Christian Love

A really great post concerning Paris Hilton is here at A Gracious Home. I'm not a fan of Miss Hilton but neither am I a fan of the hatred I have seen spewed out at her via the internet. Sally of A Gracious Home has shown such a great example of an appropriate Christian response to the tragedy Miss Hilton is facing these days. I truly hope something positive comes out of her imprisonment for her. After all, God loves her as much as he does me and commands us all to love her as ourselves.

Heavenly Father,
I ask you to please bring home Your lost sheep. Humble our hearts to look beyond outward appearances and see ourselves in Your lost ones. Let us serve them for Your glory.

I pray for Miss Hilton, Lord. Please, be her Comforter in these dark hours she is facing. Let her come to know You and be a witness to Your grace in her life. may she find the joy and peace only You can provide.

In Jesus' name I ask these things, Amen

Praying for Healing

These have been such trying days in my family. It sometimes comes to a point where it feels difficult to pray. I realize how little I understand what to ask for, what to hold on to, and what to hope for. I was reading a little this morning from Shadowlands, about C.S. Lewis's time of grief after he lost the love of his life, Joy. Every fear he ever had about giving his heart openly to someone only to feel the pain of loss came true with her passing. His doubts and anger ring so true but so does his ultimate understanding that Providence does not promise to give us all the answers but to be the answer.

When I am at a loss as to what to pray for I am perhaps most able to be still and rest in the shelter of God in silence. When it seems that there is nothing left that is secure to hold on to is when clinging to His unseen hand is most real. When all hope in is lost is perhaps when the true Hope will seem clearer. This I cannot truly say right now for my hope is still here, still flickering. It is sometimes dim and sometimes bright, but it is here. I believe while there is still life and breath in us there is still hope for healing.

Please come, our Comforter, and be our strength. Be the steady rock we can stand on and our shelter from the storm. Let not this storm of disease and disappointments wash away our faith, or hope, or love for You.

Amen

I'm a Bit Down But Not Out

That is the great thing about having an awesome God to rely on. Circumstances can bring us down, but when God is on our side we are never out. While some Christians may view this differently I can't substantiate the belief that we a promised a trouble free ride through this world once we believe. We are promised that we are not abandoned in our troubles. We promised that we are never alone and we have with us One who has walked this road many times before. One who is able to give light to each step even when it appears the darkness is surrounding us. We have only to keep our eyes on the Light instead of trying to peer through the darkness.

I am down because a cancer that we thought my mom had beat returned in less than a year with a disturbing vigor. The first time around I have to admit it seemed pretty minor. Doctors said the success rate in treating her form of cancer was over 95%. She went through her treatments, never lost her hair but was "only" somewhat tired. As her usual habit, she seemed to handle everything so well. My mom is an amazingly strong woman. God only knows what she really went through and never complained about.

Things were not as they appeared to us or the doctors however. The return of a cancer within a year post treatment is considered a bad sign. It is a more aggressive cancer than it originally appeared. This is where we have to remember that life itself is not as it appears. To unbelieving eyes everything is a function of simple random chance, it is void of rhyme or reason. To unbelieving eyes this disease is just the ultimate "bad luck." I am so glad that as a family we have more than luck or chance to rely on. God is working in us to open us up to prayer and faith at new depths. He is reminding us of how dependent we are on Him to bring us through trial not with a focus on outward appearances but by leaning into His unseen arms. He is reminding us of the strength of weakness.

It is my prayer that the Lord will continue to guide all of us, most especially my mom and her doctors, in His wisdom and strength. Whether it is His will to heal her miraculously or through the medical treatment she may receive I pray that He will be glorified through this ordeal. May He strengthen our faith, let us never lose hope, and through it all may we learn to love Him and each other more and more.

"And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." (1 Cor. 13:13)

Blogging Hiatus

Although this little adventure is just started I will not be on regularly for a while. Important family matters have come up which have a much higher priority. I'd like to ask anyone reading this to say a prayer for my mom.

Thanks all and God bless.