No news, just some encouragement that helped me.....

Nothing new to report here, but the Lord has been talking to me again about His strength versus my strength, and different facets of that, and I wanted to share this.  I love how He repeats Himself and helps me to hear Him by doing that.

"Living in dependence on Me is a glorious adventure.  Most people scurry around busily, trying to accomplish things through their own strength and ability.  Some succeed enormously; others fail miserably.  But both groups miss what life is meant to be: living and working in collaboration with Me.

When you depend on Me continually, your whole perspective changes.  You see miracles happening all around, while others see only natural occurrences and "coincidences."  You begin each day with joyful expectation, watching to see what I will do.  You accept weakness as a gift from Me, knowing that My Power plugs in most readily to consecrated weakness.*  You keep your plans tentative, knowing that My plans are far superior.  You consciously live, move, and have your being in Me,** desiring that I live in you.  I in you, and you in Me.***  This  is the intimate adventure I offer you." From Jesus Calling by Sarah Young

*2 Corinthians 12:9-10   **Acts 17:28   ***John 14:20

It makes me think of a line in my favorite hymn, Be Thou My Vision.....

"be Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one."

The history of the hymn is fascinating to me.  Apparently it originated in the 6th century in Old Irish, was translated into English in 1905 by Mary Elizabeth Byrne, and then was versified in 1912 by Eleanor Hull and is how we know it today.  Such great words of truth!

Be Thou My Vision 

Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart,

Be all else but naught to me, save that thou art;

Thou my best thought in the day and the night,

Both waking and sleeping, thy presence my light 

Be thou my wisdom, be thou my true word,

Be thou ever with me, and I with thee Lord;

Be thou my great Father, and I thy true son;

Be thou in me dwelling, and I with thee one. 

Be thou my breastplate, my sword for the fight;

Be thou my whole armour, be thou my true might;

Be thou my soul's shelter, be thou my strong tower:

O raise thou me heavenward, great Power of my power. 

Riches I heed not, nor man's empty praise:

Be thou mine inheritance now and always;

Be thou and thou only the first in my heart;

O Sovereign of Heaven, my treasure thou art. 

High King of Heaven, thou Heaven's bright sun,

O grant me its joys after victory is won!;

Great heart of my own heart, whatever befall,

Still be thou my vision, O Ruler of all.

Doctor Number Eight!

"For I am the LORD, your God,

who takes hold of your right hand and says to you,

'Do not fear; I will help you.' "

Isaiah 41:13

Do not long for the absence of problems in your life.  That is an unrealistic goal, since in this world you will have trouble.  You have an eternity of problem-free living reserved for you in heaven.  Rejoice in that inheritance, which no one can take away from you, but do not seek your heaven on earth.

Begin each day anticipating problems, asking Me to equip you for whatever difficulties you will encounter.  The best equipping is My living Presence, My hand that never lets go of yours.  Discuss everything with Me.  Take a lighthearted view of trouble, seeing it as a challenge that you and I together can handle.  Remember that I am on your side, and I have overcome the world.

Sarah Young in Jesus Calling

Once again, Jesus Calling has hit the mark in my heart. Especially that second paragraph. "Discuss everything with Me...see trouble as a challenge that you and I together can handle."  The aspect of drawing near to Him to tap into His strength and power.  Mine doesn't cut it.  Never has and never will.  Just that thought is comforting.  Climbing up in His lap and letting Him rock me as we work through the issues.  Every. Minute.

So, a little update here.  

Since I last wrote almost a month ago, we have been sitting before the Lord, asking Him to please make clear the next step.  We considered another round of herbal antibiotics, considered seeing a local ND and also the possibility of going to the IBS Treatment Center in the Seattle area.  After considerable prayer, thinking and talking, we've decided to pursue the IBS Center.  I had a phone consult with the doctor last week and will travel to Seattle next week for an intake appointment and a litany of tests.  Once again we find ourselves in a place of hope that this next part of the journey will reveal truth in my situation.  It is also difficult, because we've felt this way many times before, but to no avail.

Blessedly, the Lord allowed a two-week respite for me in which I felt as well as I have for a long time.  The nausea has closed in again, but it was so good to be free of it for those days.  Perhaps Doctor #8, with his powerhouse of testing, will be able to solve the mystery of what ails me.  We'd surely appreciate prayer in that direction.

Bless each of you for your continued prayer and support in our lives.  We are so very grateful for you.

This is the day the Lord has made.....

This is the day the Lord has made;

let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Psalm 118:24

"Begin the day with open hands of faith, ready to receive all that I am pouring into this brief portion of your life.  Be careful not to complain about anything, since I am the Author of your circumstances.  The best way to handle  unwanted situations is to thank Me for them.  This act of faith frees you from resentment and frees Me to work My ways into the situation so that good emerges from it.

To find Joy in this day, you must live within its boundaries.  I knew what I was doing when I divided time into twenty-four-hour segments.  I understand human frailty, and I know that you can bear the weight of only one day at a time.  Do not worry about tomorrow or get stuck in the past.  There is abundant Life in My Presence today."

From Jesus Calling by Sarah Young

I need these reminders today, to thank Him for unwanted situations and to not worry about tomorrow.  I find myself in a place where it would be easy to succumb to tears of frustration and to descend into melancholy over the seemingly endless journey of my health issues.

I finished the course of "big guns" antibiotic treatment last week and then took the SIBO breath test again on Monday.  I talked with my doctor today via Skype to get the results and discuss the findings.

There are two elements the breath test evaluates: methane and hydrogen.  Both are indicators in SIBO.  The first test showed moderate to severe levels of both.  The second test showed elevated levels of both, pushing the results to the severe level.  This third test shows that the methane is at a negative level which means it's under control.  The hydrogen levels, however, have spiraled way up.  The numbers will tell you more than I can.  From first test to third, these are the findings: 51 - 71 - 144.  So, the hydrogen has more than doubled while using the big guns.  My doctor is at a loss to understand what is going on.  She hopes to talk about my case with the doctor under whom she has studied about SIBO.  Meanwhile, we will be trying another herbal antibiotic and seeing a local doctor next week for some further testing.  In the midst, I am seeing no improvement in my symptoms.  Still up and down with good and bad days.  No rhyme or reason to either.

As Jessie says, "We need Doctor Jesus."  Amen.

How you can pray:

1. Bolstering of my faith and spirits.

2. That my doctor would be able to talk with the specialist in LA about my case.

3. That testing will reveal something if there's something else going on.

4. That God will provide the resources we need to continue this journey.

5. That all of us in our family will feel the encouragement and comfort of the Lord in the midst.

Thank you so much for praying.  Bless each of you.

Medication Update

I have strength for all things

in Christ Who empowers me

[I am ready for anything and equal to anything

through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; 

I am self sufficient in Christ's sufficiency].

Phillippians 4:13 AMP

"Abundant life is not necessarily health and wealth;

it is living in continual dependence on Me.

Instead of trying to fit this day into a preconceived mold,

relax and be on the lookout for what I am doing.

This mind-set will free you to enjoy Me

and find what I have planned for you to do.

This is far better than trying to make things go

according to your own plan."

Sarah Young, Jesus Calling

On almost a daily basis, Jesus Calling - the devotional by Sarah Young - ministers to me.  This particular passage from March 16th, especially so.  I am a "plan and organize" person.  Or I guess I should say I have been.  In the past couple of years as we've walked this challenging health pathway, I have had to abandon my plans and my organizing tendencies over and over again.  The encouragement to live in continual dependence on God instead of trying to fit the days into preconceived molds, and watching for what He is doing and following His plan, really hit home.  Thank You, Jesus, for Your awesome good Words to me.  To us all.

After 2 1/2 months of waiting on doctors and insurance company policy, we have obtained a pre-approval for the "big guns" medications.  The insurance company has agreed to pay half of the cost of the $800+ medication and I will start that, coupled with another med, tomorrow.  We would greatly appreciate prayer on a few fronts.

First, that the meds will actually do their job and eradicate the bacterial overgrowth in one course.  We don't want to have to pay for a second course with the cost so steep, nor do we want the meds in my system any longer than the first two weeks.

Second, one of these meds has potentially serious side-effects, and we're praying protection from that.  As in hearing loss and kidney problems.

Third, that my gut will respond favorably to these antibiotics in that I won't experience the unpleasantness of diarrhea or severe constipation, and that there will be no yeast overgrowth.

Fourth, that I'll be able to discern what supplements and other intestinal tract helps are needed at specific times to guard against all of the above.

I will keep you all posted as we go through these next two weeks.  Thanks so much for praying.  I know I say it often, but we really don't know where we'd be without the prayers of the saints.  Bless you, each one.