I'm Still Here

In the last two days, God has very tangibly reminded us that He is still with us, knowing and meeting our needs as we continue to battle Dennis' cancer.

Yesterday, a friend from church made a meal for us.  That in itself was a blessing but there is more.  When she stopped to purchase the meat for the meal, the person in line with her told her she wanted to pay for the meat.  This person had received a gift certificate and wanted to bless someone else with it.  Our friend saw that this women’s shirt had a reference to God on it and realized she was a fellow Christ follower.  She shared with the person that she was actually buying the meat to make a meal for us to help ease some of our load.  So, three families were encouraged by God reaching down and telling us, “I’m still here.”

Then, Dennis has been going out to breakfast with a family friend one day a week.  When they went out this morning, another friend was at the restaurant and gave Dennis an envelope.  It was a monetary gift toward the cost of Brooke’s adoption.  Once again we heard God say, “I’m still here. I know your needs.”  International adoptions are expensive and when we were adopting Brooke, we accumulated some debt.  As we face Dennis’ income being reduced due to being on disability, this debt has been one of our concerns.  This gift was a reminder to us that God knows this need and is providing for it.  It was a faith builder to remind us to continue to trust Him for the remainder of this need in the weeks and months ahead.   

This week when we went to our small group Bible study, we were discussing the message from Sunday.  One of the questions we talked about was areas where we struggle the most with our relationship with God.  One of the choices was realizing we are loved by God.  Frankly, that was where I was at but I couldn’t even discuss it with the group because I knew I would fall apart.  Sometimes it is so hard to face all that we are going through and each additional burden just seems like more than we can take.  In fact, on the weekend we thought we might be losing our golden retriever.  I remember thinking, “Do we really need this sorrow too now?  What more are you going to ask of us Lord?”  (Thankfully she is going to be fine.) God knew exactly when we needed to see Him reaching out in love to assure us that He is still here.  He knows our sorrow and burden.  He loves us in the midst of a mighty storm. 

I’m always encouraged by the humanity of the people in the Bible. When I see that they struggle just like I do, it helps me know it is ok.  Psalm 13 is so much of where I have been living.  Yes, this all can seem so overwhelming but the first few verses of this Psalm are only the beginning, it ends with the hope we can only experience as we know Christ. 

¹ How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?
    How long will you hide your face from me?
² How long must I take counsel in my soul
    and have sorrow in my heart all the day?
How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?

³  Consider and answer me, O Lord my God;
     light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death,
⁴  lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him,”
    lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken.

⁵ But I have trusted in your steadfast love;
    my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
⁶ I will sing to the Lord,
    because he has dealt bountifully with me.

Prayer Requests and Answers:

Answers

Dennis is sleeping better.  This is a huge blessing. 
Dennis had the dosage reduced of one of the meds that makes him tired during.

Prayer Request

Pray that Dennis does not experience seizures due to the medication reduction.