Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love Him.

James 1:12

     Today was a day that I could have easily given up on. There are several areas in my life that are not so encouraging, outcomes are not easy to figure out. 

     The first area would be my Husband’s and my health.  We are getting over the remainder of our COVID virus, and I woke up with complications of my syncope problem.  I got up at about 4am only to find myself feeling a little off balance or dizzy.  I tried to stop myself on the trip to the bathroom, but ended up fainting in the hallway.  I ended up reporting the problem to my primary care physician, neurologist, and to the SSA via Citizen’s Disability.  It is frustrating because I haven’t had a spell in several months.  At any rate, maybe the Lord allowed it to happen because my Disability Hearing will be on March 31st… only a little over a week away?

     The second area of frustration is feeling like I have let myself, Parents and Husband down by not being able to have children.  I always seem to shift my genetic problem onto myself, which shouldn’t be done.  The Lord has a reason I was born with Turner’s Syndrome, missing one of my chromosomes.  When battling depression in this area, I should remember that Christ is the life-giving vine and is able to use me when I am able to help others come to Him. They will join me as branches and bear fruit of their own. Having children is not only in the physical realm, but spiritual also.

The final area I wanted to be honest about is having feelings of hopelessness and uselessness. Just because God is maybe placing me in a time of waiting, it doesn’t mean that my work is through here on Earth. There is a lot of growth to be done while we sit at our Lord’s feet. I am reminded of Mary sitting at Christ’s feet, and the three years Paul spent in the desert learning from the Spirit. The last thought I wanted to leave is for us to be encouraged in the Lord alone. Whatever we maybe going through, it will have a good ending in Christ (Romans 8:28).

Would love to hear from everyone about areas of your life He is helping you with!🙏😉

Psalm 23:4  (NIV)  Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

     This verse from Psalm 23, which is one of the most quoted chapters of the Bible, gets me thinking about the care of our Good Shepherd.  It reminded me to trust Him with all my heart, even when it seems hopeless and the end result will be death. I was thinking of this in reference to those facing COVID, or in areas like the Ukraine.

      How can we not fear when faced with the possibility of death, something none of us has ever experienced? The answer lies in the fact that God is always with His children, His sheep. He loves them so much He gave His life for them (John 15:13). Isn’t that the ultimate display of love? It is perfect love. What does perfect love do? It will remove all doubt or fear ( 1 John 4:18). The Spirit will use a rod to fight off deadly enemies, and will use the staff to gently pull us from dangers. Let us pray that we will learn how to grasp how much the Heavenly Father loves us ( Ephesians 3:18). 💕