The Gift of Grace thru Grief. . .

Amazing Grace - Arrangement by Eric & Marcus Stanley 
Lyrics by John Newton (1725-1807)
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This time of year can be one of the happiest or, unfortunately, one of the saddest for many. Although, I am sure, many may like to have a “Currier & Ives” Christmas moment of having a horse-drawn sleigh-ride in the country or the sentiment of family gatherings sipping on eggnog, while singing Christmas carols around the Christmas tree, sadly we often see the quiet sufferings on the faces of those who may pass us every day as each of us go about our own separate way.

As I reflect upon this past year in my own life, it would be so easy for me to be melancholy and to grieve over the losses in my life, due to the deterioration of my health. However, if I chose to do that then I would deprive myself of the many gifts God has blessed me with, while living with Stage IV cancer; one of the greatest being the “Gift of Grace” through grief.

It is only through God’s “Gift of Grace” have I been able to overcome my grief with ~ Gratitude, Resilience, Acceptance, Courage and Encouragement; so that I can give Hope ~ Inspiration ~ Motivation (H.I.M.) to others. It is with the ~

“Grace of a grateful heart” that I am released of my spiritual pain, which could so easily bind me, but through much prayer heals me so I can become a sojourner (a crusader) for H.I.M. God is not only always near me when I am brokenhearted, but binds my wounds and rescues me.  For “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; He rescues those whose spirits are crushed. . .He heals the brokenhearted and binds their wounds” (Psalm 34:18 & Psalm 147:3). He has blessed me with the encouragement and compassion of others so many times this past year. Little do they know how often they have uplifted my spirits through the power of their prayers. I am so very thankful;

“Grace of resilience” that I not only have the assurance and comfort from God, but believe He has a purpose and plan in my life, and has given me eternal life when I read, “Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3). Consequently, I can gladly say, “This is the day the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it.” (Psalm 118:24) and “Let the morning bring me word of Your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in You. Show me the way I should go, for to You I entrust my life” (Psalm 143:8);  

“Grace of acceptance” that I have the courage, hope and peace in my heart knowing my strength and hope comes only from the Lord ~ “Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all who hope in the Lord” (Psalm 31:24). My faith is like an elevator that carries my trust in Him higher and higher as He reminds me again, ”Be strong and of good courage; be not afraid, do not be discouraged; for the Lord thy God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9). Therefore, “Sing unto the Lord with thanksgiving…” (Psalm 147:7). God does not send trials in our life to “impair” us, BUT to “inspire” us. “O, give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good; for His mercy endureth forever" (Psalm 136:1);

“Grace of courage” that I have the confidence in sharing my journey with others so they may also be blessed and encouraged through grief. Courage is not simply a practice in my life, but is my way of life. It is by being sustained with the strength of the Lord in my life that I believe,"I can do all things through Christ, which strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13);

“Grace of encouragement” that I have not only been blessed by God’s promises and comfort, while meditating on His Word, but I yearn to encourage others. By investing myself in the lives of others, God has shown me His purpose for my life as I live by His promises. It has allowed me to live beyond my fears by my deepening faith in His great faithfulness. For I believe, “The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new  every morning; great is Your faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:22-23)  

And so, it is my earnest prayer that you may know God’s “Gift of Grace” through your grief because of His Amazing Grace through His son, Jesus Christ.

"For unto us a child is born,
unto us a son is given;
and the government shall be
upon his shoulder;
and His name shall be called
Wonderful, Counsellor,
The mighty God,
The everlasting Father,
The Prince of Peace."
Isaiah 9:6 

The Gift of Suffering. . .

Praise Ye The Lord, Almighty - Arrangement by Joseph Castle
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Once again, it is that time of year when many people are scurrying hither and yon to find that “perfect” gift for their special loved ones.  For centuries, gift-giving has been a significant part of the Christmas season; in fact, as far back as to the day when Baby Jesus was born.  As you may recall, some of his visitors were the wise men, who brought treasures of gold, frankincense and myrrh. Just imagine the joy the wise men must have experienced to be part of such a historical event standing by their Saviour, who was lying in a manager, along with the shepherds, and whoever else may have come by to visit on that holy night.

It has been said gift-giving often has more of a positive-effect on the gift-giver than the recipient. It reveals how much the gift-giver cares for the recipient, as well as demonstrates their appreciation toward the other person and the pleasure the gift-giver receives when they see the joy the gift has given to the other individual.

And so, one may ask, “How can suffering possibly be a gift? Where is the care in seeing someone else suffer? And please explain, how there can possibly be any joy during suffering?”  From an individual, like myself, who suffers every day, while living with cancer, I would like to respond to those very understandably compassionate rhetorical questions~              

When I read II Corinthians 1:3-11, there are at least three health benefits I have discovered from my suffering. Hence, I consider suffering a "Gift," so I can:

“Comfort” others. . .verses 3, 4 & 6, “Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who ‘comforteth’ us in all our suffering ‘that’ we may be able to ‘comfort’ them which are in  any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted by God. . .whether we be afflicted…or whether we be comforted. . .it is for your consolation and salvation.”  

From the very beginning of my cancer illness, it has been my passion and commitment that cancer would never break me, make me bitter, or drain my life of Hope ~ Inspiration ~ Motivation. Quite the contrary, my journey with cancer is, in fact, all about H.I.M. It is often said at this time of year, “Jesus is the reason for the season.” Well, no truer words may be said; however, I would like to paraphrase that quote and say, “Cancer is the reason for the seasons for me to tell others about H.I.M. all year round!”  Suffering has defined my “mission” and “purpose” in life; which gives me “joy”!

Completely, unconditionally, “trust” in God and not myself. . . verse 9, “But we had the sentence of death in ourselves that we should not trust in ourselves, but (trust) in God…”

My cancer may be an "earthly" death sentence; however, death is not my termination BUT my transition to my heavenly home! Nevertheless, rather than asking, “Why me, God?” or “Why now God?”, during my time of meditation and solitude with Him, I find great consolation when reading verses such as Psalm 46:10, “Be still and know that I am God,” and Lamentations 3:22, “It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not.” If I did not have my faith and trust in God, cancer would totally consume me to hopelessness, helplessness and heavyheartedness. However, by completely trusting in God's will, it takes the “fear out” of my life and strengthens the “faith in” my life. Suffering has helped me to stay calm by letting go and letting God take care of me, while I trust and rest in HIM, which gives me “Strength”!

Count my many blessings. . . .verse 11, “While you join in helping us by your prayers, then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gift that came to us through the prayers of others.”

My heart is overflowing for the many prayers that are daily said on my behalf for my family and me. Strangers, whom I have never nor probably will ever meet, have been praying for us these many months. My heart is deeply moved by the compassion and graciousness of others. It is through the power of prayer that we are seeing answered prayers! Suffering has given me a heart full of thanksgiving, which gives me an attitude of gratitude for God’s love and, most importantly, “peace”!

Therefore, through the gift of suffering I have received ~ Strength ~ Opportunity ~ Nourishment ~ Grace; in other words, a "SONG "in my heart, which I can only give “the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort” the glory and praise for the great things He has done and continues to do in my life. And so, this is my sincere prayer, when you are struggling and suffering through some type of loss in your life that you will turn to HIM, our Father of  mercy and God of all comfort, let go of your burden and let God turn it into a blessing so that you can turn your sorrow and suffering into a SONG of joy! God's blessings of H.I.M. be with you now and forevermore.

Out of my deepest sorrow and suffering
has come the strongest awareness of
God's presence and faithfulness.

  

What Tree Might You Want To Be?

Purple Flowers - Arrangement by Peder B. Helland
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This past month, we have experienced some very strong wind storms consistently coming off the lake; as the waves are roaring and foaming, the trees are swaying and bracing. Even the more mature trees around our area have suffered and lost some branches, which have resulted in my husband and I picking up twigs and fragments that have been strewn across our lawn. What I find quite interesting, however, is how much these deep-rooted trees can actually withstand even though they are completely exposed to the intense elements.  They appear to bear much more than other trees, which have been planted in a more sheltered area resulting in being less exposed to the stress and strain of the fierce winds.

Consequently, I found myself asking, “If I had a choice, what tree in life might I want to be?” It has been said that our greatest virtue in character building is suffering of which I can, without a doubt, attest too, while living daily with the effects of cancer! This disease has brought much hardship and challenge just to survive the activities of daily living.   And so, my reply without hesitation is, “I would want to be a willow tree.” 

One of the many virtues I admire about this beautiful, majestic tree is its ability to “adapt.”  It amazes me how this tree is so flexible and can bend in the most preposterous positions without breaking or snapping under the most challenging circumstances.  Another virtue of the willow tree is its willingness to “adjust” under the most intense circumstances by letting go and by bending in any direction, in order to thrive and survive.        

When looking at the willow tree, it signifies to me ~ Stability, Tenacity, Resilience, Endurance, Newness, Gracefulness, Thrivability, and Healing; in other words, it denotes STRENGTH under pressure, at times, the most unbearable circumstances. It, therefore, brings comfort to me when I read, “The slender trees cover him with their shade; the willows by the stream surround him.” (Job 40:22)

Finally, the image of the willow tree instills in me the ability to Face the unknown with Acceptance and Inspiration to Trust completely in Him, our creator. In others words, it is my FAITH that keeps me calm and carry on through the winds of life as majestic and graceful as the willow tree. 

The weeping willow is a sanctuary

 for the troubled soul to take heart

to adapt and adjust; 

in order to thrive and survive.  

Glorious River. . .

Like a River Glorious - Arrangement by Bronn Journey

Oh to have perfect peace! Oh never to worry! Oh never to rush through life! Are any of these moments possible or something you think about? From personal experience, I can definitely say, “Yes, without a doubt.”

Will there be a time when I am no longer in pain every moment, every day? Will there be a time when I feel rested, instead of fatigued all day long? Will there be a time when every step no longer feels like an effort? From personal experience, I can definitely say, “Yes, without a doubt.” 

Two different perspectives in life; yet, both have the same answer. How is this possible? As the beautiful hymn, written by Frances Ridley Havergal in the 19th Century, says so well, “Like a river glorious is God’s perfect peace. . .Stayed upon Jehovah, our hearts are fully blessed, finding as He promised, perfect peace and rest.”

Like a river glorious is God’s perfect peace,
Over all victorious, in its bright increase;
Perfect, yet it floweth fuller every day,
Perfect, yet it groweth deeper all the way.

Refrain:
Stayed upon Jehovah, hearts are fully blest
Finding, as He promised, perfect peace and rest.

Hidden in the hollow of His blessed hand,
Never foe can follow, never traitor stand;
Not a surge of worry, not a shade of care,
Not a blast of hurry touch the spirit there.

Every joy or trial falleth from above,
Traced upon our dial by the Sun of Love;
We may trust Him fully, all for us to do;
They who trust Him wholly find Him wholly true.   
   
Regardless of what barrier or challenge the river in my life may encounter, it always continues flowing in one direction towards its destination as it patiently perseveres both consistently and persistently.  Why? Because I wholly put my trust in God. For He is our only source to our destination where we will find our perfect peace and rest. May you find God's perfect peace and rest for your life.

"For the Lord gives strength and blesses with peace." 
Psalm 29:11   

Peace is the hand of God,
Touching your aching soul.
~ Crystal Roberts ~

Hidden Places of Treasures. . .

Soothing Relaxation #89 - Arrangement by Peder B. Helland
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As my husband and I have been driving along the country roads these past few weeks, I have enjoyed not only the end of fall’s splendor and all its glory, but also the opportunity of watching the surrounding barns being abundantly replenished with this year’s bumper harvest of crops grown in our immediate area. There is no doubt, these crops will be savoured and considered hidden places of treasures during winter’s harsh blustery months of snow, wind and cold.  As I hear the roar of the winds and the feel the cold of winter coming upon us as I write, thankfully, I am reminded of the many hidden places of treasures found in God’s Word, while feeling winter’s harshness during the journey of my life. Of the many treasures that give me pleasure when I meditate on God’s Word it is, without a doubt, the Book of Psalms, which I have turned to over and over again, while living with cancer. Here are a few of my hidden places of treasures that I have discovered and uncovered in the following beautiful Psalms, which I pray bring comfort and consolation to you ~
Psalms 4 ~ By Trusting  in the Lord, I will not only lay down in peace, but will sleep peacefully for only God makes me dwell in safety (verse 8). 

Psalms 6 ~ When I am weak and weary as I cry out to the Lord, He not only hears my prayer but Receives my prayer (verse 9).

Psalms 8 ~ How Excellent is Thy name O Lord throughout the earth! You not only recognize man, but have crown him with Your glory and honour (verses 1 & 5). 

Psalms 16 ~ When I Abide with God, He not only shows me the path of life; but His presence in my life is filled with joy (verse 11). 

Psalms 23 ~ When I recognize the Lord as my Shepherd, He will not only comfort me when He makes me lie down in green pastures and leads me beside still waters, but He will never leave me or forsake me (verses 1-4). 

Psalms 34 ~ I will Uplift and continually bless the Lord always for when I turn to Him He hears me, and delivers me from all my fears (false-evidence-appearing-real) (verses 1 & 4).  

Psalms 46 ~ I know that God is my Refuge  and strength; He is always present in times of trouble in my life and all He asks of me is to “Be still and know that I am God” (verses 1 & 10).  

Psalms 118 ~ God’s love Endures  forever; and He is with me. He is my strength, my song and my salvation, whom I will exalt and praise forever (verses 1, 14 & 28).  

Not only do I find great assurance and reassurance in these hidden TREASURE(s) of scripture, but I also find great comfort and compassion in knowing Christ, Himself, is my hiding place where He keeps me ~
Safe ~ Thou art my hiding place; Thou will protect me from trouble, and surround me with songs of deliverance (Psalm 32:7). 
Secure ~ You are my hiding place and my protector; I hope in Thy word (Psalm 119:114). 
Sure ~   For in the time of trouble He will hide me in His pavilion: in the secret of His tabernacle will He hide me; He will set me up upon a rock (Psalm 27:5). 

We can only praise an almighty God,
whose great power and understanding
are immeasurable always and forever.

Thirsty No More. . .

Only Jesus/Calvary's Love - Arrangement by Steve Green
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I am often told when receiving a new medication to "drink plenty of water" as one of the side effects of the medication will often make me very parched.  Hence, with a glass in hand, I am regularly replenishing the water that my body needs so I am thirsty no more.

That being said, I have always found great comfort and solace being "beside" the water; not necessarily, "in" the water.  Consequently, when my husband and I, recently, moved to our new home that is beside the water, I have been truly blessed many a morning to observe its soothing beauty and calming majesty as the sun's rays sparkle and glisten from the water's waves.

Meanwhile, as I pursued the reference of "water" in the Bible, I learned it is actually mentioned 722 times and is often a metaphorical reference to "times of trouble" in our lives. However, there are also many references that pertain to Comfort, Consolation, and Compassion. Here are a few that I would like to share with you ~      

  

Psalm 23:2 – “He leadeth me 'beside' the still waters.”

God doesn't leave me to find the "still" waters on my own, but He Guides me.

God doesn't bring me to rough waters, but guides me to "calm" waters so He can Comfort me.

As my Shepherd, He, therefore, always takes Care of me.

Psalm 36:8-9 – “…Thou shalt make them drink of the 'river' of thy pleasures. For with thee is the 'fountain' of life…”
When we put our Confidence in God and are in constant Communion with God, then our lives shall be abundantly blessed with God’s over-flowing love for us as He sustains, restores, and purifies our lives.

Psalm 110:7 – “He shall drink of the brook in the way; therefore shall he 'lift up' the head.”
God grace and power will always provide us with His comfort and consolation in our times of distress, when we put our ‘trust’ in Him.

I know all of this to be true, because when I daily “drink of the ‘Living ’ water that only Jesus can give to me, I am never thirsty; for the water that Jesus has given to me and is in me is a well of water that springs up into everlasting life.” John 4:14

So, if you are still Thirsty in your life, I encourage you to accept Jesus into your life so that He can fulfill His promise to you that you will thirst no more for only He can satisfy your soul!

The Gift. . .

Peaceful Healing - Arrangement by Peder B. Helland

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I cannot begin to express the countless blessings God continues giving me over and over and over again as I praise Him for the “Gift” of my cancer! Yes, you read that correctly ~ the “Gift”! 

God has marvelously and wonderfully made His Will very transparent to me as I embrace each day I am blessed with, since initially being diagnosed with cancer in 2013, and now living with Stage IV breast cancer as diagnosed earlier this spring. 

If I were to be asked, “If you only had one book in the Bible to read, what would it be?” Without a doubt, it would be the Book of Psalms, which captures all the blessings God bestows on me daily. For it is within the Book of Psalms my life is sustained with His:

Purpose ~

For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. Psalm 139:13

Path ~

You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand. Psalm 16:11

Peace ~

I will both lay down in peace and sleep; for thou Lord, only makes me dwell in safety. Psalm 4:8

Perspective ~

Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I….Nevertheless, I am continually with thee; thou has hold of me by my right hand. . .Gods is the strength of my heart and my portion forever…it is good for me to draw near to God; I have put my trust in the Lord God that I may declare all thy works. Psalm 73:17, 23, 26, 28

Plans ~

The LORD will work out his plans for my life,  for your faithful love, O LORD, endures forever. Psalm 138:8

Thou compassest my path and my lying down and art acquainted with all my ways. Psalm 139:2, 3 

Power ~

The Lord is the strength of my life. Psalm 27:1

Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all you who hope in the Lord. Psalm 31:24

My comfort in my suffering is this: your promise preserves my life.  Psalm 119:50

Presence ~

The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart. Psalm 34:18

God is our refuge and our strength, a very present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1 

How precious also are thy thoughts of me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more than the sand; when I awake, I am still with thee. Psalm 139:18

   

Preservation  ~

This is my comfort in my sufferings, Your promises preserve my life. Psalm 119:50  

The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in  from this time forth, and even for evermore. Psalm 121:8

Promises ~

Hope in God; For I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God. Psalm 43:5

Bless the Lord, O my soul and forget not His benefits: who forgives all thy sins and healeth all my my diseases., who redeemed my life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies, who satisfies my mouth with good things so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s. Psalm 103:2-5 

Nevertheless, my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail. Psalm 89:33 

Provision ~

I am reminded, “How precious also are thy thoughts of me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee. Psalm 139:17 

And so, I share His Gift with you ~

Grace

Inspiration

Faithfulness

Trust

For God does not send us trials 

to "impair" us but to "improve" us!

In return, I can truly claim ~ 

"In His favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, 

but joy cometh in the morning." 

Psalm 30:5

Poolside. . .

Peaceful Moments - A Melody of Praise 

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It was a pleasant Sunday afternoon, with the sun descending its warm summer rays beyond a beautiful blue sky dotted with white powder puff clouds, when my sister telephoned to invite me to spend the afternoon with her poolside.  I couldn’t resist the invitation.  My bags were packed in no time and I was on my way to her place in the country for some much needed sisterly one-on-one time.  My sister and I are very close, although opportunities like this were rare, due to both our busy schedules at the time (hers more than mine)!  So, I was very much looking forward to spending some time together.

When I arrived, the Adirondack chairs were beckoning us to hurry up and grab a cool refreshing drink along the way, as we were about to spend the rest of the afternoon on the deck poolside. Aaaah…this felt like heaven to me!  A wonderful afternoon to relax, feeling the warmth of the sun as we delved into our sisterly conversations talking about everything and anything that was on our minds, while the crickets were singing in the background and the horses were grazing in the nearby paddock. 

My sister and I have been each other’s confidants throughout our lives.  We have been there for the good times as well as the bad times.  We have laughed until we cried, and cried until we laughed. We have been each other’s sounding board and always have been honest with one another but never judgmental towards one another.  Most importantly, our love is unconditional and we want nothing but the best for one another.  I have been truly blessed to have three beautiful people in my life that I am proud to call my siblings!

As I drove home later that day, I felt refreshed – mentally, physically and emotionally. The change of scenery was good!  Sometimes, when one is troubled by a situation it is difficult to know how to go about solving it. The answers seem unclear or, for that matter, don’t even seem to exist; but, when you have a chance to hear someone else’s viewpoint about the situation this can be very enlightening and encouraging.  The answers all of a sudden, but not always, become so obvious once you have had a chance to talk it over with someone you trust.

That afternoon reminded me of the Biblical story about a man, who was unable to walk, due to a medical condition he had had for 38 years.  However, every day he would sit by the pool of Bethesda (meaning “House of Mercy”) in the hopes someone might eventually come along and help him in the pool.  It was believed an angel from time-to-time would come down and stir up the waters in this pool and the first person to get into these waters after they had been stirred would, in fact, be healed from their illness or disease. Even though this lame man waited day after day, on the other hand, this never happened for him.  Then one day a stranger came along, who knew of this lame man’s situation, and asked, “Do you want to be healed?”  Now the lame man did not initially say “yes” but told the stranger no one ever offered to help him into the pool and someone always went into the pool first before he had a chance.  In response the stranger said, “Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked" (John 5:1-9). Meanwhile, this stranger had moved along among the multitude of people and the healed man had no idea he had just met Jesus!

I find this story fascinating because even though the lame man did not know who the stranger was he had faith in what the stranger asked him to do.  We do not know if it was the gentleness in Jesus’ voice, the compassion in His eyes, or the gentleness of His temperament, that convinced this lame man to respond so eagerly, but he obviously Listened, Obeyed and Valued and Exalted this “Stranger” who just healed him! This truly is a sign of genuine LOVE when someone has that kind of impact on another person’s life and cares enough to want to help!  Only Jesus can be that special Someone in our lives!

I believe there is an important lesson from this Biblical story about problem-solving and facing challenges in our lives.  For 38 years, this man tried relying on his own means to get well, but all attempts failed.  How often have we tried doing the same thing?  When dealing with a problem, we naturally try solving it on our own, but when all our attempts have failed we become discouraged and despondent.  Then, when we eventually do decide to turn to God, perhaps we tell Him what we think we need to fix our problem rather than realizing what we really need is to let go of the problem and turn it over to Him. If, however, I see each "challenge" in my life as a lesson in problem-solving and endurance, as well as believe in the reassurance of Philippians 4:6-7, “Be anxious for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God, ans the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus,” then truly I can also proclaim “It is well, it is well with my soul.”

Sweet Contentment

He heals the brokenhearted

Brings much comfort to the soul,

He gives such sweet contentment

When life’s trials take their toll.

 ~ Bonita ~ 

The Recitals. . .

Will - Arrangement by Chad Lawson

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This past week, with much thankfulness, I was blessed with the opportunity to be given another avenue for a new round of radiation treatment, specifically, for the metastatic bone cancer, which continues progresses in my lower back; in the hopes of providing much anticipated relief from the excruciating pain I have been living with these past few weeks.

One of the crucial requirements for the success of the treatment, during this process, however, is to not only lie perfectly “still” but be perfectly “aligned” for the radiation beams to hit the targeted area so that I not only receive better quality of life but potentially slow down the progression of the cancer in that immediate area. Although this form if radiation therapy will never provide a “cure”; we count our many blessings, and are grateful for the addition of this radiation therapy treatment that it is now effective in providing a well respite of chronic pain!

And so, subsequently, as I was meditating on Psalm 86, I could not help but reflect on the following recitations in which God has enlightened me with this past week as I earnestly seek and meditate God’s teachings in my life, particularly while reading the first 13 verses of this beautiful Psalm, allowing me to “Realign”, “Restore” and “Reciprocate” His enduring compassion and faithfulness in my life.

Charles H. Spurgeon, known as the “Prince of Preachers” in England during the 19th Century, commented, “This (prayer) deserves to be distinguished from the rest and known as ‘the prayer of David…,’It savours of David. The man of sincerity, of ardor, of trials, of faults, and of great heart, pleads, sobs, and trusts through all the verses of this psalm.”

RECITAL of REALIGNMENT:  Why I should pray?
1. Lord, I turn to You – because I need you; (v 1)
“Bow down thine ear, O Lord, hear me; for I am poor and needy.”

2. Lord, I come to You – because I need you; (v 3)
“Be merciful unto me, O Lord; for I cry unto thee daily.”

3. Lord, I depend on You – because I need you. (v 11)
“Teach me thy way, O Lord; so that I will walk in thy truth; and unite my heart to TRUST thy name.”

RECITAL of RESTORATION:  To Whom should I pray?
1. God, You alone, keep me safe; (v 2)
“Preserve my soul; O thou my God, save thy servant who trusts in thee.”

2. Lord, You alone, are almighty; (v 10)
“For thou are great and does wondrous works; thou art God alone.”

3. Lord, You alone, have delivered my heart and soul from the depths of despair. (v 13)
“For great is thy mercy toward me; thou has delivered my soul from the lowest.” 

RECITAL of RECIPROCATION:  How should I pray?
1. God, oh how I “Treasure” Your wisdom in my life completely; (v 2)
“Preserve my soul; O thou my God, save thy servant who trusts in thee.”

2. God, oh how I “Rejoice” in what You are doing in my life; (v 4)
“Rejoice the soul of thy servant; for unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.”

3. God, oh how I “Uplift” You through my tears of trials for You are always by my side; (v 5)
“For thou Lord, art good, and ready to forgive, and plenteous in mercy unto all those who call upon thee.” 

4. God, oh how I “Seek” Your plans and purpose in my life, for You are my Sovereign, who I worship; (v 9)
“All nations, whom thou have made, shall come and worship before thee, O Lord, and shall glorify thy name.”

5. God, oh how I “Thank” You for Your ever-ending compassion; (v 12)
“I will praise thee, O Lord my God, with all my heart, and I will glorify thy name for evermore.”

Lord, my God, my TRUST and FAITH
are with you and you alone
til the end of time, forever and always!

Climbing with Faith, Courage & Trust. . .

He Giveth Me More Grace - Arrangement by Greg Howlett
(Please click for background music as you read this message of H.I.M.)

As I accept and adapt to the continuing progression of my Stage IV breast cancer, the final stage, I remain ever-focused on God’s plan and purpose in my life, regardless how steep the mountain is I maybe climbing. For I am Comforted, Uplifted, Renewed, Encouraged as well as Dependent on His promises that I am "CURED" from all my ailments, when I read, "And they that know thy name will put their TRUST in thee; for thou, Lord, has not forsaken them that seek thee" (Psalm 9:10). For though, "my body is dying, my spirit is renewed each day. For my light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for me a far more exceeding glory that outweighs anything I may suffer now" (II Corinthians 4:16-17).
   
However, we must, first, persevere and keep “climbing” our mountain(s) to enjoy the spectacular, over-whelming, breath-taking panoramic view that awaits us. Meanwhile, God waits for us to reach that peak, while encouraging us to keep climbing, never looking back, but always looking forward as we cling to His everlasting love and promises! I cannot help but think of the following beautiful poem, entitled “May You Climb ‘Til Your Dream Comes True” written by Helen Steiner Rice, which I have read over and over so many times throughout my life ~

"Often your tasks will be many,
And more than you think you can do,
Often the road will be rugged
And the hills insurmountable, too.

But, always remember, the hills ahead
Are never as steep as they may seem,
And with FAITH in your heart start upward
and climb ’til you reach your dream,
For nothing in life that is worthy
Is ever too hard to achieve.

If you have the COURAGE to try it
And you have the FAITH to believe,
For FAITH is a force that is greater
Than knowledge or power or skill.

And many defeats turn to TRIUMPH
If you TRUST in God’s WISDOM and WILL.
For FAITH is a mover of mountains,
There’s nothing that God cannot do,
So, start today with FAITH in your heart
and “Climb, ‘Til Your Dreams Come True!”

For “True Faith is seeing the Invisible, believing the Incredible and receiving the Impossible!” (Author Unknown)

“If you do not stand FIRM in FAITH, you shall be unable to stand at all” (Isaiah 7:9).

May God bless you all as you continue climbing your mountains, ’til your dreams come true’! 

For it is He, who waits at the top of the mountain for me,
Oh, what Glorious Day that will be!