"Be still and know that I Am GOD." Psalm 46:10
Dear Praying Friends and Family,
Earlier this week, i went and visited my friend Darlene in the hospital. I have been asking ya'll to pray for her and her family as she suffers with cancer, and I ask you again to pray for her, that her platelets will go up and she can get back on her medicine, and for renewed strength for her and her dear husband. When i walked into the room, Darlene was sitting in a chair with the sweetest smile on her face. Arthur, her husband, was there with her as he has been with her every step of this journey, and at the time, i had no idea the incredible pain that Darlene was in. I asked her how she was feeling, and it's one of the few times she admitted to being in a lot of pain to me. I told her the LORD must be so pleased with HIS dear child, even in the midst of her suffering, she still was bravely smiling, and ministering to me with her courage and sweet smile. Arthur said he was pleased with her. She asked me to pray for her, and we did, and then, it wasn't long when she said she needed to get up and walk around. Her precious husband knew the routine, and had me unplug the IV, and we took all the pillows from around Darlene and helped her to her feet. She and Arthur walked around the room there with him pushing the IV, and me trailing behind. It wasn't long before she was ready to get back in the bed, and Arthur lovingly arranged all the pillows and got the head of the bed, and the feet of the bed just where she needed it. How many times had he done that for her through this journey and even that day? He was ever so patient and kind and tender. As Darlene lay in the bed, Arthur and I talked and it's amazing when you are in a very difficult situation, you don't talk about a bunch of lighthearted small talk. We talked about the LORD, and HIS comfort to us, and we talked of longing for HIS return to come soon and the signs all around us that HIS coming could be any day. Please read the sermon below from Joel Rosenburg to help you understand why JESUS could come at any time. There's nothing like suffering to make you long for heaven, and for the return of JESUS. It may be selfish to want out of our suffering, but one of the reasons the LORD allows suffering into our lives is to make us long for HIM and heaven more. I pray that if you haven't accepted CHRIST as your LORD and SAVIOR that you will do that today even as you read this email. The time for JESUS return for HIS church by those who really study Bible prophecy, such as Joel Rosenburg, warn us that JESUS could come back for HIS bride any day...don't be left behind to go through the terrible time of tribulation here on earth. The stage is being set all around us for the terrible tribulation we read about in the Revelation 6.
As Arthur and I talked, Darlene lay quietly in the bed beside him. The nurses came in and gave Darlene more pain medicine. A friend called to see if he could come up and Darlene said she felt like she could take a nap so Arthur was going to meet him in the lobby. Arthur led us in a prayer, and about that time the friend knocked on the door. I went out, and he introduced himself, and i realized that he was the husband of Jean Brinkley, whom i've also been asking you to pray for who was recently diagnosed with cancer. Bill, Jean's husband, is in the same Sunday School class with Arthur and he has been such a dear encourager to Arthur during this long difficult journey...now these two men, were in the similar situations, and they were encouraging one another. I walked out to answer the door, and ended up walking down with Arthur and Bill to the lobby of the hospital where I hugged Arthur bye and told him i love them. When i started to get on the elevator downstairs to go to the parking garage the LORD brought the words of a song to my mind that I had been listening to over the weekend, "Be Still My Soul, the LORD is on your side." I realized that I hadn't told Darlene goodbye the way I wanted to since i went to the door and walked down with the men, and I felt compelled to go back and share those words with her, and tell her goodbye. I rode the elevator back up to the seventh floor, and walked to her room where she was laying quietly in the darkened room. She heard me, and I told her i didn't tell her bye, and she said i did, but i wanted to really tell her and I kissed her on the forehead, and told her about the song that the LORD had brought to me for her...."Be still my soul, the LORD is on your side. She asked me if I would sing it to her, and I couldn't remember anything but the first line. So i sang what i could remember and hummed a few bars. One of the sweet ways the LORD has comforted Darlene through this journey is her husband singing hymns to her. He had the hymn book right there in the hospital room with them where he had been singing earlier in the day. She smiled at me, when i couldn't remember the words, in her precious way. It didn't matter that i couldn't remember the words, the important thing is that she remember the LORD was on her side and HE loves her so very much.
I have never suffered the way that Darlene is suffering, but what the LORD has allowed me to go through, it's so important for me to be reminded over and over to "Be Still and know that HE is GOD," and that HE is on my side. I want to remind you of that today who may be struggling and suffering in a difficult place...we all need to be reminded of that when we go through trials and tribulations. I don't know how else to write but to be honest...this song, this verse, is really ministering to me where the LORD has me walking and perhaps some of you. I ask you to pray for me as i took some medicine this week, and as everything else i have taken in recent months, it accelerated the anxious feelings that i have been dealing with and made me very uncomfortable all over my body, especially in my back. I took an IV yesterday hoping that it would help me take the medicine better, but the detoxing of it has been really uncomfortable today. I know that my "sufferings," are not worthy to be compared to those around me, especially my friend Darlene and Jean, and Sherry Moss who son suddenly died last week. But as Elisabeth Elliot said, Suffering is anything we have that we don't want, or anything we want that we don't have," and i can assure you i don't want this uncomfortableness in my life. Elisabeth Elliot prayed, "Teach me to treat all that comes to me with peace of soul, and with firm conviction that YOUR will governs all. In unforeseen events let me not forget that all are sent by YOU." So I would ask for your prayers, that I would accept these circumstances the LORD has engineered for me, and "Be still, and know that HE is GOD." Pray that I will remember HE is working this for my good and HIS glory, and perhaps in someway, for the good of others, and I sure wouldn't mind you asking the LORD to heal me. In fact I would really appreciate it. HE is the Potter, i am the clay, i am reminded as i type....LORD, help me to surrender to what YOU are doing as YOU "mold me and make me after YOUR will, while I am waiting yielded and still." Don't think i've gotten the yielded and still part down yet, but the LORD is so patient with HIS kicking and screaming child who doesn't like pain and wants out of it as fast as possible. This morning HE encouraged my heart greatly as I read Psalm 107 and once again, HE reminded me of HIS past deliverance's of me and my family and of Israel and that HE will do it again:
"Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and HE saved them out of their distresses. HE sent HIS WORD and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions. Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for HIS goodness, and for HIS wonderful works to the children of men! Let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare HIS works with rejoicing." Psalm 107:19-22.
How comforting to my heart for the LORD to remind me of HIS past deliverance's in my life and there have been so many. I want to thank HIM and praise HIM for HIS goodness and HIS wonderful works to me and my family and offer to HIM the sacrifices of thanksgiving in the midst of this trial. I sure do see my friends Arthur and Darlene, and Sherry, thanking GOD over and over in the midst of their great suffering and praising HIS name. I am so humbled by their example.
HE also reminded me earlier in the week through Ps. 84:6 that we are passing through our trials and HE gives us HIS strength to make it through these valleys that sometimes seem endless: "As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they make it a spring; the rain also covers it with pools. They go from strength to strength: Each one appears before GOD in Zion."
HE also encouraged me greatly from Zeph. 3:17 how much HE loves me and how much HE loves you and how much HE loves Israel.
"The LORD your GOD in your midst, the MIGHTY ONE, will save;
HE will rejoice over you with gladness, HE will quiet you with HIS love,
HE will rejoice over you with singing."
As I write these words, I think of how Arthur has been sweetly singing over his wife, and quieting her with his love, and rejoicing over Darlene....saying he was pleased with her. How much more our perfect HUSBAND, GOD rejoices over us with gladness, quiets us with HIS love, and rejoices over us with singing. If HE gave HIS only SON for us, how much more will HE freely give us all things.
As I spent that time with the LORD this morning, seems like HE just spoke HIS love to me in a way that i have never realized before, and I basked in the wonder of HIS unconditional love for me.
"For GOD so loved the world that HE gave HIS only begotten SON that whosovever believeth in HIM shall not perish but have everlasting life." John 3:16
As I close, i want to share with you the powerful song, "Be Still, My Soul." I read on cyberhymnal, www.cyberhymal.org/htm/b/e/
Thank you for remembering Arthur and Darlene and their whole family in your prayers. Their son, Jeremy is 22, Natalie is a senior in high school this year, and then little Philip is in the third grade. Their faith in JESUS is precious...and they are trusting the LORD through their weak and weary bodies. Please pray the LORD will do a miracle and bring healing to Darlene...pray for their strength and courage and for peace.
With all HIS love,
mitzi
"Be still, my soul, the LORD is on thy side.
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain.
Leave to thy GOD to order and provide;
In every change, HE faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul: thy best, thy heavenly FRIEND
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.
Be still, my soul: thy GOD doth undertake
To guide the future, as HE has the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still my soul: the waves and winds still know
HIS voice WHO ruled them while HE dwelt below.
Be still, my soul: when dearest friends depart,
And all is darkened in the vale of tears,
Then shalt thou better know HIS love, HIS heart,
WHO come to soothe thy sorrow and thy fears.
Be still, my soul: thy JESUS can repay
From HIS own fulness all HE takes away.
Be still, my soul, the hour is hastening on
When we shall be forever with the LORD.
When disappointment, grief and fear are gone,
Sorrow forgot, love's purest joys restored.
Be still, my soul: when change and tears are past
All safe and blessed we shall meet at last.
-Jean Sibelius (1865-1957)
This is a great sermon Joel Rosenburg delivered this past Sunday evening at the Wake Up, America event with Anne Graham Lotz. Please pray for Israel and Prime Minister Benjamin Netenyahu as the United Nations is meeting in the next few days to try and divide Israel's land. Pray our leaders will stand by Israel not to do this. GOD is Israel's DEFENDER and we will see HIS great protection of them as HE promised in HIS WORD, and we will also see HIS great judgement against those who come against Israel...see Psalm 83.
Joel Rosenburg's sermon "4 Reasons Why GOD is Shaking America and the World" Scroll down under the first article about Benjamin Netenyahu addressing the United Nations.
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"Men ought always to pray and not to faint." Luke 18:11
"I Need THEE Every Hour"
"But we have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may made clear that this extraordinary power
belongs to GOD and does not come from us." 2 Cor. 4:7
belongs to GOD and does not come from us." 2 Cor. 4:7
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