Jeremiah 29:11 - "Rescue"

Yesterday on my way to the church Lauren Daigle's song "Rescue" came on the radio. Every time that song came on when Doc was going through his bout with C he would turn it off. He said he 'hated it' which was very unlike him. I thought about those days yesterday and wish I would have talked to him about it. Was he feeling like God had left him? Did he feel like God was not hearing his/our prayers?

There is no distance
That cannot be covered
Over and over
You're not defenseless
I'll be your shelter
I'll be your armor

I hear you whisper underneath your breath
I hear your SOS, your SOS

I will send out an army
To find You in the middle of the darkest night
It's true, I will rescue you
And I will never stop marching
To reach you in the middle of the hardest fight
It's true, I will rescue you

Prior to the stroke he said multiple times 'I'm just so tired of fighting but I don't want to die. I want to see the grand babies grow up and have their own babies.' Doc loved life and did everything he could to show others how to do so too. A friend shared yesterday, 

I’ll share a funny memory of you two though…when you played the Bertie Bott jellybean game with our teens and Doc got dog food flavored He always had an amazing sense of humor and a heart for teens. You complimented each other so well. It was impossible to be around you two and not laugh and have a good time!You both are/were so easy to love 

The things people share make my heart happy. God gave us a good life together for thirty plus years. We made a lot of memories. Some 'bad' but most 'good' along the way. I am grateful for every minute we had together but especially for those last days when I fulfilled his wish to die at home. We talked a lot, cried a lot, and continued to love each other until the end. He may have felt like God was not hearing his prayers but in reality God did hear his prayers by giving him the ultimate healing in heaven. Praise His Holy Name! No more suffering but instead a new body! God knows our yesterdays, our todays, and our tomorrows. All we have to do is walk in obedience to His will. He takes care of everything. This picture came up in a memory yesterday. It reminds me of the 'good' days we had together. It also reminds me I have 'good' days ahead for me.

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for the way You love on me through memories! Thank You for knowing my yesterdays, todays, and tomorrows! Thank You for cleansing me so You can fill me to overflowing with more of You! Thank You for yesterday! My favorite day of the week is the day I go to the church and craft my sermon. I love being in the sanctuary with just me and You with the music playing. Thank You for the day ahead today and the opportunities You will provide for me to love on people with Your love! Thank You for Your strength You will provide for the next few days with the Food Distribution Saturday, church Sunday morning, and Roxanne's Celebration of Life Sunday afternoon. Lord, I am confident You will provide what I need to not just get through these days but to glorify You through them. I pray Your strength over many going through 'tough' days. My Momma; my sisters Linda, Sally, and Mary; Dan; Ben and Colleen; Scott; Tony and Madeline; Norma; Melanie; Gay and Doug; Ms Savon; Donna and Mike Adams; many with COVID; Donna and Vicki with the death of their husbands, Mike with the death of his wife, and Carrie and Chris with the death of her mother; a couple and a family with serious relationship issues; the family and friends of Rebecca's student who died from leukemia; Candy; a young man in rehab for anger issues and another for addiction; several young ladies with anxiety; and so many others. Thank You for being the One who guides my steps! I am so thankful You brought Rickey into my life. He encourages me greatly whether we are together or seven hundred miles apart. What a blessing he is in my life! Thank You Jesus for being My Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow! Amen.