The Lord is Your Life
31 Dec 2009 5 Comments
in Devotionals2 Tags: burrows, chronic, devotional, fiona, illness, life, pain
“This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life…” (Deuteronomy 30:19-20a NIV).
The other day as I was having a meal in a restaurant with my family. We had reached the coffee stage of our meal and everyone else ordered coffee, but as I don’t drink coffee, I ordered a cup of hot chocolate. We laughed when my cup of hot chocolate arrived and printed on the mug was “coffee is my life!” The others had no such message on their cups even though they all enjoy a good cup of coffee. Whilst I’m quite aware that there are many who find it hard to live without their coffee, I don’t even like coffee, so certainly it is not “my life”.
The following day I read the above verses in Deuteronomy and was struck by the words of Moses, where he says, “The Lord is your life”. He was telling the Israelites that they had a choice, either life or death, and that choosing to follow God and His commands, would give them life.
I love the words, “hold fast to Him. For the Lord is your life.” Living with chronic illness, I’m so often aware that I cannot do things, in fact even the things I can do, I know that I only do with the strength that God gives and the grace that He offers me. Each day, I need that grace and strength, to get me through.
I’m not sure that many people in the restaurant would be impressed with mugs that said “The Lord Is My Life!” but I know that I’d rather be drinking in, and holding fast, to The Lord, than coffee, or anything else the world has to offer.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Fiona Burrows lives in Melbourne, Australia. She is thankful for the difference God makes in her life as she lives with chronic pain. She enjoys finding time for writing, travel and photography.
A Touch of Summer in Winter
28 Dec 2009 5 Comments
in Devotionals2 Tags: chronic, daily, devotional, fragrance, illness, Lynn, perseverance, Severance, winter
“But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him.” (2 Corinthians 2:14 NIV)
It is early December [as I write this]. The aromas of fresh pine boughs, sugars and spices often fill our homes. Those of us who live with physical challenges pray for the energy to experience seasonal joys while hoping to balance other aspects of our daily lives.
Today, the side effects of a new medication left me dizzy and off balance. This happened last week too, but gratefully eased out over a few days. I persevered and went out for a walk and for exercise. Our weather here in western Washington allowed for this. Faith and my friendly cane accompanied me.
My route took me past one house with a white picket fence. In summer, hollyhocks and sweet peas abounded in this setting. This cold day, I noticed that the hollyhocks had been cut back. Much to my amazement, I discovered three sweet pea blooms that continued to hang on their vines. I sniffed, but the literal fragrance of the blooms had gone, although their form and tenacity remained.
In these moments, I sensed the Lord give me some understanding – that my efforts to hang on had not gone unnoticed. He saw me clinging to him as my Vine, desiring to flourish even if the elements around me were harsher. Those persistent sweet pea blooms had probably drunk deeply from the nourishment of their vines during better sunny days. How much more then can I, who now live in the garden of God’s love and care, continue to trust his nurture if I but remember to cling to him?
Prayer: Lord, help me persevere. During those moments that can overwhelm me with despair, lead me to the fragrance that is you. Let me breathe deeply to inhale trust, hope, faith and steadfastness that will keep me nourished in all seasons. Amen.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Lynn Severance is a retired elementary classroom teacher. She lives in Lynnwood, Washington. She writes to encourage others as God has encouraged her during 26 years of living with daily physical challenges.
Reluctant to Knock
28 Dec 2009 Leave a Comment
in Devotionals2 Tags: chronic, degenerative, disc, disease, future, goals, illness, insecurity, pain, trust
“I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18 NIV)
Tonight our grandson was having difficulty asking the little neighbor boy to play. He was very reluctant to go and knock on his door and speak to whoever answered. I walked along beside him and stood about five feet away from him to coach and urge him on. His face turned scarlet red and the color creeped down his chest. Finally he knocked with me and when someone answered, he couldn’t find the words to speak. Instead, he hid his face in my dress.
Later in the evening my husband and I were discussing our illnesses. We concluded that the most difficult part about being chronically ill is that the future is so insecure. We have lost our ability to accomplish the goals we have set out for in our lives.
Like our grandson, we face life now with much reluctance. Through our discussion, we were reminded of the night before my father passed away. I had wanted to be with Dad when he passed over to the other side, but as God would have it, Dad waited until I had gone home. Urging me to leave, my father asked me to turn the light out….”you need to get some rest,” he said, “I really am just afraid of the unknown. I’ll be alright now. I love you.”
With our illness and pain comes that insecure feeling of what we have not experienced before. Like our grandson we are hesitant to “knock on the door”. But like my father, we need to put all our fears to rest by completely believing in the LORD….handing over our reluctance to Christ and filling ourselves with hope and trust from the Holy Spirit. “…..trusting means looking forward to getting something we don’t yet have….for a man who already has something doesn’t need to hope and trust that he will get it.”(Romans 8:24 NIV)
For most of us, our lives have changed drastically. Through this trust in the Lord, we can find different goals and meanings in life, and look forward to “that day when God will give us full rights as his children, including the new bodies he has promised us….bodies that will never be sick again and will never die.”(Romans 8:23 NIV)
Prayer: LORD God, help us to knock on the door of life….fully trusting in Your promise. Guide us through each day and help us to recognize our worth in obtaining Your goals.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Nancy Carr lives in western Kansas with her two best friends…. husband David and dog Mindy. She has Degenerative Disc Disease and nerve damage and has had to retire from teaching elementary music and conducting church choir. She is directing her life through the LORD.
Reprinted from Rest Ministries devotionals, 2004.
Remaining Hopeful
27 Dec 2009 5 Comments
in Devotionals2 Tags: chronic, daily, devotional, faith, focus, hope, illness, love, Lynn, Severance
“Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.” (Psalm 25:4-5 NIV)
Hope is such a key to my staying focused on the Lord. It is also one of God’s gifts that I can quickly lose sight of. How can I stray from the path where it lives? It seems to happen in the blink of a thought.
Yes, thoughts can rob me quickly. You all know those thoughts – fear of the future or fear of what the latest medical test will show or has shown. I rob the present of many joys, or at least peace, by jumping ahead of the Lord. Oh, how I hate it when I catch myself doing this. Yet, if these thoughts are not caught, they escalate and the feelings that accompany them do as well.
Like the psalmist, I plead for God to show me his ways and to teach me his paths. My hope is to be focused on God, not on tomorrow or on my circumstances. I must recognize any negative side trips from the path where he can teach me, by remembering that in all my days he has never forsaken me.
Some of my “tomorrows” did hold some harsh news. Yet, he was there to teach me how to keep walking with him through the rough times. I could not depend on my own strength or understanding. These were his deepest times of teaching me – an answer to this Psalm’s request.
Scripture tells us that there is faith, hope and love and the greatest of these is love. I do not think my statement that hope is needed to keep me focused diminishes love. It is
God’s love that helps me to return to his path. My remembrance that he is my hope strengthens my faith. He beckons me to follow the triune pattern by putting all three gifts into their proper perspective — working as one as I stay hopeful in him.
Prayer: Lord, my deepest longing is that I stay steadfast as I hope in you and follow you, trusting you completely. Amen.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Lynn Severance is a retired elementary classroom teacher. She lives in Lynnwood, Washington. She writes to encourage others as God has encouraged her during 26 years of living with daily physical challenges.
Christmas Peace and Joy
26 Dec 2009 2 Comments
in Devotionals2 Tags: Advent, back, Bronlynn, Christmas, chronic, depression, fibromyalgia, pain, rejoice, Spindler
“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33 NASB)
As I have been preparing for Christmas, I have been filled with conflicting emotions. I praise God that my health is better than it has been in quite awhile, and I am blessed with the anticipation of sharing this holiday with loved ones.
Yet at the same time, my heart is heavy for many of those I know who are suffering, and this Christmas seems to be one of the most difficult. Life is full of struggles for people I know – grief over the death of loved ones, hurt from broken relationships, loneliness due to separation from family over the holidays, and discouragement with physical limitations during the season’s activities.
There have been moments when I have wondered how I can possibly be joyful and peaceful when this world is so full of pain, yet I also realized that if the world were not hurting, there would be no need for a Savior. I reflected on that first Christmas. That time was far from peaceful and pleasant. Roman rule was oppressive and life was a struggle to endure. Mary and Joseph faced ostracism, pain, homelessness, and separation from family. Those who anticipated the birth of the Messiah were expecting to see a conquering king, which was not the case.
Yet we on the other side of the cross know the significance of that first Advent, and because of it, we anticipate the second one. With the second coming, all pain, suffering and disappointment will end. We will truly be able to rejoice without sorrow, and perhaps my joy this year will be more in anticipation of Christ’s future coming than in His past one.
Whatever we are facing this Christmas, may we remember the victory and eternal life that Christ’s birth and subsequent death and resurrection bring. May that knowledge bring us peace, and may we rejoice. “I say again: Rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4).
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Bronlynn Spindler is a wife and mother of three grown daughters and lives in Fredericksburg, VA. God’s grace and strength give her the ability to deal with chronic back pain, depression, headaches, and fibromyalgia. You may view her blog of devotionals at www.aplaceofsprings57.blogspot.com and contact her at spindler@….
The Ultimate Gift
24 Dec 2009 Leave a Comment
in Devotionals2 Tags: cancer, Christmas, chronic, Dittert, eternal, gift, life, pain, Pat
“For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23, NIV)
Think about the best gift you have ever received at Christmas, either from family or friends.
I can think of two. One was when my wife and children came to Germany just a few days before Christmas… when I was stationed there in the service. The other, which was bought by my parents when I was a child, was a big C-130 Airplane that would not only hold all of my army men, but also some of the equipment. I had many hours and even years of fun with that. It was the best!
Now think for a moment about the ultimate gift. The one that you get and it keeps giving and giving and giving. The one that would or should overshadow all others.
For us as Christians that gift should be the Lord. The Gift of eternal life. The gift that is only given by accepting Jesus into your heart and life. Then living for him with all the life you can grasp.
How nice to know also that there are gifts inside of this gift… healing, joy, peace, forgiveness, and several more. It would be like opening up a box and finding another box, then another and so on until you get to the end and that is the greatest of them all… eternal life, because we have accepted Jesus and obeyed his Word.
We with disabilities should appreciate these gifts because when we are hurting we can dwell on and also count on these wonderful gifts to help us through a flare or a hard time. God is Good and he has nothing but good for us, and we need to dwell on him and remember he is the reason for the season.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Pastor Pat Dittert lives in a berm home in Central Iowa with his lovely wife Nancy and 5 fur babies. Pat lives with chronic pain from a number of surgeries and injuries. Brain Tumor surgery left him disabled and unable to do most physical activities. He is also a survivor of cancer and now has 4 stints in his heart. Pat has several internet ministries, and is a freelance writer with Christian newspapers, books, Internet, etc. rivpat77@msn.com
Loneliness
23 Dec 2009 3 Comments
in Devotionals2 Tags: alone, chronic, Fiona Burrows, hopekeepers, illness, loneliness, pain, rest ministries, unsupportive
“The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” (Deut. 31:8 NIV)
Sometimes I admit, I’m just lonely. I live alone; I often work alone; it seems that no-one understands the reasons I can’t do things, the things that make me different; no-one else seems to have the same health issues; or the same reaction to treatments.
Occasionally, there are people who try to come alongside and understand what life is for me, but people don’t always say the right things, sometimes they don’t even understand what the problem is. Family can let you down, when you feel they should be supporting, or helping , when they don’t even understand why you feel left out. Even our Christian friends and our Churches sometimes don’t understand how cut off and “different” we can feel.
Its hard to explain to someone else, why I feel alone – maybe there seem to be people around, or maybe they just think I need to “snap out of it” or look at all the things I have to be grateful for, even consider what someone else is going through that is worse than my situation.
People can make us feel its not OK to talk about how we are struggling. They may not intend to hurt us, but sometimes they do, maybe they just don’t understand.
When life feels lonely, there is someone who understands me, someone who longs to come alongside and encourage me. There is someone who wants me to know that I’m never alone – He promises to never leave me.
God understands when I feel discouraged, when I feel lonely, when I feel like no-one else understands what I’m going through.
Its OK to tell God how I feel – He will not turn away from me, rather He will draw me closer and let me know He cares and understands. And the next time I feel lonely or discouraged, He will still be there, waiting with outstretched arms.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Fiona Burrows lives in Melbourne, Australia. She is thankful for the difference God makes in her life as she lives with chronic pain. She enjoys finding time for writing, travel and photography.
A Helpless Dependency
22 Dec 2009 3 Comments
in Devotionals2 Tags: Armstrong, chronic, illness, neuropathy, pain, Patricia, peripheral
“Blessed are those whose strength is in You, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage” (Psalm 84:5 NIV)
I am sure all of us dealing with chronic pain and illness feel there are many times when we are at the point where we want to give up—it is just more than we can handle on our own. At times like this, we need to meditate on the above scripture. Our pain and frustrations related to illness may be too much for us to handle alone, but not too much for God. God said, “I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me? Jeremiah 32:27
“In everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your mind in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7
I often feel that I am closer to God in times of pain than in times of relief from pain. Why is this, I wonder? Maybe it is because in times of pain, I take more time to talk with God. In times of prayer, there is often a peace that comes and guards our hearts and minds. At times like this, we really become more aware that we are really dependent on God and He will always be there for us.
On bright and sunny mornings, My heart is filled with praise,
For my dear heavenly Father, Who brighten up my days!
Tho He is always with me, Whatever weather be,
When Springtime brings sweet promise, His joy made known to me!
I love to hear the songbirds, When they are on the wing,
And when they’re near my window, Such solace do they bring.
My own dear heavenly Father, Tho dark or bright above,
My heart goes on rejoicing, For radiant is that love!
Friends, always remember, Our Father is with us in times of pain and He will always stand guard over our hearts if we put our trust in Him. Nothing can happen to us that is too difficult for God to handle.
Patricia Armstrong lives in Virginia Beach and also has a home in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley of VA., where she and her husband, Richard, will live after his retirement. Patricia copes daily with nerve pain from peripheral neuropathy for which the cause has never been determined. God has always been faithful in giving strength and encouragement even in times of pain and Patricia is so grateful for this.
God Always Provides a Light
22 Dec 2009 1 Comment
in Devotionals2 Tags: arthritis, chronic, Copen, Devotionals, fibromyalgia, illness, journey, light, Lisa, Ministries, Moments, Mosaic, rest, rheumatoid
“You, O Lord, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light” (Psalm 18:28).
Seventy-year-old George went for his annual physical. All of his tests results were normal. Dr. Smith said, “George, everything looks great physically. How are you doing mentally and emotionally? Are you at peace with yourself, and do you have a good relationship with your God?”
George replied, “God and me are tight. He knows I have poor eyesight, so he’s fixed it so that when I get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom, poof! The light goes on, and when I’m done, poof! The light goes off.”
“Wow,” commented Dr. Smith, “That’s incredible!” A little later in the day Dr. Smith called George’s wife. “Thelma,” he said, “George is just fine. Physically he’s great. I’m in awe of his relationship with God. Is it true that he gets up during the night and poof! The light goes on in the bathroom and then poof! The light goes off?”
Thelma exclaimed, “That old fool! He’s peeing in the refrigerator again!”
The Greeks had a unique race in their Olympic games; the winner was not the runner who finished first, but the runner who finished with his torch still lit. We’re often more concerned with the I-wants than with the journey.
There’s a fall season in San Diego when I want to light candles to create a homey atmosphere once the sun goes down. At the same time, the air conditioner still comes on, flickering the candles. I have to choose-do I blow out the candles or turn off the air? I can’t have it both ways. The illnesses in our lives can cause every bit of light within us to flicker and blow, attempting to put out our flame for Christ.
God, I can’t have it both ways; I have to rid myself of some of life’s luxuries and follow Christ in order to keep Your light burning. “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path,” (Psalm 119:105). Poof! Turn my light on!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Lisa Copen is the founder of Rest Ministries and has lived with rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia 16 years. She is trying to figure out how to entertain her 6-year-old over the holidays as she recovers from joint replacement surgery. This is reprinted from her book Mosaic Moments: Devotionals for the Chronically Ill.
Recent Comments