Life is hard. Kindness, courage, and love will help you prosper.
Psalms 46:10
Be still, and know that I am God:
I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.
In order to understand the goodness of the Lord, we must take time to be still. God speaks in a still small voice (1 Kings 19:12).
Our fast paced lives filled with activities or places we must go can rob us of the peace and joy we can have through Christ. Nothing is as important as spending quiet reflective time with the Saviour.
Have you taken time to be still and listen?
May 15, 2018
7:55a- Woke up hurting all over. Eyes watery. Stuffy nose. Congested. Rt hip aches. Both hands swollen.
Romans
12:3
For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not
to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly,
according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
It’s not only dangerous to overestimate our thinking of ourselves, but also dangerous to think that you don’t amount to much. Each of are valuable to God.
When we think too much of ourselves, we tend to try to do things in our own strength. When we think little of ourselves, when tend to fail to use the gifts God has given us.
God has given each of us a specific ability. Our duty is to seek out ways to use them for God’s glory. Working together our strengths can balance each other’s weaknesses, and build up the body of Christ.
3:29p- Attended my first TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury) support group meeting today. Told that attendance was down today. At one point, I think I counted 20+ people. Most people that attend received their TBI injuries from either auto accidents, physical injuries, or medically induced trauma. I was told that I was first person encountered that was struck by lightning.
I was not prepared. I was scared to death to attend because I didn’t know what to expect. Everyone was friendly and welcoming. There was a lot of information to take in. I started getting a bad headache half way through.
There’s actually two rehab groups represented. I was asked a lot of questions. I answered the best I could. I so wish I had my symptoms list with me bc I couldn’t remember them all.
There may be possibilities of avenues that I can get more help. What kind of help I don’t remember it all. I could possibly apply for disability.
I was told that TBI is a lifelong injury. Also, people with brain injuries continue to improve up to two years after initial injury and after that it doesn’t usually get better. (I didn’t like hearing that).
11:11p- Rt hip throbbing. Low back aches. Slight headache. Rt ear aches. Feeling a bit warm. Lower back feels like it has a fever. Severely congested.
May 13, 2018
It’s been a blessed 23 years. I thank the Lord for bringing us together. Joe has been the best thing (besides my salvation) that has ever happened to me. I love you to the moon and back again. Looking forward to another 23+ years together. ❤❤
11:45a- Rt hip aches. Random, periodic sharp stabbing pain in rt heel. Bp 165/101 hr 83
Noticed rash like bumps under upper arms. Trouble slightyly in following music. Lights a little bothersome.
11:19p- Sat up in bed reading about homeschooling for a little while. Reading is hard for me to do now. I used to be able to read for hours, but not now. It’s like my eyes jump everywhere on the page and then I get easily distracted. Reading for more than about twenty minutes gives me a bad headache. Lower back, rt hip, & rt leg throbbing now. Indigestion. Sinus congestion severe and causing cough
May 14, 2018
9:22a- Guess what!? My blood pressure is starting to come down. This morning it’s 149/94.
7.34p- Bad headache. Lights hurt eyes. Rt hip throbbing. Rt leg hurts as if I sprained it. Back of neck tight and throbbing.
9:31p- That moment when you worked hard to get dinner in the crockpot and you get home only to realize that you forgot to plug it in!
May 12, 2018
Luke 7:11-15
And it came to pass the day after, that he went into a city called Nain; and many of his disciples went with him, and much people. Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, behold, there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her. And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not. And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise. And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother.
Thankful that the Lord’s compassion has no limits or restrictions. He not only shares in our laughter and successes but also our tears and losses. He is with us each step of the way.
1:33p- What a nice surprise to get flowers & chocolates for Mother’s Day! My son sent them from college.
🎶Why should I feel discouraged? Why should the shadows come?
Why should my heart feel lonely
And long for heavenly home
When Jesus is my portion?
My constant friend is He
His eye is on the sparrow
And I know he watches me
His eye is on the sparrow
And I know He’s watching me
I sing because I’m happy
I sing because I’m free
For His eye is on the sparrow
And I know He’s watching me🎶
Author: Civilla D. Martin (1905)
Life may not always go the way you hope for, and it’s definitely not an easy road to hoe at times. Some trials are definitely not for the faint of heart, and they can cause even the toughest warriors to need to bow the knee and cry for just a while.
BUT GOD knows each and every individual need and He loves and cares for us. We need to never forget that He is always with us regardless of our circumstances.
Matthew 6:26
Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
Matthew 10:29-31
Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.
John 14:1
Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
Brotherly Kindness
“And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness;…” 2 Peter 1:5-7a
The Greek word for brotherly love is philadelphia which is a combination of two words “philia” (love) and “adelphos” (brother). It means to have kindness or love towards your brother. Romans 12:10 admonishes us to “Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love”. Affectioned is to cherish one’s kindred.
The way to develop brotherly kindness towards others is to spend time with other believers. This is not just socializing with them before and after services. This is putting into practice the commands found in scripture which tell us to not “forsake the assembly of ourselves together,…but exhorting one another…” (Hebrews 10:24). When we spend time in fellowship with other believers we not only build relationships, but we also exhort (encourage) and spur (provide the needed prodding) to seek the Lord.
Notice that in order to obtain brotherly kindness in our lives we must first have faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, and godliness? Once we become a part of God’s family we do not automatically have brotherly kindness towards others. Kindness is an important ingredient in dealing with relationships “especially unto them that are of the household of faith” Galatians 6:10. If we are to grow in our walk with the Lord, we must work on developing brotherly kindness, which is having true love of the brethren (1 Peter 1:22).
