Dear Praying Friends and Family,
It's a cozy afternoon here in Alabama, as I sit on the front porch in our white rocking chair while Troy, our Maltipoo, nestles down on the concrete in front of me. In the distance, the thunder rolls, as we are in between thunderstorms. Severe storms are predicted for later on this evening...
- I sure want to ask you to pray for my father in law, Buddy Evans, and my mother in law Bobbie Evans who are in the midst of a big storm in their lives. "Pop" as we call my daddy in law has been having many strokes for several weeks now...today he had a big one. I just returned from over there and the doctor says he has pneumonia, which may have exacerbated the stroke symptoms. He did laugh once while I was there, and he held my hand tightly as he lay in bed.
Lately, I feel like I've had some thunderstorms of my own going on lately with my health issues, and starting back to school. I sure do appreciate your prayers. GOD is answering your prayers for me and this week has been much better. I've been in a routine with my school work, and except for a "minor meltdown" yesterday when I couldn't get the lecture to play on my computer, my math studies have gone pretty well this week. Haven't heard how I did on my first test, but I sure think I passed it...sure hope I did:). John Mac has been a huge help to me, and I am very thankful that GOD left him home this summer to help his old Ma with her math. It's funny when I was homeschooling them, i never thought about them helping me with my schoolwork. I sure wasn't too good at helping them when they got into the upper levels.
I had some trials with my IV earlier in the week, but the LORD has turned those into a blessing. My doctor suggested I might be allergic to my thyroid medicine and sure enough I was...I had an allergy treatment on it this week, and today for the first time in a while, I was able to take it without feeling anxious, jittery, and a thousand other ways it seems I've felt over the past several weeks. I have had more than one thing going on with my health issues, but I am so thankful that for now, there seems to be a break in the storms...like there is in the thunderstorms in our weather this afternoon.
I will have to admit, I have had a difficult time praising the LORD in the midst of my storms lately. I have pretty much grumbled and complained my way through these difficult days. CHRIST gently reminded me earlier this week from a devotion to thank HIM for the trials HE has allowed in my life recently...HE knows what HE is about and the plans and purposes that HE has for the trials HE allows into your life and mine.
From JESUS Calling by Sarah Young:
Thank ME for the very things that are troubling you. You are on the brink of rebellion, precariously close to sharing your fist in MY face. You are tempted to indulge in just a little complaining about my treatment of you. But once you step over that line, torrents of rage and self-pity can sweep you away. The best protection against this indulgence is thanksgiving. It is impossible to thank ME and curse ME at the same time.
Thanking ME for trials will feel awkward and contrived at first. But if you persist, your thankful words, prayed in faith, will eventually make a difference in your heart. Thankfulness awakens you to MY PRESENCE, which overshadows all your problems."
From J.C. Ryle:
Expecting the Trials of Life
Trials, we must distinctly understand, are a part of the diet which all true Christians must expect. It is one of the means by which their grace is proved, and by which they find out what there is in themselves. Winter as well as summer–cold as well as heat–clouds as well as sunshine–are all necessary to bring the fruit of the Spirit to ripeness and maturity. We do not naturally like this. We would rather cross the lake with calm weather and favorable winds, with Christ always by our side, and the sun shining down on our faces. But it may not be. It is not in this way that God’s children are made “partakers of His holiness.” (Heb. 12:10). Abraham, and Jacob, and Moses, and David, and Job were all men of many trials. Let us be content to walk in their footsteps, and to drink of their cup. In our darkest hours we may seem to be left–but we are never really alone.
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: John, volume 1, [Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 1987], 338,339. {John 6:15-21
4 "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."Philippians 4:4-6
I'll be honest, there hasn't been a whole lot of rejoicing from my heart lately...guess I got a little wake up call in my faith when the waves get rough. I'm like Peter when he cried out in the verse above: "LORD, save me!" And HE indeed is doing that and is faithful to deliver us through the storms of our lives whatever they may be.
- Please pray for my friends Arthur and Darlene Anderson. They will be leaving tomorrow for the Bursinski Clinic in Texas to have a consult about treatment for her breast cancer on Monday morning. Please be in prayer for them as they seek the LORD's wisdom and will for their lives.
"Manna" from heaven this week, the LORD has blessed me with to encourage my weary heart includes:
"GOD says, "Lift up the hands that hang down." March straight through the flood, and lo, the waters will divide the Red Sea will open, the Jordan will part and the LORD will lead you through to victory." A. B. Simpson, Streams in the Desert, June 18
"Pay as little attention to discouragement as possible. Plough ahead as a steamer does, rough or smooth-rain or shine. To carry your cargo and make your port is the point." M. Babcock
12 Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. 13 “Make level paths for your feet,”[a] so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed." Hebrews 12:12-13
"The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; HIS mercies never end; they are new every morning; great is YOUR faithfulness." Lamentations 3:22-23
"People Panic-GOD Provides" Chuck Swindoll
"I will answer them before they even call to ME." While they are still talking to me about their needs. I will go ahead and answer their prayers." Is. 65:24
"The LORD JESUS is able in such times of crisis, to overcome our natural fears and give such a glorious realization of HIS presence that everything else is swallowed up."
"So we say with confidence, "The LORD is my HELPER, I will not be afraid." Heb. 13:6
"Whenever one of GOD's children was fearful to step out alone, GOD's simple response was, "I will be with you." Nancy Leigh DeMoss,www.reviveourhearts.com
"For if this plan or this work is of men, it will come to nothing; but if it is of GOD-you cannot overthrow it-lest you even be found to fight against GOD." Acts 5:38
"HE died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for HIM who for their sake died and was raised." II Cor. 5:15
Morning: The Material of Christ's Temple
"He shall build the temple of the Lord; and He shall bear the glory."
--Zechariah 6:13
Christ Himself is the builder of His spiritual temple, and He has built it on the mountains of His unchangeable affection, His omnipotent grace, and His infallible truthfulness. But as it was in Solomon's temple, so in this; the materials need making ready. There are the "Cedars of Lebanon," but they are not framed for the building; they are not cut down, and shaped, and made into those planks of cedar, whose odoriferous beauty shall make glad the courts of the Lord's house in Paradise. There are also the rough stones still in the quarry, they must be hewn thence, and squared. All this is Christ's own work. Each individual believer is being prepared, and polished, and made ready for his place in the temple; but Christ's own hand performs the preparation-work. Afflictions cannot sanctify, excepting as they are used by Him to this end. Our prayers and efforts cannot make us ready for heaven, apart from the hand of Jesus, who fashioneth our hearts aright.
As in the building of Solomon's temple, "there was neither hammer, nor axe, nor any tool of iron, heard in the house," because all was brought perfectly ready for the exact spot it was to occupy--so is it with the temple which Jesus builds; the making ready is all done on earth. When we reach heaven, there will be no sanctifying us there, no squaring us with affliction, no planing us with suffering. No, we must be made meet here--all that Christ will do beforehand; and when He has done it, we shall be ferried by a loving hand across the stream of death, and brought to the heavenly Jerusalem, to abide as eternal pillars in the temple of our Lord.
"Beneath His eye and care,
The edifice shall rise,
Majestic, strong, and fair,
And shine above the skies."
The edifice shall rise,
Majestic, strong, and fair,
And shine above the skies."
I think about my doctors who have helped me so much...each and every one of them has suffered greatly with health issues, and through their afflictions GOD has enriched them to be a mighty helper and bring HIS healing power to others. We never know all the people and all the lives that GOD is going to reach through the trials that HE has engineered and perfectly designed to accomplish HIS overall plan and purposes to rescue the perishing and care for the dying, and to prepare us to reign in HIS temple one day for all eternity.
Just a few minutes ago, I was looking on FB to find the name of a young man I wanted to ask you to pray for...Elliot Malone. Elliot is 22 years old, just a tad older than my son, John Mac. Earlier this week he was in a very bad car accident and almost lost his life. He did loose his leg, and has several internal injuries. Elliot's Daddy and I played the drums together in junior high at Tanner, and I graduated with his aunt Cindy. His granddaddy, Ray McElhaney, pastored First Baptist Tanner for many, many years, and now he and his wife attend First Baptist Church in Athens where we go. While I was on FB, at "Prayers for Elliot"...I saw this song called "Blessings," that Elliot's sister had posted. It has so much depth and meaning about what GOD is doing in the midst of our "dark nights of the soul," and is very encouraging. I pray that it will bless you as you take time listen to it, and remember like me, how very much the LORD loves us and HE has a very special design to bless us with the trials that HE allows in your life and mine.
"Blessings" by Laura Story
I can't write this email about learning to praise HIM, or should I say, relearning to Praise HIM in the storms, without sharing "Casting Crowns" great song, "I Will Praise You in This Storm." http://www.youtube.
I sure am not an "A" student about Praising HIM in the storms yet. In fact, I pretty much got an "F" these past few weeks in the school of trials...but my TEACHER is very loving and patient, and has once again reminded me to Praise HIM in the Storms. HE loves you and me so very much that"HE gave HIS only begotten SON that whosoever believes in HIM shall not perish but have everlasting life." John 3:16. If HE provided our greater need of saving us from our sins, HE has promised to provide all our needs in CHRIST JESUS and HE is so very faithful to do that for each one of us.
Many of you are going through much greater trials than I have mentioned going on in my life. I pray the LORD will use these verses, these songs, these words of encouragement to lead you, like Hannah, to Praise HIM in the midst of your storms, instead of waiting until you are through them. "HE is the ROCK, HIS works are perfect and all HIS ways are just. A faithful GOD who does no wrong, upright and just is HE." Deut. 27:4
You are such a dear blessing to me...thank you for your faithful prayers, your words of encouragement, and for sharing your burdens with me. I am honored to pray for you and for what concerns you. Keep UP the prayers...and thank you for praying for me, and my loved ones...GOD is listening and HE is answering. You know what?...the severe storms predicted seemed to have gone to the south of us...GOD knows what HE's about. HE is the Master of the boisterous winds in our lives, and HE knows when to let them blow upon us, and when to bring calm...HE loves us so very much. "Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the LORD has been good to you. For you, O LORD, have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, and my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before the LORD." Psalm 116:8-9
With all HIS love,
mitzi
"It is nothing short of a transformed vision of reality that is able to see CHRIST as more real than the storm, love more real than hatred, meekness more real than pride, long-suffering more real than annoyance, holiness more real than sin." Elisabeth Elliot, www.elisabethelliot.org
"Men ought always to pray and not to faint." Luke 18:11
"All GOD's giants have been weak men who did great things for GOD because they reckoned on HIS being with them." J. Hudson Taylor
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