Calling All Prayer Warriors

Philippians 4:6-7 "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your request to God.  And the parser of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Lately, I've had to repeat this scripture to myself over and over and over.  

My faith has been shaken, but I hold fast to what I know and try to stand firm.

Those of you who have followed my health issues know that I make progress, then something happens and I end up taking several steps back.  Well, after my clean CAT scan in March, I made HUGE progress through July, attending my best friend's wedding (where I was able to dance a couple songs!) and attending part of WV Nazarene Family Camp.  God is so good!  

Shortly after that, I received several major blows from Satan - I broke my foot, contracted a staph infection in my surgery eye, found a sinus infection, and started having random fevers that my Oncologist cannot explain.  UGH.....

I was still functioning pretty well, and kept telling myself God is in control.  My disposition was not affected much.

Wednesday,September 9th, we found a swollen lymph node in my neck (that does NOT mean it's cancerous).  However, I am having a PET scan in 3 weeks, and that is slightly freaking me out.  My veins do not like to cooperate much, so I will need a lot of Ativan that day.

So, I am asking all of you... even if you don't pray much.  Theses what we NEED to do.

CLAIM GOD'S PROMISES!  Specifically, God has healed me - Claim it!  Thank God for touching my body and bringing me healing when you pray for me.  

Satan knows that God wins the War, but let's no give him this small battle.

Thank you, Jesus, for taking my sins, and Praise you, Lord, for healing my body of cancer!  Remind me, Lord, to give YOU and only you the Praise every time I open my mouth!  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

God Saved Me! Now What?

I'm going to be honest with you - I don't know the answer to the questions I'm about to spell out.  

One of the biggest lessons I learned from the #P31OBS #WalkInFaith Conference call Series is that it's okay to ask tough questions in which we don't know the answers.  That's how we grow.  One of my favorite quotes from Whitney Capps is  that if you're not questioning and wrestling with God, you're not growing or really digging deep into His Word.  (My paraphrase)

So I ask: Now that God has healed me, why do I still worry about issues and fears that seem microscopic in comparison to what He's done in the past?

Why does every bad day leave a nagging "I'm going backward" feeling in my mind?

And finally, Why does it get harder and harder to stay in this feeling of blessing and thankfulness as the days pass by?

I don't know.  I do know that it seems to work this way for a lot of people.  Is it our sinful nature?  I think yes - at least partly,  

Lately, I've been realizing I have an issue with pride.  In the past, I would have never considered myself a prideful person; now, it feels like when I read a devotional or open my Bible I'm frequently met with scriptures and lessons about a prideful heart.  I need to learn to be proud in a good sense - proud in God - but my selfishness says, "What about me? Didn't I do something too?"  

I pray this verse every day so that it might train my heart to be less prideful in myself,

Ephesians 2:8-9 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.