Stayed up a little later last night (not much though), and was awake a couple times during the night for some reason. I didn't want to wake up this morning, but knew I must, and finally rose about 4:20AM. That 20 minutes has thrown me behind, cause sometimes I can come in here and close my eyes for a few more minutes, curled up in my blanket and shawl. This morning I still did that, and now I'm feeling that I'm behind schedule. Why? Because I have certain things I like to do in the mornings and just spend time with God, focused only on Him. But I let my sleep get in the way sometimes. And now I've started this new study on Revelations and need to read about 5 pages and think about the questions at the end of the daily read, so that my sister and I can discuss them, as we are doing this study together. It's a struggle for me to add a Bible study in the mornings but I am willing to give it a shot. Of course if I gave up writing in here, that would give me back 30-45 minutes or so... just saying.
I talked with my little brother last night. Actually, it started with a text discussion with my older brother. A cousin has had his leg amputed below the knee and all that surrounded that was being passed on to other family members. My brother passed it on to me, to pass on to the other siblings. As I text'd my little brother, I asked about his daughter. He called me. We chatted for a bit and he said she was back in the hospital. He got into trouble by her husband when he had posted a few weeks ago to pray for her. The husband didn't like it that my brother had asked for prayer, saying "it wasn't my brother's place to ask for prayer for his daughter". Excuse me? Does someone have to be special to ask for prayer? Sigh. Oh the ways of sinners in this world! So my brother had pulled his posted request for prayer.
I have continued to pray for my niece, especially for her heart as they said it was a critical issue. She has also had colon surgery for a blockage and supposedly only about 15" of her colon is left. And this is where I truly believe that God has been answering my prayers!
The doctors checked her heart again, expecting it to be operating at 20-30%..... and it is at 70%! It still has a ways to go, true, but I have been praying that her heart would be strengthened and that she will be able to get through whatever things she needs to have done. Praise Jesus! My brother didn't know much else about her; he isn't able to go see her because of his difficulty in walking. So sad that he has left his own health go and now that he wants to see his daughter to see she is doing ok, he can't go because he can't walk that far. A lesson for all of us to stay healthy and active.
Heart disease seems to run in my family; heart issues anyway. My older brother died from heart failure. I remember one day I received a call from my oldest brother and all he said was "thank you". Puzzled, I asked "for what?" "For praying for me" was his response. He had gone to his heart doctor for a check-up and his doctor told him that he didn't know what was going on, as bad as my brother's heart was, he had already lived ten years longer than expected. My brother told him that his sister in Phoenix had been praying for him. The doctor told him that he better call and thank me, because he should had been dead a long time ago. He lived a couple more years after that. It was such a testimony to the power of prayer and God's grace and goodness, I love it when God brings those things back to my mind. I sure do miss my big brother, and every May especially, he is on my mind as he would come out for a week to visit. He's been gone since 2001 - and he still is missed.
March 1 - where is the year going? Maybe it is going faster now cause I have my oral surgery on Thursday morning. I'm not afraid; but will admit I'm a bit anxious. Especially since I heard my sister in law recently had the same surgery - and developed an infection and had to have the implant removed. What I think of is all the pain and agony she went through! I want to believe that my surgery will be perfect, with no infection, and I will heal quickly. Will you pray that for me as well? Hubby plans to go pick up pudding and ice cream for me tomorrow so that we will have. Good excuse, right? I suggested popcicles, just cause I sometimes get to coughing after eating dairy ice cream, and I don't want to do anything that might make me cough and mess things up. Definitely must remember NOT to drink from a straw - the sucking of the straw can cause 'dry socket'. Not sure exactly what that problem is - maybe I will look it up sometime. But I hear it is painful - and I don't do pain. I have a high pain tolerance, but I don't choose to find pain just to tolerate it! This verse is one that I need to hold in front of me right now....
Philippians 4:6-7 (NKJV) "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer ad supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
What's going on in your life? Do you need to give it to God and ask Him to help you through it? Think that God isn't going to listen to you?
Why don't you just try Him? Go ahead, talk with Him. He's waiting on you to share your heart.
Blessings!
