Don't Waste Your Pain

I wanted to wish you all a very Merry Christmas from my family to yours! 
I know holidays can be difficult for those of us in a lot of pain with all the demands put on us as mothers, fathers, children, and friends and I wanted to let you know I completely understand! We need to rest in God's word about not trying to please man, but God (Galatians 1:10). 

Look to our Mighty Savior and rest in Him this Christmas season. Preach the Gospel to yourself so you may understand the immense sacrifice that was made on your behalf. The thought of God coming down to people and becoming a helpless baby and living a perfect sinless life even though He was greatly persecuted and then dying on the cross for sins we could never pay for ourself and then welcoming us in Heaven if we repent and put our trust in Him-Ahh how amazing to even think upon such things. 

So keep your eyes and hearts focused on Him this season and give Him thanks for where you are today, whether in a little pain or a lot. He is sustaining you. God bless!

       




            Paul, when he writes his second letter to the church at Corinth, says some interesting things in the first chapter that I overlooked the last time I read it. Here is what Paul says in verse 6, "If WE are distressed, it is for YOUR comfort and salvation. Immediately the two words underlined jumped out at me. Who is "we" and "you" that Paul is speaking of? If we look at verse 1 we see Paul along with Timothy are writing this letter to believers who are living in Corinth. So just as we would read a letter, we see that Paul and Timothy are the "we" and the church is the "you." So now we can read it as "If (Paul and Timothy) are distressed, it is for (the church at Corinth's) comfort and salvation. Hmmm...Paul just got done saying God comforts us so we can comfort others and then THIS statement.

           If you have been dealing with pain for any length of time you know that people are watching your life to see how you react to difficulty and trials. It's important to recognize here that Paul invites the church to look closely at how he and Timothy are dealing with their distress. He wants the people in the church to see how they are dealing with it so as to strengthen them and give them comfort, knowing they, too, can make it through the trials they are going through and then give praise to God.

           We can learn so much of our suffering and the suffering of others, can't we. We learn that suffering, if done biblically, produces  patience, endurance, hope, love, and compassion.  It teaches us there is purpose through the pain we endure. God is using YOU to reach others and provide them comfort and salvation! What an awesome God we serve. This is a good study to do...Read through 2 Corinthians today and reflect on those who have gone before us, fighting the good fight, keeping the faith, depending on God and comforting others-lest we give up! And may we always remember- our pain is part of God's plan! He is merciful and loving and our hope needs to be in Him alone!

I was reading a quote from Andrew Murray who lived in the 1800's and was riddled with intense back pain. A woman came to him for advice and this is what he told her:

"In time of trouble, say, "First, He brought me here. It is by His will I am in this strait place; in that I rest." Next, "He will keep me here in His love, and give me grace in this trial to behave as His child." Then say, "He will make the trial a blessing, teaching me lessons He intends me to learn, and working in me the grace He means to bestow." And last, say, "In His good time He can bring me out again. How and when, He knows." Therefor, say, "I am here (1) by God's appointment, (2) in His keeping, (3) under His training, (4) for His time."

Do the obstacles you face seem like an insurmountable mountain to conquer? Have you been in this valley before, not seeing a way out of your circumstances? What you do when you are in the valley of life is more important than your circumstances. It may seem as if the pain you feel may never end. "How can I get through even one more day," you may ask. God has given me a bit of perspective after going through many valleys in life. I have finally gotten to the top of some of my mountains I am climbing and there I gain perspective on what I have gone through. I can look back in the low valley in my life and see God's hand at work in my pain. God says He will never leave us or forsake us. Do you believe Him? Are you trusting in your own strength to see around the next bend? Pray through Proverbs 3:5-6 which tells us to trust in God with all our heart and stop trusting ourselves (limited understanding) but in every way lean on Him-HE will GUIDE you! Believe Him today. Even if you are facing cancer, death in your family, chronic pain, adultery, etc...give it over to the only One who knows you and your pain better than anyone. keeping perspective is so important! This life is NOT about us. It is about God-giving Him glory and loving others...YES, even in our pain!

Fight the good fight!
Finish the race!
Keep the Faith!

30 Things About My Invisible Illness You May Not Know

1. The illness I live with is: trigeminal neuralgia
2. I was diagnosed with it in the year: 2007
 3. But I had symptoms since: 2006
4. The biggest adjustment I’ve had to make is: not doing so much and being active
5. Most people assume: I have a headache
6. The hardest part about mornings are: wondering if this day will be really hard
7. My favorite medical TV show is: untold stories of the ER
8. A gadget I couldn’t live without is: ha-I would say my ice pack pillow(not really a gadget)
9. The hardest part about nights are: nothing to keep me occupied while I am in pain
10. Each day I take 15 pills & vitamins. (No comments, please)
11. Regarding alternative treatments I: have tried everything
12. If I had to choose between an invisible illness or visible I would choose: tough one-sometimes it's helpful for others to see my pain but I don't want it to be a distraction either.
13. Regarding working and career: my public school teaching career is over, although God is using me at home to homeschool.:)
14. People would be surprised to know: I'm in pain 24 hrs a day but try to put on a happy face in public.
15. The hardest thing to accept about my new reality has been: not being able to play with my daughter and take her places as much, and to watch healthy people enjoy things I cannot enjoy.
16. Something I never thought I could do with my illness that I did was: write a book about chronic pain to help others! You can get it HERE
17. The commercials about my illness: are non-existent
18. Something I really miss doing since I was diagnosed is: running and being away from home at church or with family for extended amounts of time.
19. It was really hard to have to give up: thinking I was in charge of my life.
20. A new hobby I have taken up since my diagnosis is: knitting, sleeping and reading God's word more-although that's a life shift not really a hobby.
21. If I could have one day of feeling normal again I would: laugh a lot, go to the beach, run, stay out really late, enjoy each moment.
22. My illness has taught me: I need to rely on the Lord in everything, to trust Him, to be more compassionate to others and to be thankful!
23. Want to know a secret? One thing people say that gets under my skin is: you seem to be fine.
24. But I love it when people: pray for me, let me know they love me, visit me, tell
me genuinely they care
25. My favorite motto, scripture, quote that gets me through tough times is: Romans 8:18 "For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us "and Revelation 21:4 "and He shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there shall no longer be any death; there shall no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away."
27. Something that has surprised me about living with an illness is: so many others who are suffering and need help or just an ear to listen as well as how much I need God daily.
28. The nicest thing someone did for me when I wasn’t feeling well was: come over regularly to visit and care how I am.
29. I’m involved with Invisible Illness Week because: more people need to know how these diseases affect us.
30. The fact that you read this list makes me feel: thankful you care enough.

         I've been reflecting lately, not on what I say, or how I act but what my actions are reflecting...I've been bitter about so much. Parenting to start with. Dealing with a difficult, crazy, fun, energetic 7 year old is hard work. But being a mom AND having chronic pain every day is pushing me past my limit. I seem to yell a lot-funny how I am yelling at my daughter to stop acting like that and be more respectful and obedient when I am not giving her such a good example to model after. Considering the Bible verse...In your anger do not sin (Eph 4:26), I am doing the very thing I am asking her not to do. And so I become bitter. 
           Bitter in that I am juggling so many things in life to deal with but at the heart of it all is my relationship with God. I am still, at times, turning to my old crutches to try to hold things together. They never stay put together, you see. In the end they topple down and then I have to start all over. It's exhausting. "Come to me all who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest," says the Lord in
Matthew 11:28. 
          Why don't I naturally believe this and run to my Savior when life gets too difficult? Pride? yes. Sin entices and encircles us-making it hard to believe our Savior wants us to come to Him for we just keep messing life up plus we can do it ourselves-or so we think! But He is there...He is there with arms open wide waiting, yes waiting for us. He loves me. He loves you. You see in the end no matter what our struggle is... pain or elsewhere our heart is the issue. It's always been the issue.
         If we recognize this-aww what things await us as we have the ability and the right (through Christ) to run to our Heavenly Father, throwing ourselves down before Him, praising and thanking Him for all that we have in Christ-He has saved us! What victory! What joy! PLUS we can know He is there to pick up our burdens and carry us through our difficulties.
          I pray today you see the amazing blessing we have in Christ to run to Him, casting all your cares on Him. For He cares for you... 

I love you, Lord, my strength. The Lord is my Rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my Rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
Psalm 18:1-2