This week we remember Jesus’s love for us when he allowed himself to be crucified on the cross because of his great love for us. He took our guilt and sin on himself and paid the penalty of sin, which is death. Death being not just physical but also separation from God. Jesus’s sacrifice on our behalf opens the way for us to be forgiven and enter into relationship with God and receive eternal life.
It is awe inspiring when I ponder it. Jesus who knew no sin, committed no sin, took my sins, our sins, on himself because he loves us. It causes me to be in awe and wonder filled with gratitude.
I love Laruen Daigle’s song How Can It Be because it expresses those sentiments so well. May this Holy Week be a blessed time for you as we remember Jesus’s love and sacrifice for us.
Caller ID can be a mixed blessing. It helps to screen out calls but it also shows calls that I know I shouldn’t avoid but wish to avoid. Case in point from yesterday, I saw that all too familiar phone number calling me. It was my doctor’s office as in Primary Care Physician.
I ignored it and let it go to voice mail. However, ten minutes later it was time to listen to the voice mail. It was a nurse calling to schedule a follow up to my most recent ER adventure. So I called back. She tried to get me in yesterday, but it did not work. She offered me an 8am appointment today. That was a no go for me.
Her persistence paid off when she told me she could get me in at 10:30am today. Have no fear my dear readers because by having the appointment at 10:30, it means finishing perhaps about 11:30. It was strategic on my part. My favorite burger place is not far from my doctor’s office. I can reward myself with a cheeseburger and fries after the appointment. 🙂
So the agenda today is doctor, burger, and later this afternoon teaching English at the Ukrainian church. It will be a whirlwind of activity. There might even be time for the coffee shop today.
Speaking of caller ID, did you know God has a sort of caller ID? For me it is in the form of a worship song in my spirit. There have many times that a worship song was in my spirit and I knew God was telling me something whether it was to pray for someone, to remember a truth from the bible, give comfort, or give guidance. That is a caller ID that I welcome.
Last spring there were two things I felt the Lord place in my spirit for ministry. One was helping Ukrainian refugees and the other was my upcoming book Jesus Understands Trauma. Since that time, my old car broke down beyond repair, I have had three bouts of bronchitis, ER visits, two minor heart procedures to correct heart flutter, pericarditis, and currently mild case of pneumonia.
I have lived with chronic illness for many years. Pain and fatigue are the worst parts, but there is another part that is insidious at times which is isolation. A flare up hits and staying home is a necessity but also means missing other people. This bout of pneumonia caused me to isolate for five days which mixed with lack of sleep can spell trouble.
What is a boy to do? Look to the Lord. Psalm 121:1 says:
I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip— he who watches over you will not slumber
Remembering that Jesus has blessed us with fellow Christians is important for me because he works through others. For me it starts by messaging my pastor to let him know what is going on. Confiding in some friends is helpful as well. Jesus created us too be relational. He has given us the body of Christ.
Fellowship with fellow believers is so important. It provides protection spiritually. It is vital to do so because darkness likes to pounce when we are going through a difficult time.
There are also the unexpected little moments that God can bless us through. I watched the recent American Idol episode and was blessed when Lauren Daigle surprised a young singer who was auditioning. The young singer was singing You Say and Lauren Daigle came in a sang with her.
Whether through prayer, reading my bible, fellowship with fellow believers, or in life’s little moments, all day yesterday Alisa Turner’s song Lift My Eyes was in my spirit.
I haven’t posted since Valentine’s Day. Guess who got sick again? Yes, me. Fortunately a snow canceled my classes Thursday and Fridays I am off, so I tried resting at home, but to no avail. After four sleepless nights due to coughing, I went to an Urgent Care place yesterday knowing they would prescribe the prednisone and antibiotics I needed. I chose to go there wanting to avoid the ER because I have been there too many times in recent months-three times. The physician at the Urgent Care place told me if I do not improve to go to the ER. She also let me know I was in the beginning of developing pneumonia and to take it seriously.
I had to cancel my two classes at the Ukrainian church. That is the worst thing for me not being there for my refugee friends. That is a downer for me.
On top of it all, when I started to my car, it sounded like the muffler had gone out. However, I think someone stole the catalytic converter. So it should be more of a nuisance thing because insurance will cover it.
But I am turning my focus on Jesus and what he has called me to do. It felt like a good time to again share Lauren Daigle’s song I Will Trust In You.
We sang this song during worship yesterday in my church. I loved the song and wanted to share it with you. The message is simple and yet profound. Jesus does not need anything from us. There is nothing we can give him that he cannot create for himself. All we can do is give him our gratitude through our praise.
Through our praise we can express our gratitude and love for Jesus who did so much for us. He left heaven to become a human baby. He lived in this earthly life and allowed himself to be killed so he could die for our sins. Then he defeated death for us. Now he is in heaven preparing places for those who believe in him.
It is fascinating for me to watch God at work and who he works through. He often works through people who others would think of as least likely. Case in point-me helping three musicians receive instruments.
Why would I say I am least likely? I have never played an instrument, never learned to read music, never learned to play an instrument. Yet God chose to work through me to facilitate three musicians to receive instruments that help them in their ministries.
Last summer it was connecting my friend Samuel from Honduras with an older couple from my church who had a nice guitar sitting unused in their basement. They gave it to him and he now uses the guitar to help him lead worship in his Spanish speaking church.
Then it was helping my young friend Ester receive a violin stepping out in faith that donations would come in to pay for one loaned to her by a friend at church. Through generous brothers and sisters in Christ the donations came in to fully cover it.
Most recently it was sharing about a worship leader from Ukraine who had to leave his guitar behind. A generous person gave him a guitar after I shared my new friend’s story.
So God worked through me, a person with no musical ability, a person who often listens without singing in church because I need a much lower bass tune, to help three musicians have the instruments they needed for their worship ministries.
Jesus can work through anyone. All he needs is a willingly heart and he will take care of the rest.
So many times Jesus has carried me through dark times. I did not always see it at the time but after making it through a rough time, looking back I could see it so clearly.
Jesus will never leave us. He stays with us through it all and in the end welcomes us home with open arms. Whatever we experience in this life, we can be sure of one thing. Jesus is with us-ALWAYS.
A few weeks ago I shared about a Ukrainian worship leader who had to leave his guitar behind when Hheleft Ukraine in my post A Ukrainian Worship Left His Guitar Behind. A generous person read the post and donated a guitar for him to have.
Nicolai came here with his wife and three year old daughter. He stayed behind in Ukraine for six months to share Jesus with Ukrainians fleeing the war. He reunited with his wife and daughter come to here.
Yesterday we met at my church’s office for him to receive the guitar. He was thrilled.. He tuned it and played a few songs. A picture if s is worth a thousand words. so here are the pictures of him opening the box and . holding the guitar.
He has a guitar now and can start helping with worship in the Ukrainian church here.
We can trust in Jesus the one who laid down his life for us and defeated death for us. He is our creator and Savior who loves us deeply. We can look to him in every situation.
This song seemed appropriate for me as I head out to the hospital for minor surgery to correct my heart rhythm. Jesus has been with me and seen me through so much in my life. I am grateful for his constant presence in my life.
Seven years ago I began the experience of what I call being a pinball patient going from doctor to doctor to try to find out what was wrong. At that time, I came across this video by Kristene DiMarco-It Is Well. Since that time, I have listened to it every day and some days more than once, some days several times.
I have shared it before, but felt it would be good to share it again today. Today is a double doctor day for me. I have an MRI this morning with check in at 7am. The MRI is to determine if I have ankylosing spondylitis which is an arthritis that is in the spine. Then at 1pm I have an appointment with an cardiac electro physiologist which is a doctor who does ablations. I need one to correct my heart rhythm.
So I will start my morning, way too early, by listening to It Is Well and praying. It is a video that has blessed me, so I am sharing it in hopes it blesses you as well.
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