Trusting God in the Face of Fear @ 10

Welcome.

Today I’m joining my writing/blogging friends over at Karen’s Finding the Grace Within’s Tuesday at Ten writing prompt.

Here writers creatively represent the word prompt that Karen gives us at 10 am and then we all connect with one another {HERE}. There aren’t any real rules, no word limit or time limit … just one heart connecting with the prompt and sharing their thoughts with the others.

Today we ponder what the word FEAR means in our lives, right here and right now …

So join us by following the link above or the one at the bottom of this post.

Fear. We all encounter it in our day to day lives. From the little worries like being on time or not missing that call from a friend to the larger more daunting fears that involve life and death!

For me it’s no longer about the fear … In the past I feared everything from making someone mad to really doing something very wrong. It created a vicious cycle of anxiety, which my family sees as an illness. It’s not!

Cancer is an illness. Addiction is an illness. Fear is NOT an illness, we control fear. It says so in the bible.

There are two types of fear described in the Good Book of the Good News! Remember that … it’s the GOOD News, you can always trust it’s guidance.

Fear of the Lord.  

Fear of the Lord gives us authority and allows us to trust God in the face of the spirit of fear, which strips us of our authority and is brought by the enemy of our soul.

The spirit of fear is NOT of God.

Fear, or REVERENCE {to have a reverential awe of (fear God)} of the Lord, is about respecting God, as you would a father.

[Now if your earthly father wasn’t the greatest, or you were actually afraid of your biological dad, stay with me.]

God, Himself, was His original template of who and what a father was supposed to be. All loving, strong security and steady guidance for His children.

This Fear [of the Lord] is beneficial to us and brings with it promises and blessings. The bible says it is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding to all those who do His commandments. His praise endures forever {Psalm 111:10}. It leads to life, rest, peace and contentment and evil will not visit {Proverbs 19:23}. This Fear [of the Lord] is the fountain of life {Proverbs 14:27} and provides security in a place of safety {Proverbs 14:26}.

Good News, right!  =)

If we respect God as our Father Creator, and follow His guidance for our lives, we benefit as any child who accepts guidance and correction from good parents. Think about it, we only fear what our parents feared, for the most part. If time and appearances were of concern {a type of fear} to our parents, then we grow up to be concerned about time and appearances. But dig this!

Our Father God, repeatedly, tells us to FEAR NOT, because He has given us the tools of authority over fear.

We control fear. Fear does NOT control us.

Though an army may encamp against me, My heart shall not fear; Though war may rise against me, In this I will be confident. {Psalm 27:3}

The second kind of fear in the bible is described to us in guidance.

We are told that God didn’t give us this spirit of fear.

 God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. {2 Timothy 1:7}

There it is, the guiding reminder that we were given: Power, Love and a SOUND mind.

(remember I said that fear leads to anxiety and people see anxiety as an illness today?)

We have a SOUND MIND.

Fear is a real thing. It is what we do in the face of this fear that matters most. Do we conquer or fall in defeat to fear?

I choose to conquer fear, and trust me, today, this very moment, I have enough going on in my life that if I allowed the fear [of the unknown results] of my circumstances I could easily curl up into a ball of tearful fear and anxiety and never see the light of day. In fact, when I think about this, even at this moment, I feel fearful of that possibility.

I prefer my Sound Mind!

How do I conquer these fears? Fear of cancer, of addiction, of my happy life changing severely, of not knowing what my life could possibly look like if the worst happened?

I. Trust. God.

I. Pray. ~ and I pray scripture.

1 John 4:18 says: Perfect Love casts out all fear. {God is Love.}

God promises me; ‘Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed {another form of fear}, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.’.{Isaiah 41:10}

The overwhelming truth is that I must FEAR NOT.

Did you ever notice that when we are spinning with fear we don’t allow anyone to help; that we resist those that would be with us and uphold us! God knew we would do this and clearly instructs His children not to fear … to …

Be Still … and know that He is God. {Psalm46:10}

Isn’t it interesting that the “scary Old Testament” God continually told His creation to FEAR NOT. He clearly wanted us to ALWAYS know that He was with us and was our protector, even from the very beginning.

So, as Franklin D. Roosevelt said, in his First Inaugural Address: “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself,”

Do not fear God, reverence and trust Him. Only fear fear; it’s not from God.

It is said, much too often, “give it to God”, and I must say it took a lot for me to completely come to an understanding of that Christian cliché. When I finally came to a true understanding of and relationship with God I changed how I used that friendly, if not dismissing, cliché to …

Bring it to God. If you are afraid today. If you harbor what seems to be uncontrollable anxiety in your day to day life. Bring your cares to God. Compare what you are afraid of to what God says about that thing in His book. Present it, as I do, to Him in prayer and just watch what He does to quell that fear within you. He will wipe it away, I promise.

BE STILL.

FEAR NOT.

BE COURAGEOUS.

GOD’S GOT THIS.

Come walk with me, and fear not, God is always with us!

Thanks for reading and God bless.

 

 

 

Tuesday @ Ten

 

 

I Tell YOU the Truth |Tues. @ 10

Happy Tuesday … Where we, a growing group of creatives get a prompt word meant to spark creativity in the heart of the writer, or the photographer, or artist, in them. Just about a week is given for the creator to create from this word and all that is asked is that you share and check out what your neighbor in the link up list did with the prompt. You’ll be surprised at how often we are all led on the same path!

Tuesday @ Ten

 

Today’s Tuesday Prompt is …. Truth.

“I tell you the truth …”

Jesus is quoted as saying that phrase 78 times in the New Testament! 78 … that’s a lot of truth, but that is part of why he came to earth as a man. To testify to the Truth of God. More interesting: 30 of those truths were recorded just in the book of Matthew.

To tell you the truth, we need healing in our house. A lot of healing. And today I am having a very hard time with the information we got from the doctors at The Hubs’ last two visits. In  my head, and usually in my heart, I know and cannot be moved away from the knowledge that we WERE healed by Jesus’ sacrifice, for US, on the cross. This is knowledge in our home.

It is Truth in our home.

Lord, I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief! Mark 9:24 (my prayer, taken from the same story but in the book of Mark.)

Matthew 17:14-23

The Healing of a Boy with a demon: also — Mk 9:14-28; Lk 9:37-42

14 When they came to the crowd, a man approached Jesus and knelt before him. 15 “Lord, have mercy on my son,” he said. “He has seizures and is suffering greatly. He often falls into the fire or into the water. 16 I brought him to your disciples, but they could not heal him.” 17 “O unbelieving and perverse generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.” 18 Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of the boy, and he was healed from that moment. 19 Then the disciples came to Jesus in private and asked, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” 20 He replied, “Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” 22 When they came together in Galilee, he said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. 23 They will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised to life.” And the disciples were filled with grief.

*****

 This causes me concern about my faith. And if I’m having a crisis of faith right now, it’s not my faith in God’s promise of healing! It’s about my level of faith being hammered at almost daily for over a year. I thank God that it is His faith that works in and through me and not a faith that I must maintain on my own!

I said to my husband last night, in heartbroken, absolute truth, that it is so hard to hear these things and look at him vibrantly himself. It rocks me that he can be virtually well yet this thing can be inside of him trying to kill him! I told him that I wouldn’t be having such a hard time with his decision to NOT do anything about what they were telling us (he’s decided to refuse anymore chemo; but is willing to consider clinical trials for experimental drugs.) if he were ill and suffering. Somehow it would be easier to just quietly sit back in my sorrow about his refusal.

But, like he says, the chemo doesn’t seem to be doing anything (reminder to self: chemo is poison, not medicine!) can doing nothing really be worse?

And my wife/mother screams in my head … WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING! Yet, the truthful questions is: Do we? or Does God?

The amazing truth is he looks great! He feels and functions almost at his norm, except for some fatigue.

It’s amazing, as much as the schedule and the chemo stressed him and fatigued him, I’ll say it again, he did not experience what we all hear about and see on TV, or what others seem to have experienced with their loved ones.

No days of pain and suffering. No horrible, wasting illness. No vomiting and not being able to eat. None of that.

And it is for those very “NOs” that we remain faithful to God’s assurances of The Hubs’ healing.

And then the doctors tell us “their” truth. So when we were told what we were told yesterday their truth rocked my truth. So to decided to do nothing is beyond my scope right now.

The truth is, though, that it is ultimately my husband’s, and God’s, decision. Though I did honestly tell him that while I support his decision he needs to keep in mind that he [they] is making life altering decisions for both our lives.

Truthfully. I believe God. The Hubs looks and feels great, though right now, today, he is angry and frustrated that all this year’s work and treatments seem to have been for naught. We believe, we know, that God has healed him. That God is bigger than the doctors reports and tests and protocols.

Yet today’s Truth is that I am spent. I posted for all our loved ones and friends in the faith and prayer that we were home and were moving forward for the possibility of the clinical trial, and most took that as the good news that it is. But like the chemo (which isn’t curative or even really a medicine) the trial medications are unproved and may be non-curative either. It’s a clinical trial. The doctors and manufacturers have high hopes and so do we.

The truth is …. I am ready for the manifestation of healing in Hutchland. I am ready to stop feeling like I have to be waiting for the next report.

I am ready for the doctors and the world to understand the Truth, that …

Only God heals. Jesus is the only cure.

Like The Hubs says and stands by: The doctors are not curing him, God is. The doctors cannot heal him, only God can.

So today I will continue to recite that … Only God. Only Jesus. He is our cure. He is our doctor. He is our healer.

 I’m going to add here today’s attempt at my memorization of Psalm 27: 1 & 2 … here goes!

1. The Lord is my light and my strength; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid?

2.When the wicked came against me The to eat up my flesh, My enemies all fell  and foes, they stumbled and fell.

Not too bad for the second day of adding verse two!

I thought that Psalm 27 fit this post, truthfully. These two verses are a big part of what I am and will be focusing on in regard to our current circumstances here in Hutchland.

I refuse to allow the enemy to kill my two men (the second being my youngest. I wrote a post on Sunday about my son’s struggle here.)

Quite frankly it’s been a very trying couple of weeks for this wife and mother.

Thanks for reading. Blessings to you, all.

How God Assures Me He’s On It :: A Much Needed Sunday Healing

Sweet, Sad Eyed Boy

This is my sweet boy. My youngest. My sad little guy. And OH how he had reason for that sweet, sad look. And OH how I sometimes, still, ache for my blindness.

The Man

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is the man… angry and battling his demons. Very scary demons. And OH how I dreamed of reaching that sweet boy who was hidden in that angry man. I was incapable of reaching into him, to the boy. He wouldn’t let me. I wasn’t, still am not allowed to even hug him. It’s truly heartbreaking for me. And I’m sure his heart is broken. But He battles daily with his illness, his addiction. Heroin. And even when he stumbles, slips and falls flat out; he gets back up to battle. He’s superman in his head. He still thinks he needs to be I think. Because, I couldn’t protect him, because he couldn’t tell me … until they did, when they were barely in grade school … and the man (teen) you see above hid the sweet boy. Seemingly forever.

He fell this week. Wasn’t able to recover from an apparent stumble and now he starts over again. And my heart is broken watching him be sick. Very sick as he starts to stand back up to this illness, this craving, whose whole intent is to kill that sweet boy he has hidden in his heart.

This is him at the beginning of the last run of sobriety. Tired but strong. He’ll be there again.

And I know this because God and I met in worship this morning at church. I started the day very worried about my sweet boy, who hasn’t been so sweet these last few days. He was sick and in pain and irritable. I mean who wouldn’t be when they felt sick; I certainly am not fun when I am ill. But this is different.

There’s nothing I can do. And if I do something I am jeopardizing his life by enabling him. He has to walk out the withdrawl himself. He has to want to feel better. He has to choose between sobriety  and oblivion.

Unlike the cancer his father battles, the boy chose his illness. Chose oblivion over the demons of something he had no say in and I had no knowledge of. The demons who continue to tell him it was his fault. The demons that tell him I should have known. The demons who tell him he’s superman and he can live through the dangerous choices. The demons who tell him no one loves him because he’s unlovable now. This monster heroin quiets the demons I imagine. But then they begin to rustle again and bite … I cannot fathom the pain, though I experience his pain and suffering while he battles the withdrawl and fights for the breath of air that sobriety brings him.

As I sang praises to God today. As I worshiped the Father that promises to heal us. I cried out and from the depth of this mother’s heart and soul I sought my God’s assistance for my sweet boy. And God assured me that with that relinquishing, once again, of my boy to His care, that the boy, the man, would be healed.

During this song, as the lead singer of our worship band and assistance pastor sang this favorite, God met me in my aching for my sweet boy. I quieted and prayed for him and for The Hubs and was assured that He had them, that their healings were imminent, promised. And I quieted into the precious peace of the music, in Father’s presence.

You see, I’ve realized that the enemy has put a hit out on this family. Two of my men are battling grave illnesses, and the boy does not know the promises we believe! So I, WE, as a family must believe for him. He does not know that heroin addiction cannot kill him, as his father knows the cancer cannot kill him, though we tell him.

The boy does not know, as the father does, that because we believe, he is saved from his illnesses and cleansed of his sins, sins that are not even his own, but believes to be. The boy doesn’t believe that Jesus loved him so much that he took the heroin needle for him to the cross and died there with that illness upon Him! So we must believe and pray until the boy understands his worth to the Father.

And what mother, father and brother wouldn’t do this for a boy, for a man?

Oh how I wish the boy believed that he would live. Oh how I wish the boy believed he is loved beyond his mother’s ability to put it in words. Oh how I wish he knew the joy I get when he is well and smiles and is a participating member of this family. A participating member in his own life.

So I leave this post as another prayer to God. It holds no scripture, only a song of worship and praise to our Father God expressing my love and honor to him. I leave it as proof that I acknowledge His response to my need, my boy’s need, this morning. And I thank him again and again, without end that my sweet boy is starting to feel better and is two or three (I’m not sure) days back on the road of sobriety.

To every parent of a child who battles the illness of addiction, or any illness for that matter, I sing this song for you and your child. I pray that God vanquish this demon and send it to hell from whence it came, and I put the enemy and heroin under the feet of Jesus.

We are healed. Our children are healed. Our land is healed. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Thanks for listening to this outpouring of a mother’s heart.

The sweet boy’s mom. =)

God Thinking and God Timing … Day30 of 3Days

It’s day 3o! We’ve almost completed 31 days of straight writing! Kudos to all of us who are almost to the finish!

Today I want to kind of stay on the theme of God’s Timing.

We’ve discussed God’s Timing in our healing and the fact, that I’ve come to know, that my healing was attained the moment I received my salvation in Jesus Christ. The thing is God asked us to believe Jesus … and with that believing is the believing that we are made whole in that salvation.

That is hard for us humans, because we live in this fallen world. A world that confuses, and worse, denies God’s thinking and His sovereignty in all of life.

All of this requires us to decide to purposefully, begin to think like God.

It stands to reason that if we are made in His image {Genesis 3} then we are able to think like Him.

It’s about believing what Father God says {check His Word} …

:: If there is anything I want you all to receive from this series, past your manifest healing,it is that you would check anything in your life: in all areas of your life, against what God says about that thing/circumstance; in The Bible. I have found all the answers to my circumstances there, and you will too! ::

For me it’s about the God thinking. Let’s be honest when we first begin our relationship with God, not to mention that time before we consent to our salvation, deciphering The Bible is difficult, at best. That’s what the whole go to church and fellowship thing is about.

Learning what God says about this life and how to LIVE it.

Learning that our understanding of the confines of this life: TIME, Prosperity, LIVING WELL, and illness and sin are all under God’s jurisdiction when it comes to the rules and guidelines.

What about Free Will? you ask.

That’s the dig. Like any parent, God teaches us His moral and legal laws. He teaches us how to live this life well and then …. we come to a certain maturity {age} where we begin to make our own decisions.

(I’ve always wondered if God feels like we do when we have to realize that our teenagers are making adult decisions for the first time. That loss of control feeling and the borderline terror … but then I remember that God knows the end from the beginning.) CHEATER! =)

And then He takes His hands off and we are left in that Free Will state … our defining moment!

Are we going to choose God Thinking or human {worldly} thinking? Are we going to follow His lead or the world’s lead.

(The world. You know; society, what the “professionals” say, the politicians or the masses, all of them and their opinions and studies and polls.)

Well, there’s a clear example of God’s thinking, His plan for this in Proverbs. Chapter 22, verse 6.

Train up a child in the way he should go, Even when he is old he will not depart from it.

And sometimes … we have to train ourselves up! Meaning if God is/was not apart of our lives as children when we were coming up, we will encounter God as some point in our lives. This encounter is our time to make a choice to choose His way, or for some, not.

Trust me though … God will pursue YOU if you miss that first appointment.

God is prepared for us and He will follow us until we accept His invitation!

You {God} prepare a table before me
    in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
    my cup overflows.
⁶ Surely your goodness and love will follow me
    all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
    forever. Psalm 23:5-6

So God thinking is about us learning God’s way. We learn to trust Him at His word, even when that seems to be tested. When a circumstance like cancer manifests in our life, we most often begin to question God. We did not, but we had already trained ourselves in the ways of God and applied it to our lives! We were blessed in that. This blessing, however, is ours to share with those that encounter such apparent tragedy, so that they can see what God did in our lives and pursue those blessings in their own lives.

It’s why I share the intimacies of my life and my personal relationship with God, here.

My LIFE is about testifying about my God! About what He did to HEAL, PROSPER and CARE for me. If I show you that everyday it makes you want it and pursue the same for yourself.

Have you ever asked that friend, who seemingly has it ALL together, how she does it all? You know the friend, we all enjoy her, her house is immaculate, her children balanced and well behaved and apparently genius’! Works all day, plays with her kids, and dinner is on the table at 6,and probably looks amazing doing all of this!

What is her answer? On all of the “MOM Blogs” I read they credit God.

But what about those ladies who don’t have a relationship with God? They often credit themselves and the fact that they have no choice and their time is not their own! Most would explain it with complaint and express the desire to have some relief.

What would I say? Well I would be honest … my house has a lived in feel, at best, if not messy! I’m getting better with this, but I was not built to be a natural housewife! How do I get along with our schedule? It is what it is, with all the appointments, work {thank God that he’s blessed me with the pleasure of working from home.} and just life? I would tell you that I have no choice … but to put my day, each day, in God’s hands and I do my best to be content with the outcome.

Some days are better than others when we talk about the outcome; but it is what it’s supposed to be.

I would credit God with my successes and I would tell you that I didn’t press in to God when it comes to my failures. I would say this because I have looked back upon those failures and realize that I chose to do something in my own power and I failed.

I’ve come to the realization that I do nothing without God. I don’t breath, I don’t function, I don’t succeed when I remove God from the equation of my life and decisions. That’s what I would tell you if you asked.

For me this life is about God’s time and thinking.

The only way I accept God’s timing is to adopt His thinking on the subject of life.

I am fully persuaded that God’s got this, He’s got me and if I can, each day, each moment, leave it to Him things will be alright. Even if it isn’t what I saw happening.

And I can be persuaded because I have worked with God on tailoring my thinking to be like His. It’s a process and just when I think I’ve got it down another challenge crops up for me to increase my God thinking.

It’s kind of like : WWJD [what would Jesus do] … but more like WDGWMTD [what does God want me to do] and I then check the Word for instruction if it’s not clear.  And who has the time for that, you ask?

My answer: I don’t have the time for anything else. I’d rather get it done, then have to go back and fix it!

The fear [reverence] of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction. My son, hear the instruction of your father, And do not forsake the law of your mother; For they will be a graceful ornament on your head, And chains about your neck. Proverbs 1:7-9

Everything is in God’s timing. Being able to think like God comes in His timing, and for me, it seems, that time is now. Look around you. See the miracles of light, of trees of your children … realize that God CREATED it all, and some of it just for YOU! What was He thinking?

He was thinking about US! About that desire that we have Life and Life MORE abundant.

Why then do we desire to control time and deny His thinking? Is there something you want to change in your thinking? God wants to guide you today. Do you need some concrete direction for your life? I suggest the book of Proverbs … how to live life the way God intends is spelled out right there.

The best way to understand God’s timing and learn to think like Him is by reading His Word. That’s my encouragement today, and every day! Get in the Word.

Thanks for reading.

Thank You for Reading.
Andrea

31 Days Journey to Healing

 

Trust: Words that Move me to God Thoughts |Tuesday @ 10/ 31 Days of Writing

Here it is … Tuesday again and the 29th day of the 31 day writing challenge. I must say that near the middle the 31D challenge truly challenged me! I fell significantly behind; but Wheww! I’ve caught up!

Tuesday @ Ten

 

 

Finding the Grace Within’s Karen Beth brought a really good prompt today! To join us in this blog link-up just follow the link in the picture to the left and get the skinny on how the link up works.

TRUST … Certain words and subjects bring me right to the subject of God in most conversations. Mainly because I’ve come to a place in my relationship with God that I know these subjects are His domain.

Trust is most definitely one of them.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;” Proverbs 3:5

We’ve all had our trust broken by people. Most of the people who break our trust are those closest to us, this wounds deeply and leaves inner scars that we hide and rarely heal. That is if we do not seek for them to heal. But when we finally do seek to heal from our inner wounds it is God who heals and rebuilds that trust; but not in man.

He teaches us that humans are fallible; incapable of the absolutes we seek in them. That absolute trust is only held true in God; simply because He is unchangable, unlike humans. People are easily swayed, their minds and opinions change with on each direction of the wind and with those changes come broken promises and vows and trust.

But God. He says …

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. Proverbs 3:5

For some reason “our own understanding” is that a person, those we love and trust, are infallible. They are not. Like I said above they change, sometimes on the smallest of whims. We, too, are infallible; our word, promise and vows are just as fallible. I would find it suspect, at best, if there were anyone reading who hasn’t broken someones trust; purposefully and with intent or not, we’ve caused someone, somewhere not to trust us. And you and I both know regaining that trust takes a lifetime.

Again. But God. He says …

Forgive as I have forgiven you. We must …

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Ephesians 4:32

And know we embark on the “but!!!” … How do I forgive some of the most heinous wounds? Well to be perfectly honest in and of myself I know that I am incapable of that! I’m almost 50 and I spent way too much of my life harboring deep resentments and wrath against those who harmed me. And that harm was SOUL DEEP. Permanent scars, or so I thought! When I came to the realization that I had to forgive I was far beyond mad. It incited rage within me! I felt forsaken, by those who had hurt me; the very people who were supposed to care for and protect me and now … yes, I felt forsaken by God!

In all that time of tragedy, abuse and neglect I had never felt forsaken by God, but realizing that I had to forgive shattered trust … well I was beside myself. And I say that because I was a participating Christian when the revelation came and I didn’t have a clue how I could continue in a faith that required the impossible for me.

But God. Here I am explaining it to you, my friendly readers.

Trustworthiness is a characteristic that is in The Image of God. An integrity we gain through our walk with God. We are taught honesty by our natural parents; but it is usually their version of honesty. And inevitable they are the first persons who break our faith in the human race. Luckily God made it them who we could forgive because of our lifelong relationship with them … our first lesson in forgiveness. =) God is so amazing, knowing who to sacrifice so that each of us could come into our true being as His children.

It took me a very long time to forgive my shattered trust. That brokenness that caused me to guard my heart against just about everyone in my life. For me, as for many, it was truly a self preservation thing. A lonely road, really.

I relearned trust in my honest seeking of God and His kingdom. These verses, when applied to my life gave me a new perspective on trust, and how to trust others.

I can now trust others because I put my trust first in God the Father. I’ve learned to trust God that He works in anyone around me, whether it is their true nature or not, so that I am safe and protected. Man cannot break my Trust anymore, because it is based on the only Man in my life capable of absolute honesty … Jesus.

So here are a LOT of scriptures for you to get into your heart, so that when the subject of trust comes up in your life you too can be sure of where your trust comes from. Secure in the fact that God’s Word is true and faithful even when those we love the most cannot be.

Do you need to repair broken trust in your life. Is there a relationship that you need to repair when it come to Trust and Honesty? I encourage you to get into the Word of God and press into your relationship with God the Father and trust will follow!

And … YES. You have an existing relationship with God, even if you aren’t aware or sure of it. Father God is just waiting on you to reconcile yourself to His Love … because Jesus already reconciled You to Father. Jesus did the work … you just need to lean in and accept and TRUST that UNCONDITIONAL Love!

These scripture are the start to getting Trust into perspective in your life. They work for me. I pray them. They helped me learn to trust people THROUGH God and now they help me to stay in contact with God first when trust becomes an issue in my life. And …

I always … Remember – Trust God First!

Joshua 1:9 Have not I commanded you? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be you dismayed: for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.

2 Samuel 7:28 And now, O Lord GOD, you are that God, and your words be true, and you have promised this goodness to your servant:

Psalms 9:10 And they that know your name will put their trust in you: for you, LORD, have not forsaken them that seek you.

Psalms 13:5 But I have trusted in your mercy; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.

Psalms 20:7 Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the LORD our God.

Psalms 31:14 But I trusted in you, O LORD: I said, You are my God.

Psalms 56:3 What time I am afraid, I will trust in you.

Psalms 84:12 O LORD of hosts, blessed is the man that trusts in you.

Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart; and lean not to your own understanding.

Proverbs 11:13 A talebearer reveals secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit conceals the matter.

Proverbs 11:28 He that trusts in his riches shall fall; but the righteous shall flourish as a branch.

Proverbs 28:26 He that trusts in his own heart is a fool: but whoever walks wisely, he shall be delivered.

Isaiah 12:2 Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.

Isaiah 43:1 But now thus said the LORD that created you, O Jacob, and he that formed you, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed you, I have called you by your name; you are mine.

Jeremiah 7:8 Behold, you trust in lying words, that cannot profit.

Daniel 6:23 Then was the king exceedingly glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found on him, because he believed in his God.

John 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled: you believe in God, believe also in me.

Romans 15:13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.

Revelation 21:5 And he that sat on the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said to me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

Thank you for reading.

Andrea

31 Days Journey to Healing

 

Memory Verses for Prayer and Healing | Day27:31Days

Memory Verses

Throughout my walk with God and in The Faith I’ve loved the scripture verse, John 14:20 . The Comforter, even the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said unto you.

It’s comforting to know that Father God sent to us, even after the sacrifice of His Son, someone to guide us and remind us about what God says about life here on earth. The Holy Spirit is sent to comfort us with reminders that no matter what, God said this.

That was the basic sermon of our Sunday service this last Sunday! Learning not to be deceived by what others say, write or instruct. All those things are wonderful and very often someone’s testimony; but is it what God is saying to me today? Or was it for that person and simply meant to be a testimony for us to learn to turn to God’s word for our instruction, blessings and promises?

Those books, those testimonies are to draw us into God … not the person who shared the testimony! I am not going to get closer to God or His plan for me by hanging on to your testimony. Your testimony, my testimony is to show the work of God through me … How He changes the world USING me, His lowly daughter … just plain Andrea.

My testimony should direct you to Him and His Word. Why read my blog and forgo God’s Word. If you read anything past this sentence today please let it be God’s Word on your situation! That  said …

I follow this particular advise I’m giving you today. I turn to God’s Word, I memorize scripture that is Him speaking directly to and about my current situations.

YES! A 2014 year old book speaks directly to my circumstances today! And I’ve studied enough that when I hear a word or conversation it brings scripture to my remembrance.

My experience with God on that ER gurney 5 years ago started with a scripture rising up in my spinning head. Ezekiel 36:26

“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.”

God spoke to me, as if in a dream-state, within the context of that scripture. Now, yes, I enjoy God actually speaking to me directly. I garnered this privilege by being one of His most stubborn and thickheaded daughters. I also believe I received this privilege because when I had my first encounter with Him I was young and need the tangible voice. I feel truly blessed by this particular level of intimacy with the Father; while I know that for some it is disturbing or seems untrue, I assure you it is neither.

The Holy Spirit will bring to our remembrance what we’ve put in … I encourage you today to use God’s Words, those verses that speak to you, open up within you, when your read them. That opening or expanding sensation you get when God speaks to you through His Word is revelation and knowledge and wisdom … one or any combination therein.

It feels alive to me. And that’s because the Word is alive, a living representation of God’s love for us! So as a starter, to assist in the healing of any area or ailment in your life here are a few amazing healing verses for you to start with. I firmly encourage you to take these verses and read them in your bible. If you don’t own a bible yet go to Biblegate.com and start to read there. You can use any version you like and you can even have it read it to you!

 

Memory Verses for Healing –

Read these, Pray these back to Father … He will respond directly to you! Keep them in your Remembrance and Holy Spirit will send them when you are in need of them!

John 4:4 {Greater is He…}

You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.

Isaiah 53:5 { By His stripes we were healed … note the “were”}

But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.

Psalm 118:17 {The original Speak Life verse!}

I will not die but live, and will proclaim what the LORD has done.

and one more for now …

Luke 5:17 {The power of the Lord is present to heal YOU!}

One day He was teaching; and there were some Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting there, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem; and the power of the Lord was present for Him to perform healing.

I encourage you, go now and read these scriptures and the whole story around them … write them down and repeat them when you are feeling the ill effects of the ailment that pains you. Let the understanding wash over you … like in this last one: it so powerfully opens up the truth for me!

THE POWER OF THE LORD IS PRESENT TO HEAL!

I know, it’s my revelation knowledge, but I can promise you it’s my knowledge that God is with me right now, present and healing because I did what I am encouraging you to do right now. I felt pain, I ran to the Word and read what God said … and there is no where in the bible, that I’ve found, where it says that God was present in my illness. The Word only says He is present, He is willing, He is speaking, MY HEALING.

Make this Yours today! Blessing to you and thank you for reading.

 

 

Thank You for Reading.
Andrea

31 Days Journey to Healing

What I say … It’s Day 8 of the 31 day writing challenge!

Was struck by Kate Motaung’s prompt for 31 days of 5 minute free writes this morning, as I had been thinking about a concept that I’d been taught in my Christian walk.

Speaking Life.

So for today’s post – 8th of the 31 – I am going to use Kate’s prompt for my Healing Scripture post. =) Thanks Kate!

A few years ago I tried my hand at my own blog link up. I only had a few followers and it didn’t take off … Few Words Thursday came out of a desire to say what I had to say concisely and to the point, in a profound manner that really caught the thoughts of another. I remain one of those people that you come to only if you want it straight up and to the point.

The wound [word] of a friend can be trusted. Proverbs 27:6A. A true friend always tells the truth in love and with grace.

But this challenge, for me, is about healing and what that brings to mind in reference to the prompt “say” has to do with what we speak. What we say, outloud and within our selves, quietly.

The Word says that we were made in God’s image. Genesis 1:27.

It also says we would do the things Jesus did and greater things. John 14:12.

It’s all about what the Word says.

So in as few words as possible, in memory to my fallen link up … =)

When it comes to illness in Hutchland we don’t speak the illness. We say what God says about the illness. We put the name of the illness or ailment under the feet and blood of Jesus. And God says …

The Lord does not delay and is not tardy or slow about what He promises, according to some people’s conception of slowness, but He is long-suffering (extraordinarily patient) toward you, not desiring that any should perish, but that all should turn to repentance.

2 Peter 3:9

For he “has put everything under his feet.” Now when it says that “everything” has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:27

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, Philippians 2:9-10

Cancer is under the feet of Jesus. CHF is under the feet of Jesus. Obesity is under the feet of Jesus. Addictions is under the feet of Jesus.

Those names are beneath the name of Jesus.

So what do we say, here in Hutchland, about these diagnosis’?

We say the Word of God over them. We speak life in this house, not death! We say …

The diagnosis is under our feet {we were created in the likeness of God; likeness meaning God’s DNA.} because we’ve been given that authority.

We DO NOT say “I have” or “My (fill in the illness)” … I never say The Hubs has lung cancer … I say the diagnosis the doctors reported to us was …. We don’t own things that are not apart of God.

We say life and life more abundant! We say … but God … to all the reports that do not fit into God’s Word and Will.

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. John 10:10

We say we are Blessed of God and Healed in the name of Jesus’ and God hears that and He honors our trust in Him with wonders and miracles!

Like …

The Hubs, in over a year, has had very little of the side effects that we are accustomed to hearing in regard to cancer and chemotherapy. VERY LITTLE nausea or vomiting. NO days and weeks in bed debilitated by the treatments, which cause as much, or more harm than good.

Miracles happen when we SAY what God says about the circumstances of our lives!

So I suggest that we all work on not saying the negative! Replace our negative thoughts and words with God’s life giving thoughts and words!

Say LIFE! That’s what we do here in Hutchland; no matter how hard the day may be, we Speak Life!

Blessings to you and Thanks so much for reading!

Andrea

 

 

31 Days Journey to Healing

 

 

31 days of Five Minute Free Writes

 

 

31 Days!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Copyright © AHutchinsonPhotography™ 2007 – 2014- All rights reserved. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material and/or photographs without express and written permission from the writer/photographer is strictly prohibited.

Simplicity of Healing :31 Days:

My daily 5 minutes in healing scripture! A 31 Days of Writing in 5 minute challenge. Click the buttons at the bottom of my posts to: Go to all my challenge posts or to go to any of the blogs that hosts these two challenges! The buttons are self explanatory. =)

Now onto the challenge of writing this post in 5 short minutes!

Go!

Walking with God … Beyond the Cross

^{Matthew 9: 5-8}

⁵ Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? ⁶ But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed man, “Get up, take your mat and go home.” ⁷ Then the man got up and went home. ⁸ When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to man.

The world would tell us that certain “illnesses” or “diseases” are terminal. Cancer, heart disease, addictions! Some would even say the afflicted could have avoided these ailments with different lifestyle choices. However, with all of the study and research and information available and applied these things continue to exist.

What is it about healing that is so very hard for the human race?

It is now my understanding that healing is a mind thing. A spiritual thing. Which is easier, to accept forgiveness or to accept healing? I believe for some both are virtually impossible; that is until they come to an understanding of God and His character.

When we decide to believe God and His promises we should begin to live right. And in that living right we begin to heal … Mind, Body and Spirit.

But it always goes back to BELIEF.

Belief in Jesus. Belief in healing. Belief that God means what He says and does what He promises.

And Healing was and remains a promise!

Whether you believe yourself to be Born Again or “just” a spiritual person, God sent Jesus to HEAL the world. ALL of them, not only the “chosen”. ALL of THEM!

“THEM” are US! ALL of US!

Mark 2:17

When Jesus heard this, he told them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor–sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.”

It’s simple. We can heal, we just need to believe what Jesus came to do. We are often asked if we believe in The Cross … and we say yes. But … do we truly understand the gravity of what that means? The Cross is so much more than a piece of wood, or a tree … The Cross is Jesus and what He provided for us. The Cross is a bridge from the fallen world and a fallen life to a Life of Abundance in all things; salvation, healing, righteousness …

I’ve said it before and I’ll likely end up here several times in this challenge.

HEALING was complete in the Atonement! We said YES to Jesus so essentially we said yes not only to salvation but to complete healing body, soul and spirit. Is it a process? Yes … because we question and we doubt and we delay the renewing of our minds.

The Fruit

The simplicity of healing is at the cross … the completion of healing is beyond the cross; is a changing of the mind and life. Complete healing is a fruit we bring forth in our walk with God.

Stop!

I for one, am not content with just sitting at the cross. I am going to accept my forgiveness, and forgive myself too, get up and walk and complete my healing and the healing of my family. I’m going to work this process and deepen my understanding and relationship with Jesus. Amen.

Thanks for stopping by.

Andrea

 

31 days of Five Minute Free Writes

 

 

31 Days Journey to Healing

{I’ve been} READY | A FMF Post

It’s Friday [well almost] and I’m joining the Five Minute Friday group again. Just five minutes of writing what’s on my heart, from my heart, without worry about the perfection of my words. No edits, no spell checks just my heart and this blinking cursor in this WordPress box!

You can join us! If you need the skinny on the hows and whys check here.

This weeks prompt is … Ready!

Set … and Go!

Since September 3, 2013 I’ve been READY for this season to be over! Yes, from day one! And I ask, who would not be ready?

A cancer diagnosis does so much to a person in a years time; to a family, to a wife and to the afflicted! It changes everything!

For the most part The Hubs is doing amazingly well. I’ve read snippets and heard some about how lung cancer is a horrible thing. Well, duh! I’d say any cancer is a horrible thing! But he is really doing well. We’ve had some rough times here in Hutchland lately; this second round of chemo is rougher than the first round with the radiation. But they are being more aggressive because a “little” spot moved to his liver. Still … he’s up and doing his thing most days.

But we’re ready for this to be over! And God knows we are; though the docs are being the docs and saying what they have to say and it can be very discouraging! They see the improvements and raise their eyebrows in obvious disbelief when they hear his lung functioning normally when just a year ago it was completely closed. In fact they are more focused on the liver this round than the lung! Though it still causes them pause that the lung is functioning.

Yet their words are cautious and their prognosis is guarded.

They don’t know our God, I imagine. Their words betray their lack of knowledge of the promises. So we wait and see, they test and treat, and The Hubs is making his decisions whether or not to continue; which gives me pause.

But …. All in God’s timing right? We are ready whenever He is. Hopefully sooner than later!

O’ Lord this man.
We declare and decree the Word of God.
“Greater is He that is in you than He that is in the world.”
“By His stripes you are healed.”
“No weapon formed against you shall prosper.”
“You shall not die but live and declare the works of the Lord.”
“Don’t forget the benefits of God. He heals all our diseases.”
“The Lord will restore health to you and heal you of your wounds.”
“Affliction will not rise up a second time.”
“The power of the Lord is present to heal you.”

Until then we hold firm to the promise of healing: “He sent out His Word and healed them; He rescued them from the grave.” Psalm 107:20

We’re READY!

STOP.

Andrea

Copyright © AHutchinsonPhotography™ 2007 – 2014- All rights reserved. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material and/or photographs without express and written permission from the writer/photographer is strictly prohibited.

O’ Lord this man of mine

Good morning, at least I pray yours is. =)

Me, HopeAnnFaith, mine is not going so well. I still have my hope and my faith; but I am battling a report from yesterday.

Today I find myself angry.
The Hubs is fine. Doing quite well in fact, and he’s made whatever decisions he made about the report yesterday, though I don’t know what exactly that is, yet; I do know we are proceeding with the next two rounds.

O’ Lord this man

O’ Lord, this man of mine! What will I do ….. !?!

As for me, I am having issues with what the Doctor said. Essentially he said that the chemo would not end, until it doesn’t work anymore, and then we would move on to something else or we would stop, should The Hubs choose to stop treatments, whichever comes first.

Which means, in the medical translation, that this illness will take over at some point.

I know that this is completely UNACCEPTABLE in God’s plan. This does not fit into God’s Word so it is NOT truth.

Like I said, The Hubs is doing well, so the whole of the report was not bad. The Doc did say (about that “new” enlarged lymph node) that it makes no sense that a therapy that is working in the lungs and the liver is not working in other areas; being that the treatment is carried through the bodies system by the blood, which travels every area of the body. (I was happy with his optimism in this respect). The Doc is optimistic, obviously, that The Hubs is healthy enough to continue treatments.

That said, we both noticed that The Doc seemed down the whole time. Not quite as “happy” as usual. Now that could mean he was just having a not good day, or he was tired, or overwhelmed getting back into the flow after a wonderful vacation. The Docs “mood” let’s say could have nothing to do will the CAT scan reports or the techs insistence that the lymph node is newly enlarged. His demeanor could just be a personal thing, but we were deeply aware that he seemed “not himself”.

Back to the subject: I have to hang onto the phrase “I cannot” tell you it’s gone because it has moved. He cannot? Why? Maybe because of protocol or the legalities of malpractice.
A year ago, when this all began, we purposely asked him not to tell us the stage so that it was not put in our heads and more so, on my part, because we believe in the creative authority of our spoken words. He respected that … yet somehow we got here, with the words from yesterday. I need them to be rebuked, because they cannot be unsaid.
I have to meditate on the concept that God’s Word says this is not acceptable or I’m going to shut down.

I have to believe God at His Word.

There is no alternative.

I am angry and fighting fear. I am fighting trying to plan for the whatifs. I am fighting envisioning life alone.

I am fighting for what I know to be true, without being able to see it in the natural.
Lord, please, I believe, I do. Please help me with my unbelief!

I saw a inspirational quote on Facebook this morning, so I decided to be creative with it.

Strong Enough – A Reminder

Well, thanks for reading. I hope my trials somehow help someone to know they are not alone in these things that make up our lives.

Always remember, God’s got it all in hand; and when you’re ready you can hand Him your trial too; He’ll handle it for you. That is Grace. Because, Father Loves us unconditionally … think of how you love your children or your pet or whom ever it is you love … then think, How much more does God love me? I tell you true, His love for YOU is infinite! Eternal! Forever and ever and ever … infinity!

O’ This Man

Andrea