Well, my friends, the time has come. I go in for my surgery tomorrow morning bright and early…well actually, I have to arrive at 9:30 and the surgery begins at 11:30. That is bright and early enough for me since I have to fast tonight and can have only a sip of water in the morning, with my medication. Anyway, needless to say, I have been a nervous wreck all day. I had two medical appointments this morning and neither doctor could do the regular tests that I undergo since I have surgery tomorrow. So, I fasted last night as kind of a practice for my surgery, I guess.

What better way is there to prepare for surgery than to talk to Christian friends and receive Scriptures from them? These verses are from my friend Carole. She stepped right up to the plate when my best friend passed away last March. She told me that she is my new best friend, and she has proven herself repeatedly by calling, texting and joking around with me, just as Heidi used to do. So, on Sunday, I told Carole that I was getting nervous. Later that day after we had come home from church, she sent me these Scripture verses.

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I have copied each of these verses on a notecard and plan to take the card back with me where I will be prepped for surgery. I am not sure how long I will be offline, but please know that you will be in my thoughts and prayers, dear friends. May God meet you where you are and show you the way to His secret place where there is peace and joy and love! Blessings!

In the Bible, we are called vessels, clay pots made by the Master and useful for whatever He wants to use us. However, many of us have decided all on our own that we cannot do anything for God. Like Moses, we may say that we can’t speak well. Or like Gideon, we may think that we are too weak. Nevertheless, God says that He can use us, no matter what our strengths and talents are. He has created each of us for a purpose, and we need to seek out that purpose and get busy doing it.

So, how do you become purified? Through God’s word and prayer and setting yourself apart for Him. You are already prepared for every good work! Jesus has made you righteous, so you are purified.

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This verse says to do whatever your hand finds to do. I think that means whatever you are capable of doing, with your mind, heart, soul and strength. If you have a talent to sing, then sing for the Lord, with everything that is in you. If you have a passion to build homes, then build them for others. There are so many worthy organizations that can use your talents. If you are like me and can speak two languages or more, use that to reach others with the Gospel. I remember going on a missions trip back in the 90’s. We were a team of medical missionaries going to Guatemala, to a remote village to serve those who had never had the chance to see a doctor. We had an ophthalmologist, a general surgeon and a dentist with us. We also had about a half a dozen nurses. And then there was me and one other lady whom I had convinced to come along because she also spoke Spanish well. I felt woefully inadequate because I did not know medical terminology in Spanish at all! I had been teaching high school Spanish and I can assure you that we did not address vocabulary for viruses or diseases. Once we got on the field, though, my friend and I became well acquainted with using a medical dictionary. We interpreted in a little circle. The people who were our patients were Mayan and spoke a local dialect. Then a local interpreter told one of us in Spanish what their symptoms were. We used our dictionaries frequently and then told the doctor in English what those symptoms were. The doctor told us what had to be done for the patient, and so the the circle continued. It was absolutely heart-breaking to see these natives with diseases like TB that we don’t even see in the United States. By the end of the day, my friend and I were both exhausted. (Our days began before daybreak and ended long after dark, with a break for lunch that the natives provided.). We stayed there for ten days and at the end of that time, I was ready to go back home to civilization, but I also had a greater appreciation for how God was able to use the small ability that I have. For a while at our current church, we had Hispanics attending and I interpreted for them. Once again, I was using my Spanish. Recently, I have been helping a teacher friend who attends our church to pass a test that she has to pass in our state in order to keep her certification. I helped her by explaining what her errors were by relating them to Spanish and showing her how English differs. I continue to look for ways to serve God right where I am and with the abilities that He has given me. Since God is no respecter of persons, He will meet and use you right where you are, too.

What is in your hand? Only seven loaves? That’s okay! In fact, it’s wonderful because in the hand of the Savior, it is more than enough! Whatever you have, God can use it. No matter how small you think that your abilities and talents are, God gave them to you for a reason. Just spend some time asking God to use you. Let Him open your eyes to the needs around you for someone just like you to meet that need. Then, you can know and fulfill your purpose. Blessings!

Put your brain on pause and just think bout the title of my blog today. God, the Creator of you and all of the Universe, is on your side. Do you recall in elementary school being chosen for teams to play kick ball or some other activity on the playground? I vividly recall always being chosen last because I was so bad at running. I would always lose my breath and end up walking around bases, that is, if I could even manage to kick the ball. But now, as an adult, I have been chosen to be on God’s team and He is always fighting for us. Yes, we have trials and tribulations. It’s called L-I-F-E. But even in the midst of whatever we are going through, we have to remember that God is FOR us. He wants us to win. (Hey, guys! Just a hint. Read the end of the Book…WE WIN!). Whatever we are going through is meant to make us stronger, not defeat us. I have been going through three months of trials as I await my upcoming surgery. One member of our church said I just need to pray for healing and then I wouldn’t need surgery. Honestly, he didn’t need to tell me that. I have been praying. But as I pray, I also pray, “Not my will but Yours be done.” So far, no healing has happened. However, I have met a lot of technicians and other medical personnel as I have undergone numerous medical tests. My hope is that I sowed a little of God’s seed in each of their lives. So, if that is part of the reason that I am going through this, I’m wiling to undergo the tests and the imminent surgery.

Some of us, including me, have to remind ourselves of this Scripture and its truth. No one can defeat you ultimately because God is for you. Let that WOW moment sink in! God is for you…no one can defeat you!

This Scripture is my prayer as I face surgery and whatever other trials may come my way. I want to continue to be able to delight in the Lord and to join Him in Heaven one day.

God is leading us, much as He led the Hebrews in the wilderness. He is a pillar of a cloud and a burning fire showing us the way. But where is it, you may ask. Inside you! You are being guided by His Holy Spirit and wherever He leads you, He will also lead you through it or out of it. God is truly on your side. He chose you to be on His team and He will never leave you.

And so we go through this life, comforted by God for the express purpose of being able to use our troubles that we survived or thrived during in order to comfort others. Our experiences are for a reason…we may never understand the reason, but I, for one, am always looking for the next person who needs an encouraging word. That is what a teammate does, after all…encourage someone to achieve victory. Are you encouraging someone today, or do you need encouragement yourself? God is for you…cheering you on with all of the Heavenly Host until one day He will welcome you to your eternal home and say to you, “Well done!” I hope that this post will encourage you to keep on keeping on…God is the captain of your team and He knows that you can do it because He has empowered you. Blessings!

Our God by Chris Tomlin

This is an amazing book that mixes fiction with Biblical truth. Jill Eileen Smith is noted for her fiction books about Old Testament women. In her latest book, she combines the stories that she imagines twelve women in the Bible lived and applies the lessons that they learned to our lives. I was particularly impressed with how real these twelve women became to me; the author indeed quickened their spirits to me as she wrote about the choices that they faced and their dreams that they had lost. The theme of the book is one of redemption and hope, knowing that we can trust our God to either fulfill our dreams or give us a better one. In her foray into non-fiction, the author has combined what she does best with true research from the Bible and produced a book that can be an inspiration to everyone looking for answers for a life that isn’t what you expected.

Disclaimer

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Revell. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

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This book was extremely hard to put down and very well-written. Since it was the first book I have read by this author and part of a series, I was pleasantly surprised that it can be read as a stand alone. I was totally caught up in the story of Tim and Carla and their attempts to have a healthy baby. I could feel Carla’s pain and depression from her miscarriages and relate to her loss of hope in a future. After a devastating loss, she receives journals written by Tim and finds out many secrets that would have changed their lives together had she known. The secrets are revealed slowly so that I was drawn into the story of this couple more and more. I liked that the chapters were short and the action and feelings of each character were very believable. When Carla returns from the hospital and just can’t deal any longer with the tragedies in her life, she take two painkillers. Her attempt to escape reality had me sympathizing with her and her desperate plight. I was pulling for her throughout the rest of the book and really enjoyed the conclusion and how everything worked out. The author has written a book of fiction, but it is also a commentary on depression and how real it is and how it needs to be accepted and treated as a real illness. Readers of psychological suspense will enjoy this book. I know that I look forward to reading other books by this talented and empathetic author!

Disclaimer

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255,”Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

This book was absolutely one of the best thrillers that I have read in a long time! The author knew just when to increase the suspense and then how to keep the reader waiting and wanting more. When the story begins, Paige is suffering from a broken heart, caused by none other than her conniving cousin Heather. Joan, Paige’s mother, is feeling old and at loose ends, after being a widow for a few years. Chloe, Paige’s best friend, is suffering a crisis of her own when she finds out that her husband Matt may have been unfaithful. At first, it seemed like a lot of characters to keep up with, but actually, they all had some strong personalities that the book took on a life of its own, like a really engrossing movie. The final character worth mentioning in a review is Mr. Right Now, Paige’s contact on a dating site who may or may not be what she is hoping for. The story is so fast-paced that it’s like a whirlwind of drama or a high-speed locomotive. I enjoyed the relationships between the characters and I particularly liked that the protagonist, Paige, was easy to like. I found myself almost holding my breath when Paige’s life was in imminent danger, again and again. Of course, the reader is not meant to like Heather because she is extremely obnoxious, so I didn’t like her at all, although I did kind of pity her for her shallow life. This book has it all: love gained and lost, love for a lifetime, a parent’s neglect, unemployment, and a serial killer. Put it all together and it all adds up to one fantastic book!

Disclaimer

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”