friend
This is Gwen Smith, co-founder of Girlfriends in God. My daughter Kennedy is ten. She was home from school a few weeks ago because she wasn’t feeling well. While she was resting, I asked her to spend some time with the Lord and to be creative instead of watching TV. After some time alone, she came and told me that she sat down to write a story, but couldn't think of anything. She told me that her mind was filled with thoughts that she needed to write instead. She wrote the devotion below. Actually, I believe the LORD wrote the devotion through my ten-year old baby girl. All praises to Him! I believe this is a “today” word for some of my GiGs. Perhaps it’s for you. Prepare to be spurred on.


THANKFULNESS
by Kennedy Smith, age 10

Have you ever thought your life was going to end? That the world wasn’t spinning anymore and nothing can get worse? Well you don’t have to feel that way because every day, all day, there is a God that loves you so much! If you're going through those tough times just think the God Almighty loves you, listens to you and is with you every day all day too.

Have you ever felt that you haven’t gotten enough sleep and are stressed with your job? Well everyone should know that the Lord Almighty understands you and your pain and is there with you every step of the way.

Have you ever felt like no one knows you're there and that you’re invisible? Well you should know that there is a wonderful, magnificent God out there that sees you every step of the way - that knows every breath you take. There is a God who sees you all the time.

Have you ever felt like no one can hear you and you're being ignored? Well you should know that there is an amazing Lord that hears everything you say and everything you think. This is everything we should be thankful for.

“You have searched me, LORD, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, LORD, know it completely. You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast” (Psalm 139:1-10).

Let’s Pray
Dear Lord, Your presence is amazing. Your love is overwhelming. Your goodness knows no end. That you would love me, see me, hear me and respond to me is too much for my heart to hold. That you would speak to me through the keystrokes of a child! I’m left in awe of you. Speechless. Emptied and filled. With joy overflowing my heart bows low in deepest gratitude. Surely I have much to be thankful for. Eternally! Please pour me out to bless those around me today. Shine through the cracks of me.
In Jesus’ Name I pray,
Amen.

Now it’s your turn
Read 1 Peter 5:6-7: “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”

Read Psalm 55:22: “Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.”

Now add your name to blank spaces in these verses…
“Humble yourself, _____________, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him, _______________, because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:6-7)
“Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you, __________________;
he will never let the righteous be shaken.” (Psalm55:22)

More from the Girlfriends
Is your heart swelling in response to God’s presence as mine is? Consider this to be a personal reminder - a personal message from God to you. It is clearly from His heart. Now - I think I need to take my shoes off. This is holy ground. Please come to my Facebook page today and share with me about how today’s devotion spoke to you: www.facebook.com/GwenSmithMusic. We will pray over each of you!

NEED ENCOURAGEMENT? Gwen’s full testimony is featured in her book, Broken into Beautiful, along with Scriptural truths and stories of how God has brought restoration the hearts of many other women who had painful life wounds. God delights to transform lives … including your own. Experience God's healing and hope in your life today as you read Broken Into Beautiful! To order the book, go to Amazonor, for a signed copy, visit Gwen's website: http://gwensmith.net/store/.
 
Now... this is an email I sent to a dear friend of mine just last week:
 
So... last night at church our lesson was almost word for word about what we had talked about on the phone... So I figured I would share a little bit. :)


We, as females especially, desire to have that tangible comfort. Someone we can feel, see and connect with. However, God longs for us to take all of our troubles to Him. As much as we would like to vent to our boy or our bestie, God desires that complete and total reliance on Him so that in turn He can fulfill our needs and desires.

This is so hard for me.. especially as this year has passed and I have moved to a new place and had to start all over again. So many times I long for someone to be just right there.. so that I can see, touch or hear them. Do I think this is wrong? Absolutely NOT. I would be a total hypocrite if I told you that I didn't lay in my bed at night sometimes and cry out to God to give me someone tangible to talk to and confide in. But I do believe that, as we express ourselves to friends and others that we should in turn, turn those thoughts and feelings over to God for His ultimate control.

You know as well as I do that I like being in control and having a plan for everything. This is my hardest trial with God. so many times I want to take my life from Him and lead it my way... and that, my friend, is what gets us into trouble. His ways are so much better than ours and we must learn to rely on Him for everything. I will be first to say, this is easier said than done.

But, as a spiritual challenge for each of us... I ask that you not give up talking to me or any other person that you choose to confide in, especially in the bad times...  But we should, after venting, consciously turn our problems over to God. Inasmuch as we start to choose to rely on Him, He will make the trials of our life easier to give Him.

Now with every spiritual conviction comes a cost. Haha, we both know that when you are trying to do what is right the devil comes full force to fight against you. But, my friend, that is why we have each other.. to strengthen and encourage one another to keep fighting.. because in the end the payoff is eternity spent with Jesus.. and what a glorious day that will be!

May you be filled with the Holy Spirit in such a way that you are overflowing with His joy and gladness. I pray that if/when the devil comes marching your way that Jesus would banish him from the room. That your heart would be protected, your mind would be guided and that you would be strengthened to fight the good fight of faith... to never give up.

*This email has been edited slightly. Bold words were added and parts were taken out for personal reasons.*

How I pray that this speaks to you today. I believe that since it is a message that keeps coming up... it is a message that needs to be shared. I pray for each of you as you go throughout your day. May you rely on God for the sole source of your comfort and strength. God bless you.

Summer planning

Today is Hunter's birthday. As he goes through basic training his communication with the outside world has been limited to writing letters. For the past two weeks, WOW it's been two weeks already??? Anyways... for the past two weeks his family and I have been receiving letters with no return address. Sunday night his parents finally received his address and sent me the information! It is so exciting to finally be able to send him all the responses I have written, and to be able to communicate with him!! Like I said before, today is his birthday and due to us only getting his address on Sunday night.. I hope and pray he receives some of the letters and/or birthday cards we have sent!!

His letters tell me about his day to day activities, that he is tired but having fun. He was excited to receive his equipment and was eagerly anticipating receiving his weapon. He jokingly said, sorry... it must be a guy thing. He said time is passing quickly, and I am so glad for that. As much as I wish the time before school started back would come slowly.. I wish that this summer would pass quickly so that I could see him again. His letters also say that he is praying for me, his friends and family and that he hopes we are safe and well.

As clean up and rebuilding begin here in Tuscaloosa I am interested to see how far we have gotten by the time he gets back in late August. I am getting started with my research this week. I have a paper due before classes start on the 31st... I am really excited about this research and I hope to do well on it and eventually get my work published.

A few things here lately... I am working the 6-2:30 shift without having to leave for class. When classes start the 31st I will just go after work to meet with my research professor. In the July to August semester however I will have to start leaving for class again as I am taking Complex Calculus. Summer is our busiest time here at work as we try to get as many campus projects done while the least amount of students are on campus.

I switched! Phone services that is. AT&T was terrible in Tuscaloosa so I took the leap and got my own phone plan with Verizon. As much as I would have loved to just stay with my parents plan... I needed a phone that actually worked so when people tried to call me I would actually get their call. The hardest part has been re-gathering all my contact information. I sent out a mass text message with my new number for people to text me their names and numbers... and thankfully most people responded. Hopefully in the next few days I will be able to take the time to go through my old phone and transfer the rest of my contacts.

I must tell you how much I appreciate this brief respite from school... and so many days I wish I could just take a longer break. I have so much to catch up on that was neglected while in school.. it has been hardly a time of rest. Two days ago I actually balanced my checkbook! I am ashamed to say, but actually having the chance to do this has been few and far between... so to have a second to actually sit down and get this done was great!! So many people are so busy.. and it is the little things that matter most to me when I actually have the time to do them.

This weekend I attended the Extraordinary Women's Conference... and my favorite bible teacher, Angela Thomas, spoke on how God knows we are weary.. and the opportunities he has given us to rest. It was just the message that I needed to hear... I am weak, worn and weary... but God is made perfect in my weakness. I am so excited to work on 'resting' in the Lord and letting him revitalize my soul and spirit so that I can make it through this busy time in my life.

One more year. It is hard to believe that in three semesters (counting this summer) I will be graduating with my masters degree!! When I began this journey it is something I never thought I would make it through.. but as the song states... 'but if He's started this work in your life, He'll be faithful to complete it, if only you believe it.." And I believe that there was a true purpose and that God didn't bring me to Tuscaloosa at this time in my life and in this way so that I would just be here and leave. I pray that I would learn all that He has me to learn from this place. I truly love it here.

My prayer for this summer is that God would 'draw me close'. During this time of relative slowness in my life.. and that is very relative... due to classes, work and research...

I pray that I would learn more to lean on and trust Him, as He is already teaching me.. however, I want it to be deeper. I don't want the complacent 'good girl' life. I want to live on FIRE for Christ, desiring and seeking His word and will CONSTANTLY. This is my prayer for the summer... would you be in prayer for me? I know that as we turn our eyes to Christ and work to learn more and grow closer to Him that is when the devil starts fighting back. Lord I pray for your strength, as I know mine is not sufficient. I pray for your guidance and wisdom as I face this world longing for more of you. Draw me close to you God.. here my cry. Make my desires yours Lord and fill me up to overflowing. Lord, help me to take time to fill my cup, and then give me the courage to go pour out your spirit and love with others around me. Calm me Lord, still my busy mind and soul. Help me to focus on you Lord.. keep me from getting caught up in the ways and lifestyles of this world. So many times we are 'too busy' for you Lord... I pray that if I make time for nothing else Lord that I make time for you, who is most important. I love you and praise you and pray all this in the precious name of Jesus Christ. Amen.