"Now if we are children, then we are heirs-heirs of GOD and co-heirs of CHRIST, if indeed we share in HIS sufferings in order that we may also share in HIS glory. I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us." Romans 8:17, 18
Dear Praying Friends and Family,
Earlier this week, my husband and I returned to the doctor for him to have his two week check up after having his hip replaced. My husband was eager to get his staples removed, though he wasn't looking forward to it, so he could take a regular shower again. The doctor said his x-ray looked great and everything was healing in place. He told my husband he was free to go down and check on his business as he felt like it, that his body would tell him what he could and couldn't do. My husband was more than happy to hear that he didn't need his walker any more to get around, and after we left the office, he started walking without it. After being up on his leg for awhile, it began to swell, and my husband realized, he's going to have to continue working hard to rehab his leg, and continue to give GOD time to heal it. He's not quiet ready to run any marathons yet:). He has been dismissed from the Homehealth care nurses and physical therapists who were such a blessing to us. That just leaves one of us needing their assistance- I know HB is glad about that:).
We have really had some special blessings from the LORD while my husband has been home like more family time together -yea!!! Having so many meals together has been great. Being in the restaurant business, it cuts down on our meals together, so we have thoroughly enjoyed having Johnny home at mealtime. We aren't exactly eating at the table together...Johnny has been unable to sit in the chair to eat at the table for a couple of months now...so he sits in his big recliner in the den, and we just kind of sit around him. Because of the small TV we have ( remember the big one is still at my Mother-in-laws aging), Johnny's big blue chair is sitting up close to it so he can see it, ...otherwise he needed binoculars to watch TV. Some members of my dear family who came over for Thanksgiving really gave Johnny a hard time about this. They suggested Johnny putting me out in the garage and the TV should come inside. Thankfully he didn't heed their suggestion, yet:). My recliner falls a few feet behind Johnny's in the den with the couch to the side. It kind of reminds me like we're on a school bus in our den. Oh well, there are worse things than eating with your husband's back to you...I'm just thankful to have the time together and the TV is off during meal time so we can visit. Pray that his hip will heal fast and we can all be back around the table soon! Johnny is definitely getting better ...he helped out with the dishes last night after supper and even went down to "catch the register" at the restaurant this week for a couple of hours.
We are so grateful to all of you for the prayers you have lifted up on our behalf these past couple of weeks and thank you for your continued remembrance. Though progress is being made, his hip is still very tender, and please pray GOD would continue to heal him and "conform us to the image of HIS SON" throughout this process. As I have shared before, you have been a large part of GOD's grace in our lives to help us "weather this storm" and we thank GOD for you. HE truly has answered your prayers to help us, to give us strength, patience, wisdom, courage, and send us the help we have needed. The verse in 1 Corinthians 1:10-11 has become even more of a living reality to us as we have experienced GOD's help through your prayers..."On HIM we have set our hope that HE will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers."
I have to be honest, as I look back over the past couple of weeks, I am almost ashamed of asking you to pray for us, when I look over my own personal prayer list and see the needs of my brothers and sisters in CHRIST that are going through much greater suffering than we have been asked to walk through. Just at a glance I am reminded to continue praying for the family who's 15 year old daughter went to be with JESUS the day after CHRISTmas. This past week, a dear friend's husband left for Iraq for 13 months leaving behind his wife, his 2 month old son and 2 year old son. A little two year old boy drowned in his parent's swimming pool this past weekend just after his Mom had been playing in the snow with her sons and his Dad was speaking at a CHRISTian conference. A friend's Daddy accidentally ran over his Mother last week and killed her as he was about to take her to the doctor. They had been married over 60 years and my friend was going to be ordained as a minister last Sunday at his church. Other prayer burdens include loved one's who have recently lost a parent to cancer, and many friends who are suffering with cancer. Just this week a prayer request was added for a lady who was involved in a serious car accident many months ago, and is continuing to suffer difficult complications from it. Another friend had a farming accident several weeks ago, and has been unable to work since the accident. He has a wife and three young children to support. Another's friend's Dad is at the brink of death.
These are just some of the sufferings that my brothers and sisters are going through and I know that ya'll are aware of many, many other difficult situations. As I have prayed for these different people this week, the LORD brought the verse to my mind, "I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us." Romans 8:18. The Amplified version says, "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time(this present life) are not worth being compared with the glory that is about to be revealed to us and in us and for us and conferred on us!" As I read about this particular verse in John MacArthur's New Testament Commentary on Romans, he shared that these particular verses are sharing about the sufferings that we incur as the result of being a believer, or being persecuted for our faith in CHRIST. He said that "the present proof of the believer's ultimate glory comes through suffering on the LORD's behalf."
The sufferings that we go through as part of living in a sinful fallen world often lead to this kind of suffering as others may question "Why would GOD allow this kind of suffering if you are truly His child?" John MacArthur shares that, "The so called health and wealth and prosperity gospels that abound today are not true to the gospel of CHRIST but reflect the message of the world. The world's seemingly good news offers temporary escape from problems and hardship. CHRIST's good news includes the promise of suffering for HIS sake." Though our suffering is often misunderstood even by those closest to us at times, such as Job's wife, who told Job to "curse GOD and die," ,GOD uses our suffering to make us depend on HIM, to accomplish His purposes here on earth, to prepare us for heaven and the glory we will one day receive when we live in heaven with HIM.
In the Greek Lexicon, the word glory is defined as favorable recognition or estimation, honor, renown. The second way it was defined was the appearance, the manifestation of that which calls forth praise, splendor, dignity. The Webster's 1828 dictionary had several different meanings of glory-splendor, magnificence, honor, praise, fame, renown, celebrity, distinguished honor or ornament, that which honors or makes renowned. John MacArthur shares that just as GOD's resources are limitless, so our spiritual inheritance is limitless,because, as HIS fellow heirs, we share in everything that the Son of GOD, JESUS CHRIST, inherits...we are destined to receive all that HE receives!"
Charles Spurgeon in his Evening devotion for Jan.22 out of Morning and Evening shares this same perspective about the hardships that we incur as believers: "As for the true CHRISTian, he expects to have his reward in the next life and to endure hardness in this life. The promise of the old covenant is adversity...this affliction works out such precious results that the CHRISTian who is the subject of it must learn to rejoice in tribulations, because as HIS tribulations abound, so his consolations abound by CHRIST JESUS. Rest assured, if you are a child of GOD, you will be no stranger to the rod. Sooner or later, every bar of gold must pass through the fire. Do not fear, but rather rejoice that fruitful times are in store for you, for in them you will be weaned from earth and made ready for heaven. You will be delivered from clinging to the present and caused to long for those eternal things that are so soon to be revealed to you...and you will rejoice in the infinite reward of the future."
How do we get through excruciating times like these my dear brothers and sisters are going through except for GOD's grace and HIM giving us an eternal perspective on the sufferings that HE entrusts to us and allows us to go through? 1 Thessalonians 5:17 reminds me, "In everything give thanks for this is the will of GOD in CHRIST JESUS concerning you." Hebrews 2:10 reminds me that we are made "Perfect through our suffering," like the "AUTHOR of our SALVATION." Throughout the Scripture we are reminded to pray for each other as it says in James 5:16: "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective."
A few weeks ago, Hannah Beth, Louise Todd and I journeyed over to "Welcome Home" Methodist church near Arab, Al to hear the Greene's(
www.thegreene'sgospel.com) sing. It was the same day the Greene's bus had a blowout early that morning, swerved out of control across the interstate and wrecked. Some of the member's were thrown from their bunks as they were sleeping, and GOD guided their bus away from a large tree in their path, on to an embankment that nestled the bus and kept it from rolling over. Although they were unable to get out of their bus for two hours, and were shaken up, no one suffered serious injuries. That night they shared how about the wreck and sang GOD's praises with all their heart, As they sang, "Glorious Tomorrow" off of their "Far Down the Road," CD, their precious 3 year old little girl, Belle, sang it with them so loud and clearly, "When the glorious tomorrow is the glorious today, when the straight and narrow has become the KING's highway, we'll leave behind the sorrow when the past is past away, when the glorious tomorrow is the glorious today." Little Belle couldn't fully comprehend the meaning of what she was singing, and neither can we this side of heaven. But someday we will have full understanding and that "glorious tomorrow" will be the "glorious today" for all of us who know JESUS as our LORD and SAVIOR. All of the sorrow and sufferings of this life that GOD uses to increase that "glory" will be ours when we see JESUS face to face. The sorrows will be gone forever and replaced with the glory that we can't began to fathom, "When the glorious tomorrow is the glorious today."
"Behold, the tabernacle of GOD is with men, and HE will dwell with them, and they shall be HIS people. GOD HIMself will be with them and be their GOD. And GOD will wipe away every tear from their eyes ,there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away." Revelation 21:3-4
With all HIS love,
mitzi
Bethany and Thomas Radcliffe
Joe,Thomas, Bethany, Hannah Beth, Tabatha, and the birthday boy in the middle...notice the recycled "Cinderella" hats!
My son hoping this isn't the real cake!
"Cabbage Cake" yum, yum-this didn't get eaten by the way!
