Brief Update......

"Therefore, the LORD will wait that He may be gracious to you."

Isaiah 30:18

This morning, Charles Spurgeon spoke to me across the decades from his devotional "Morning and Evening."  I am so grateful for his faithful service.  His ministry continues, though he has been with Jesus for over 100 years.  If you are struggling with unanswered prayer, you might like to read the passage below.  I'll give a brief update after it.

"God often delays in answering prayer. We have several instances of this in sacred Scripture. Jacob did not get the blessing from the angel until near the dawn of day—he had to wrestle all night for it. The poor woman of Syrophenicia was answered not a word for a long while. Paul besought the Lord thrice that "the thorn in the flesh" might be taken from him, and he received no assurance that it should be taken away, but instead thereof a promise that God's grace should be sufficient for him

If you have been knocking at the gate of mercy, and have received no answer, shall I tell you why the mighty Maker has not opened the door and let you in?  Our Father has reasons peculiar to Himself for thus keeping us waiting.

Sometimes it is to show His power and His sovereignty, that men may know that Jehovah has a right to give or to withhold.

More frequently the delay is for our profit. You are perhaps kept waiting in order that your desires may be more fervent. God knows that delay will quicken and increase desire, and that if He keeps you waiting you will see your necessity more clearly, and will seek more earnestly; and that you will prize the mercy all the more for its long tarrying.

There may also be something wrong in you which has need to be removed, before the joy of the Lord is given. Perhaps your views of the Gospel plan are confused, or you may be placing some little reliance on yourself, instead of trusting simply and entirely to the Lord Jesus. Or, God makes you tarry awhile that He may the more fully display the riches of His grace to you at last.

Your prayers are all filed in heaven, and if not immediately answered they are certainly not forgotten, but in a little while shall be fulfilled to your delight and satisfaction. Let not despair make you silent, but continue instant in earnest supplication."

Our good and His glory.  Amen.

Since last time.....

Blood test results have come back.  Nothing is showing up that would indicate there's anything wrong with any organs that might be causing back pain.

After a long process, I once again have a primary care provider who can refer for imaging, etc.  I have an appointment with him at the end of this month.

I'd appreciate prayer that he would agree that imaging would be helpful in determining causes for my back pain, and then that if there is anything that can be revealed by imaging, it would show up.

If there is no explanation, then there's no explanation, and that in itself is helpful in giving peace of mind, knowing we've done all we know to do.

Thanks so much for praying with us!

Prayer Request.......

In Christ alone my hope is found;

He is my light, my strength, my song;

This cornerstone, this solid ground,

Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.

What heights of love, what depths of peace,

When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!

My comforter, my all in all—

Here in the love of Christ I stand.

Keith Getty and Stuart Townend

Just a short note to ask for prayer.

About a week after I wrote my last update, I started having problems again.  Some are familiar - my gut is back to its old tricks - and some are new - I'm dealing with foggy brain, light headedness and dizziness, as well as back pain and leg weakness.  Today I had to come home from my normal activities of the day.

I have started walking the medical pathway, starting first with my neck doctor.  All was clear there.  Tomorrow I see Dr. Matt to get his counsel.  My suspicion is that I'll to need to see an MD (because of insurance) and get some imaging done.

Please pray for us as we walk yet another unknown path.  And for wisdom for the doctors as they try to figure out what's going on this time.

I love the song, "In Christ Alone," and I lean on the truths it holds.  Please pray that I can keep that truth ever before me, and my heart tethered to His.

Thanks so much for praying for me and for my family.

Bless each of you.

Update.....

The Lord is my strength and my shield;

My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped:

For You have been my help,

And in the shadow of Your wings I sing for joy.

Psalm 28:7 & 63:7

Keep me within Your shadow,

Lord, tether my heart to Yours.

I want nothing without Your presence.

Hillsong

It has been on my mind and heart to write an update of the past year and what the Lord has done.

In my last post a year ago, we had just begun to understand that my issues are largely neurological, my system having "jumped the track" as a result of major stress 5 years ago.  We have worked on trying to retrain my system so it will function properly.  There has been some limited progress on that front, but the unrelenting nausea continued.

In February of this year, we met a gal who has helped a lot of people succeed in losing weight. I started going to her in the hopes that she could help me gain.  I am delighted to report that over several months I have gained 8 pounds, putting me over the 100# mark, which has caused great rejoicing!  An unexpected thing happened in the process.  While eating way more than I feel comfortable eating, the nausea ebbed away and I now seldom deal with long bouts of feeling as if I have the flu.  For this we are incredibly grateful!

I have also been able to do some mild exercise, which is wonderful.  I have loved getting outside and walking during our lovely Northwest summer months.

There are a couple of things that remain for which we are seeking solutions, and for which we would covet your prayers.

My back has been doing pretty well as long as I manage stress judiciously. But I took a fall a few months ago which messed up my normal adjustment and alignment, and we're having a bit of a struggle getting the adjustment to hold.  As a result, I've been troubled with back pain again. We are praying for adjustments to hold without having to go through the whole x-ray process again, which is costly.

The other thing -- and this is the one that limits me the most -- is the Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) affliction.  Rather than improving, my sensitivities have intensified, making it difficult to be in public places -- so I don't get out much.  We recently started attending a church we love, and have mostly worked out a way for me to be there without having to leave because of reactions, but sometimes I just get overwhelmed by the fragrances around me.  The root of the problem is that my body can't detox normally.

We have a two-part plan that we hope to implement.  My doctor has prescribed something that we hope will help my body detox properly, thereby enabling me to be around everyday toxins like others are able to do.  We also need to get the mercury fillings out of my mouth and replaced with less toxic material.  Because mercury leaks out of fillings, there's a constant influx of toxic material into my system which contributes to the MCS.  Removing and replacing the fillings is a process that is difficult on bodies that have detox issues, so it's a double-edged sword, so to speak.  And it's costly, as well.  We're praying for a pathway through this forest.

Throughout this year, the resounding theme for me has been the recognition that infirmity tethers my heart to His.  I don't ever want to lose that tether.  I don't want anything without Him.

Last week in our study of Job at church, one of the illustrations shared was that in the midst of suffering, children cling to their mommy or daddy, trusting them implicitly.  They don't want to be anywhere else.  That is the picture I want to keep in my mind and heart in the midst of whatever suffering I endure....clinging to my Abba Father and trusting Him completely, not wanting to be anywhere else.

Thank you for your prayers for us.  I still can't imagine where we'd be without you!