Praise Be to God!!

Praise be to God!! I am healed!!

Relief rushed over me as I heard the doctor say, "You're colon was the size of a 300 pound man, and it was not going to heal. You made the right decision by having surgery." After a week and half past surgery, I can honestly say this is the best life decision/investment that I have ever made in myself. I have not felt this good in three and half years!!

God does make beauty from our pain. He is faithful! He does have plans to prosper us! God does cause things to work for the good of those who love him!!

I feel so blessed! I have my life back again!

I am so excited for the plans he has for my life. I know he will use me in powerful ways, and I can't wait!!

If any of you are going through a difficult time, please hold fast to the Lord. He loves you and will get you through anything! You may not know why bad things are happening to you, but pray and continue to rely on God. He will use those negative moments for huge blessings!

Sunshine Through The Rain

I feel the best I have felt in three years! (The awesome pain killers I'm on could be a contributing factor as well!) It is as if a toxic waste site has been removed from my body. I feel healthy! Today I was able to get a shower too. Now I'm clean on the inside and the outside!!

With all the amazing people praying for me, I am recovering quicker than expected. The doctor said I could get out of the hospital Monday evening. So if you want to visit me before I head back to Wabash for the rest of the month, I would come in the next couple days.

I'm starting to drift in and out so I'm going to close this up before I start ......se.tin.g .d./og.s. .an.d. c.a.t.s. .again with .c..............flagpoles.

Love you!

What Really Matters

Today my devotion focused on storing up treasures for yourself in heaven instead of focusing on storing treasures here on earth. Matthew 6:21 says, "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

As I prepare for my surgery tomorrow, this is a great reminder of what really is important.

Serving the Lord on this Earth. It is not about having a flawless figure, but it is about being able to show Christ's love to my neighbors. As I move forward with my life, I only hope that I can maintain a positive attitude and not focus on this "abnormality" that I have chosen to endorse. Instead, I pray I can focus on the fact that this will allow me to do the Lord's work on Earth. I will be able to have enough energy and time (now that I won't have to go to the bathroom all the time) to do things like volunteer at church or work like I have enjoyed doing pre-Crohn's disesase.

Each time I think about this decision I have made, I find another blessing at the end. I have no doubt that this will not be an easy or clean process, but I do know with all my heart that God will carry me through it all. He provides me with all that I need when I need it. Whether it be lovely friends to keep me company while I prep for surgery tomorrow, loved ones to pray me through each day, or a hand made card in the mail to pick me up on the day I need it most, I always seem to make it through each day with the hope of a better tomorrow. As a beautiful red head once said, "the sun'll come out tomorrow!"

Verses to lean on:

"I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength" Philippians 4: 12-13

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, ⁴ who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God." 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

"¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11