II Timothy 1:7 - "Yes I Will"

This morning these words are going through my mind...

Yes I will, lift You high in the lowest valley
Yes I will, bless Your name
Oh, yes I will, sing for joy when my heart is heavy
All my days, oh, yes I will

I don't know that this is the lowest valley I will ever be in but it sure is the pits. How did Mary feel as she watched her son be crucified? I'm sure that was a very low valley to be in. I can't imagine how my parents felt when my sister was murdered and my Daddy was shot. That had to be a low valley. When my Daddy died, it was a low valley for me yet I rejoiced in knowing he was no longer in pain and in a better place. When I was diagnosed with MS and thought life was over, it was a low valley. I prayed the Lord would allow me to play with my grand babies without being in a wheelchair. That prayer was answered. I've played with all of seven of them without the wheelchair. I've had to use the wheelchair during their lifetimes but not very often. When I was diagnosed with breast cancer, the question of 'how long will I live?' came to my mind. I'm three years out and still cancer free. I praise God for His healing touch. Today, I am praising Him for all the ways He encourages us on this journey with the cancer in Doc's pancreas. Yesterday's encouragement came in different ways. One was a check in the mail from a friend to put in the building fund. Another encouragement was Doc having strength to power wash the back of the house. The first day after chemo he is awake early with lots of energy for a few hours due to the steroids so he tries to get something accomplished. Another encouragement was me having time with little ones that bless my heart. A call from Brother Dan to Doc was a huge encouragement for us. The day was not all encouraging with the garage door opener breaking and the grill giving me problems when I went I went to make supper. I do not like to have to get Doc up with such things but there was no other choice. Thankfully, I was just too impatient with the grill and all was good. Another praise was when Doc climbed on the ladder to figure out why the garage door wouldn't open, he didn't fall. Unfortunately, it is no longer made and the only place to find the needed part is over a hundred dollars so we will just wait and watch for one to come on sale. Another praise from yesterday was the nine hours of sleep I had without Mordecei needing out. As he gets older, nightly trips out have started a lot of nights. Today is a new day. It is a day where I know some of what will happen but I am open to whatever God wants of me. I pray I will not miss any opportunity He puts before me. Tomorrow will be a 'tough' day emotionally with Doc's scan but I am at peace. The other night I wrote:

The diagnosis from a doctor is never final...we serve a powerful God that miraculously heals! I continue to pray to the Great Physician for a miraculous healing in Doc while on this earth. I am praying in the name of Jesus for the results of the scan this Saturday to show NOTHING!

I am praying and believing! ...on earth as it is in heaven! There is no cancer in heaven and I declare it gone from Doc's body on this earth. I am standing upon II Timothy 1:7 in His empowerment to be spiritually strong in Him. I will sing this song all day long...

Yes I will, lift You high in the lowest valley
Yes I will, bless Your name
Oh, yes I will, sing for joy when my heart is heavy
All my days, oh, yes I will 

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for all the ways You shower us with encouragement! Thank You for all the ways You encouraged us yesterday! Thank You for the blessings of yesterday and the ones ahead in this day! Thank You for the way You will put opportunities before me today to love with Your love! For that to happen Lord, You must cleanse me so You can fill me with more of Your Holy Spirit. May it be so. Father, I pray for Doc who has started off the day with typical after chemo effects. I pray You will love on Him so greatly that You will be greater than the aches and pains. Thank You for the energy he had yesterday and the call from Brother Dan to him! Thank You for that encouragement that he greatly needed! Lord, may today be another day of encouragement for him. May he feel Your presence so greatly. Father, there is someone having surgery this morning and I failed to write down the name of the person. Please be with them, the surgeon, all medical personnel who care for them, and their family. I'm thankful You know who it is. Thank You Father for being My Great Encourager! Amen.

II Timothy 1:7; James 1; Philippians 4:12-13 - "Healer"

These words from Kari Jobe's song Healer were going through my mind when I was awake during the night...

You hold my every moment
You calm my raging seas
You walk with me through fire
And heal all my disease
I trust in You, I trust in You

I believe You're my healer
I believe You are all I need
I believe

And I believe You're my portion
I believe You're more than enough for me
Jesus You're all I need

As they went through my mind, the Lord impressed upon me to stop and ponder upon them. Do I believe He can heal? Do I trust Him? Do I believe He is all I need? My answer is 'YES!' I must continue to walk by faith on this journey with the cancer in Doc's pancreas. I must continue to stand upon II Timothy 1:7 so He can empower me through each and every day. I  must pray for a cleansing in my soul so God can fill me with more of Him so my words, actions, and attitude mirror His. I must not allow the enemy any open door into my life. I must live in His presence twenty-four/seven so He can use me as He so desires. It was no mistake the Lord took me to the book of James for our Wednesday night Adult Bible Study. He knew I needed the reminders found in it. He continues to bless me through this study. A few years back I had business cards with James 1:2-4 printed on them. Recently, I read these verses in The Passion Translation and fell more in love with them.

My fellow believers, when it seems as though you are facing nothing but difficulties see it as an invaluable opportunity to experience the greatest joy that you can! For you know that when your faith is tested it stirs up power within you to endure all things. And then as your endurance grows even stronger it will release perfection into every part of your being until there is nothing missing and nothing lacking.

Yes! ...the greatest joy... These days don't always seem joyful in the manner we normally think but my joy is still in the Lord. He is with me and always will be. He knows what we are going through. He also knows the outcome. He is using these 'tough' days to stretch our faith and draw us closer to Him. I was thinking yesterday about how life was before I realized I needed to be totally surrendered to Him. My day planner would have been a mess in the situation we are in. There is so much unknown and 'maybes' in the schedule. I would have been a nervous wreck since I was tied to that planner. Yesterday I was reading about how anything we put before God is an idol. My day planner was one of the most important things in my life. It held my every moment. My to-do list had to be completely done at the end of the day or I felt like I had failed. It did not always allow time for God. Oh, it had things that needed done for God on it but many days there was not room for God to work in and through me to accomplish His will. I'm so grateful I no longer am tied to such things. I'm grateful I finally realized true relationship with God means listening to His voice and walking in obedience to Him. I am so grateful for the knowledge of what true happiness is. James 1:12 reads:

If your faith remains strong, even while surrounded by life’s difficulties, you will continue to experience the untold blessings of God! True happiness comes as you pass the test with faith, and receive the victorious crown of life promised to every lover of God!

I see so many people looking for happiness through buying all the newest gadgets, new vehicles, their children everything they want, etc. True happiness is not found in 'stuff' but in a complete relationship with God. Paul wrote in Philippians 4:12-13:

I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

Contentment in Christ is the best place to be. The only way to get through 'tough' days like we are experiencing with the pancreatic cancer is to allow God to be our Strength. As we live in this manner, we will feel content in our circumstances. That does not mean we are 'happy' with them because we are not. This disease has caused all kinds of chaos in our lives but it also has drawn us closer to Our Heavenly Father. It also does not mean we will not continue to pray for a healing in Doc's body. I'm asking, trusting, and believing his healing will happen on this earth. James tell us our faith must remain strong. Paul tells us God's strength is the secret to life. When I put these two together, I know what I must do in the days ahead. I must go deeper in my faith to live in God's strength. Woo hoo! I love when the Lord lays things out so clearly!

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for the song and Scripture You gave me this morning! Thank You for our Bible study last night! Thank You for my church family that loves us so greatly! Thank You for friends from across the miles that check on us! Thank You for people giving words of encouragement! Father, I pray today for a cleansing in my spirit so You can fill me with more of Your Holy Spirit. I pray for a deeper faith and trust in You. I also ask for a physical strength for the day ahead. Father, I pray for Doc who had little sleep last night to feel Your presence mightily today. I pray for the sermon he will prepare to be exactly what You so desire. Thank You for him feeling like eating last night after going through the chemo! Father, I continue to pray for a miraculous healing in his body that You will be glorified through. I pray for NOTHING to show on the scan Saturday...the cancer to be GONE...for there not to be anything in him that is not from You. May it be the cleanest scan ever seen by human eyes. Lord, thank You for always being here with us. May we always remember we are never alone and nothing is too big for You. We know nothing surprises You. May You be glorified in all we do and say. Thank You Jesus for being Our Healer! Amen.

II Timothy 1:7; Psalm 91 - "Thy Will"

The words to Psalm 91 come to my mind this morning. It reads in The Passion Translation... 

When you sit enthroned under the shadow of Shaddai,
you are hidden in the strength of God Most High.
2 He’s the hope that holds me and the Stronghold to shelter me,
the only God for me, and my great confidence.
3 He will rescue you from every hidden trap of the enemy,
and he will protect you from false accusation
and any deadly curse.
4 His massive arms[f] are wrapped around you, protecting you.
You can run under his covering of majesty and hide.
His arms of faithfulness are a shield keeping you from harm.
5 You will never worry about an attack of demonic forces at night
nor have to fear a spirit of darkness coming against you.
6 Don’t fear a thing!
Whether by night or by day, demonic danger will not trouble you,[g]
nor will the powers of evil launched against you.
7 Even in a time of disaster, with thousands and thousands being killed,
you will remain unscathed and unharmed.
8 you will be a spectator as the wicked perish in judgment,
for they will be paid back for what they have done!
9–10 When we live our lives within the shadow of God Most High,
our secret hiding place, we will always be shielded from harm.
How then could evil prevail against us or disease infect us?
11 God sends angels with special orders to protect you wherever you go,
defending you from all harm.
12 If you walk into a trap, they’ll be there for you
and keep you from stumbling.
13 You’ll even walk unharmed among the fiercest powers of darkness,
trampling every one of them beneath your feet!
14 For here is what the Lord has spoken to me:
“Because you have delighted in me as my great lover,
I will greatly protect you.
I will set you in a high place, safe and secure before my face.
15 I will answer your cry for help every time you pray,
and you will find and feel my presence
even in your time of pressure and trouble.
I will be your glorious hero and give you a feast.
16 You will be satisfied with a full life and with all that I do for you.
For you will enjoy the fullness of my salvation!”

This Scripture is one of encouragement in these 'tough' days. In days of living with words like 'chemo'...'cancer'...'scans' these words tell me I can't give into the fear the enemy is placing upon me. I cannot quit trusting God. I cannot push deeper into my faith. I cannot give up praying for a miracle on this earth in Doc's body. I am being more intentional to saying "the cancer in Doc's pancreas" instead of claiming it when I say "Doc's cancer." It is not 'his' cancer. It does not belong in his body. It is not of God. He did not make cancer, He makes life. In the wee hours of this morning as I prayed, I prayed for "thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven." There is no cancer in heaven. Therefore, I am praying for no cancer on this earth. Today as we go into the infusion center for chemo I will see a lot of people having treatment. I have always prayed for them but today my prayers will be different. I will pray they are in relationship with Him and His will to be done in their lives. I will pray for God to give me opportunity to love on them with His love. I also will pray against the after effects of their treatment. I can relate to Hillary Scott's song Thy Will Be Done when she sings I'm so confused about the situation she was in with her miscarriage when she wrote the song. That is where I find myself. I've always been taught confusion is not from God but from the devil. I'm struggling with that. I put on God's armor every day to fight off the enemy. I strive to live in God's presence and be the person He has called me to be. I know living for God does not mean life will be a bed of roses and I also know living in God's presence will empower me to not just get through these 'tough' days but to thrive through them. Psalm 91:15 reminds me He is always here for me no matter what is happening. But it also says He will answer my prayers and my prayers for Doc to be healed on this earth are not happening. I think about the nine month time in 2015-2016 with an MS attack. Nine long months we prayed. We did not give up. We have not hit the six month mark yet with this cancer so we cannot give up praying. This latest part of this roller coaster ride is not fun. Having a scan a month early because of 'nasty' numbers is scary. But He is still with us. He is still accepting our prayers and we need to allow Him to work in and through us through this situation. Some people would say our prayers aren't working but that cannot stop us from praying. It cannot stop us from believing in a miracle. My thoughts go back to what Christy said Monday about focusing on God and believing He still performs miracles. I know He does and I continue to pray He will in Doc's situation. I know it's selfish but I am not ready for him to leave this earth. He is God's servant who has so much more to do on this earth. 

Dear Jesus,
Thank You for the reminders from Psalm 91! Thank You for all the ways You encourage me! Thank You for Doc having the energy to teach the teens last night and for Joshua driving the church van for us! Thank You for Sheri coming to help with the evening! Thank You for the blessings of yesterday and the ones ahead in this day! Thank You for never leaving us! Thank You for putting people before us who encourage us! Lord, these next few days are going to be tough in our human flesh as we await the scan and then wait for the results. I pray You will empower us to stay focused on You. I ask for an abundance of Your strength, especially in my emotional body as the tears just don't want to stop. Lord, cleanse me so You can fill me with more of You so I can stand upon II Timothy 1:7 more intentionally than ever before. Do not allow this situation to take my eyes off of the opportunities You put before me every day to love with Your love. Lord, I pray for others who are dealing with cancer in their bodies or in their loved ones bodies. Steve; Mark; Richie; Natalie; Maxine; my two pastor friends; Dale; Kandi; Elizabeth's neighbor; Rebecca's neighbor; Mike; Sharon's mother; and so many others. May Your love be so real to all. Thank You for being My Strength! Amen.

II Timothy 1:7; Ephesians 6 - "Fighting My Battles"

Yesterday was such an emotional day for me. The morning was full of tears that were determined to not stop. As I watched a video from my friend Christy, they flowed. She was talking about how there are times we quit believing in a miracle. I don't want to quit believing for Doc to be healed while on this earth but there are times where the doubts creep in. When you seem to take a step forward and then get hit with something that takes you two steps back, it's hard. Christy talked about how we need to keep our focus on God and not allow the enemy to have his way. Throughout the last couple of weeks there have been many obstacles put before the leaders doing Samaritan's Purse Operation Christmas Shoeboxes. Illnesses, deaths, fires in churches, ants in boxes brought in...the list goes on and on. The enemy does not like how the Gospel is being spread through this ministry. There are believers who are voicing their distrust over people from Hollywood, the music industry, etc. who are turning their lives around and striving to live for Christ. The enemy is very unhappy with these people and is using believers to discredit their testimony. Shootings with deaths are happening all over the United States and fights in professional ball games have become the topic of discussion instead of talking about Jesus. All of these things are distractions to get our focus off of God. The enemy loves such activity. He loves when we chose to 'do for God' instead of basking in His presence. Some of the things that fill our days may seem 'good' but if they are not what God desires of us they are not. We need to be living in His presence so we can not only hear His voice but also walk in obedience to it. Then, and only then, will we not quit believing in the miracles we have been praying for. Christy's video brought me to my knees with asking God to empower me more to stand upon II Timothy 1:7. It encouraged me to strive to living a 24/7 life for Him even more than ever. When Doc sent me a text yesterday asking how I was doing, I told him I was an emotional wreck and couldn't stop crying. His response was, "Why are you crying? Well I guess I know but we have to take this stuff as it comes. It is in God's hands. We will wait on Him!" I know that but I still have times where I fall apart and that's OK. God made me with these emotions. They are part of my make-up. I also know He is with me to empower me to stand up against the enemy's tactics. As I think about how my life is, I realize the enemy does not like where I am spiritually. He does not like that I am a part of a prayer initiative daily praying up to November 2020 elections; strive to spread the Gospel wherever I go as I love with Jesus' love; lead a Bible study on Wednesday nights; preach the Word when given the occasion; am doing a Max Lucado Bible study; teach the children on Tuesday nights and some Sunday mornings; participate in Sunday school; and participated in packing eighty-two shoeboxes for Samaritan's Purse. He does not like that I depend upon God to get me through every day when the physical aches and pains become real. He does not like that I continue to pursue God when he attacks. Plain and simple. I'm a threat to the enemy and he tries to take me out anyway he can. I wish he would realize that is not possible because I am standing on II Timothy 1:7 even more so than before his attacks. God gives me what I need every day to not give into his attacks. I start my days putting on God's armor (Ephesians 6) and standing in His empowerment. Today is a new day that is full but I refuse to allow the enemy to pull me down with his tactics. Instead I will stand in God's strength. I pray God will open doors for me to love with His love to all I meet. I pray He will enable me to not allow anything to distract me from what He desires.

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for the blessings of yesterday and the ones ahead in this day! Thank You for going before us with our doctor appointments and giving us clarity in our minds as we hear what the doctors say! Thank You for giving Doc strength to not just get through these appointments and teaching the teens tonight but to be blessed by You in every situation that comes his way! Thank You for Chris, Carrie, and the boys for delivering the shoeboxes to the drop-off church. Thank You for Joshua who helped Will to get the unloading of their possessions done! Thank You for Christy and her ministry! I am so blessed by her and pray You will bless her in abundance. Thank You for cleansing me so You can fill me to overflowing with more of Your love! May You be my words, actions, and attitude throughout this day in a new, different way! I pray for all who are going through 'tough' days to be on their knees seeking more of You. I pray they will stand as Gideon did and realize the battle before them is not theirs but the Lord's. I pray they will be in relationship with You so they can be empowered to stand upon II Timothy 1:7. Lord, be with those with physical needs to be healed. I pray for Bev as she has foot surgery tomorrow; Martha as she awaits shoulder surgery; Mr. Fran as he continues to struggle; and so many others. Lord, may You be greater than their trials. Thank You Jesus for being My Armor! Amen.

II Timothy 1:7; I Samuel 3 - "Still"

God always provides what I need, when I need it. I had a little girl in Children's Church yesterday that blessed me greatly. Before church she asked if she could sing a special. I told her when I blessed the children before going out for Children's Church she could. There was a part in the song she sang that went "shhhhhhhh" which also was a lesson in our book. I started out with the lesson I had planned on about being thankful and the Lord drew me to the "shhhhhh" lesson. I soon realized why He did. The lesson was about Samuel and Eli found in I Samuel 3. Samuel heard a voice and thought it was Eli's so he went to him. Eli told him he had not called him. The third time Samuel went Eli realized it was the Lord speaking to Eli so he told Eli to say, "Speak, for your servant is listening” and he did. The Lord told Samuel what was going to happen to Eli. Samuel did not want to tell Eli what the Lord said but the next morning when asked, he did. I talked about how God speaks to us. I asked her if God ever spoke to her and with her eyes big and excitement in her voice she explained He does. She is only four or five but she has experienced God's voice in different ways. My heart melted as she talked about Him. "Ms Sheila, God talked to me out loud when I was scared. Mommy left my room and I don't like being alone in the dark. God told me 'you don't have to be afraid because I am with you' and I went to sleep." She went on to explain how He talks to her 'all the time' but in her head not out loud! She is not only bright but she is sensitive and hearing from God! I remember when I was maybe eight or nine He spoke to me when I was afraid of being alone in the dark. I had always slept with one of my older siblings but when the last one left home I had my own room/bed. One night when I was scared, the Lord appeared to me as a vision in the window and told me I did not have to be afraid and from then on I wasn't. When we are in relationship with Him, we can hear His voice. It takes being intimate with Him and listening. After we discussed the story, I told her we were going to be silent and listen for a minute or two and see what we heard. I actually thought she would tell me things like people, furnace, cars going by, etc. Nope. When we opened our eyes and I asked what she heard, she had an angelic smile on her face and said God said, "You are doing so good at listening and I will continue to speak to you." Woo hoo, God! I was so blessed. God knew I needed that spiritual blessing yesterday. He knew I needed to feel more of Him. The more I thought about the morning throughout the day, the more I realized there was a lesson for me to learn from this precious little girl. This journey with the cancer in Doc's body is a roller coaster. I never liked roller coasters and I sure am not liking this one. BUT He is always there for me. He is ready to calm my fears, bless me in unexpected ways, empower me with His supernatural strength...the list goes on and on. The only way I will 'survive' this roller coaster is to lean more into Him, allow Him to take my faith deeper, and live out His supernatural empowerment. That is why He gave me II Timothy 1:7 to hold onto so dearly. He wants to fill me with more of His love and empowerment instead of me being afraid of the 'what ifs' of this journey. 

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for the blessings of yesterday and the ones ahead in this day! Thank You for being with me when I emotionally fell apart yesterday morning! Thank You for being Doc's supernatural strength to not just get through the morning but to be able to preach! Thank You for being with us so greatly on this roller coaster ride with the cancer in his body! Father, cleanse us so You can fill us to overflowing with more of You. May You be our words, actions, and attitude throughout this day. May we be in complete relationship with You so we can not only hear You but walk in obedience to what You desire. Father, there are so many hurting people that I ask a special blessing upon today. I pray for Jim, Renee, and Shirley as they continue to adjust to life without their spouses. I pray for those struggling with physical issues to lean into You; those struggling emotionally to allow You to be their Comforter; those with mental struggles to have people around them who will love with Your love; those with financial issues to seek Your wisdom; and most of all those with spiritual needs to have someone open up their hearts and minds to You. Thank You Jesus for being My Still! Amen.

II Timothy 1:7; Psalm 48 - "Ever Be"

The Lord took me to Psalm 48 this morning. As I read it, I thought about our trip to Israel. In The Passion Translation it reads...

48 1 There are so many reasons to describe God as wonderful!
So many reasons to praise him with unlimited praise!
2 Zion-City is his home; he lives on his holy mountain—
high and glorious, joy filled and favored.
Zion-Mountain looms in the farthest reaches of the north,
the city of our incomparable King!
3 This is his divine abode, an impenetrable citadel,
for he is known to dwell in the highest place.
4–6 See how the mighty kings united to come against Zion,
yet when they saw God manifest in front of their eyes,
they were stunned.
Trembling, they all fled away, gripped with fear.
Seized with panic, they doubled up in frightful anguish
like a woman in the labor pains of childbirth.
7 Like a hurricane blowing and breaking the invading ships,
God blows upon them and breaks them to pieces.
8 We have heard about these wonders,
and then we saw them with our own eyes.
For this is the city of the Commander of Angel Armies,
the city of our God, safe and secure forever!
Pause in his presence
9 Lord, as we worship you in your temple,
we recall over and over your kindness to us
and your unending love.
10 The fame of your name echoes throughout the entire world,
accompanied with praises.
Your right hand is full of victory.
11 So let the people of Zion rejoice with gladness;
let the daughters of praise leap for joy!
For God will see to it that you are judged fairly.
12–13 Circle Zion; count her towers.
Consider her walls, climb her palaces,
and then go and tell the coming generation
of the care and compassion of our God.
14 Yes, this is our God, our great God forever.
He will lead us onward until the end,
through all time, beyond death,
and into eternity!

I believe the Lord took me to this Scripture to remind me of several things.

• to praise Him
• to reflect on our trip to Israel
• to remember He is my Victory

Even though there were men and women carrying automatic weapons when we were in Israel, I still felt at peace. Walking where Jesus walked was an experience I will never forget. When we were down under the Old City and the guide said Jesus had walked in the very place we were, I took my sandal off and touched the ground. Holy Spirit goosebumps went through me. I have never experienced anything like it. When we stood on the Wailing Way praying, I felt closer to God than ever before. The whole trip was one I will never forget. I would love to go back and soak in more of the richness found there. But until that happens I need to live in His richness right where He put me. There is so much history of our great nation in this area. It has been interesting to find out more about our history. But my Christian heritage is so much more interesting. I was thinking this morning about how people go by the little 'prayer chapels' and think they are so cute. But what about how many thousands of prayers that went up in them? How many miracles were realized through those prayers? As people go into churches today to worship, how many prayers will be sent up? How many of those prayers will be answered? How many churches have taken corporate prayer out of their service 'for the sake of time'? How many churches no longer accept prayer requests from the congregation because they 'are just too big' for that to happen? My heart breaks for circumstances such as this. Last night before falling asleep and then during the night as I prayed for pastors, I also prayed for the people who will be sitting in their congregations today. I prayed for pastors to be the leaders God has called them to be and for people to respect them enough to follow God through their teaching. But then God stopped me and told me I needed to pray for those who were not living right and yet leading people. He told me to pray for them to get right with Him so those under their influence would be on the right track. He also had me pray for pastors to realize the need to praise Him. "There are too many pastors who are caught up in themselves and what they want for 'their' church instead of allowing me to work in and through them." God help us all to not have such an attitude! I pray for all pastors, including myself, to make sure God is our focus. I pray for all of us to not allow people or circumstances to get us off track on what God desires of us. My heart breaks to hear of churches being led astray by the very person who they should be able to trust with their spiritual lives. My heart breaks for pastors who have lost sight of what really matters in life. As congregations gather this morning, I pray they will realize the need to praise God. If for no other reason, praise Him to tick the devil off! But when he gets ticked off we must be ready for the battles that will come and come hard. He does not like that we worship God let alone when we praise Him! His retaliation can be hard but what a reward when we stand firm in our faith and knock him down! Victory! Plain and simple! Woo hoo! This victory is only found when we stand upon II Timothy 1:7 in His love and empowerment.

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for directing me to Psalm 48 this morning! Thank You for all the reminders in it! Thank You for empowering me to stand upon II Timothy 1:7! Thank You for giving me exactly what I need, sometimes even before I realize I need it! Thank You for cleansing me so You can fill me today with more of You! The desire of my heart is for people to see/hear You and not me in my actions, words, and attitude. May You be greater, Lord, may You be greater! Father, I don't know what the day holds but I pray it is a better one for Doc. I pray You will empower him with Your strength in a mighty way. We are worn from these 'tough' days. It is hard to not become discouraged when his body is so depleted of energy. Father, we need a miracle and are praising You in advance for providing. Lord, once again I pray for all pastors to be focused on You in a new, different way. May You give all pastors a realization of Psalm 48:1. There are so many reasons to describe God as wonderful! So many reasons to praise Him with unlimited praise! Yes! Thank You Jesus for being My Reason to Praise! Amen.

II Timothy 1:7 - "Hills and Valleys"

The Lord woke me in the middle of the night with the song Hills and Valleys. The words touch me greatly as we are in this valley with the cancer in Doc's body.

On the mountains, I will bow my life
to the one who set me there
In the valley, I will lift my eyes to the one who sees me there
When I'm standing on the mountain aft, didn't get there on my own
When I'm walking through the valley end, no I am not alone!
You're God of the hills and valleys!
Hills and Valleys!
God of the hills and valleys
and I am not alone!

I am not alone holds such meaning. I know it to be the truth but some days I feel so alone. Some days I just want to curl up in my blankie and go back to bed. Some days I just can't stop the tears from flowing. I miss my husband. Even though he is here, the disease in his body has taken so much from us. Sometimes it is minute by minute on what he will be able to do. There is so much unknown from one day to another. I must remember God is with us and will never let us down. He is walking with us on this nasty journey. I must continue to stand upon II Timothy 1:7 and allow God to be my strength and empowerment every minute of every day. I must ask for a cleansing in my spirit daily so He can use me as He desires. I am grateful for the way He stays close to me and encourages me through the 'tough' days of life. I also am grateful He is with so many others who are on this nasty journey too. None of us are alone when we have Him in our life. 

Dear Jesus,
Thank You for the reminder this morning we are not alone on this nasty journey! Thank You for the blessings of yesterday and the ones ahead in this day! Thank You for encouraging me to continue to stand upon II Timothy 1:7! Father, cleanse me so You can fill me so this can happen today. May there be nothing between us that would take my focus off of You. Lord, there are so many besides Doc on this nasty journey that I pray will feel You in a mighty way today. Peggy Steve; two pastor friends; Dale; Mike; Mark; Maxine; Kandi; and so many others. I pray for Lynn as she awaits test results. I thank You for Nada's good follow-up appointment. Lord, may today be a 'better' day for Doc. May he feel Your empowerment in a new, different way! Thank You Jesus for being The God of our Hills and Valleys! Amen.