Thank you Lord for a wonderful Thursday!
We started the morning off a little rocky, Kayleigh had a nasty headache when she woke this morning. I’m sure it is because she was completely exhausted from the first day of school, but those headaches, no matter the reason, always give me pause. It was bad enough to make her nauseous but thankfully not sick. With the way she looked I thought I would be keeping her home this morning – but I was wrong. The headache passed and she was ready for school! She had a doctor’s appointment today so it was an abbreviated school day which didn’t wear her out and she is looking forward to tomorrow. She even felt well enough this evening to swing by the softball fields and say hello to her friends.
Her doctor’s appointment also went well. I am so glad we decided to seek supplemental support for Kayleigh’s treatment. We know medicine is a wonderful thing but we also know that we can do things to help the body balance, regulate and allow everything to work better. Just in the last week we have seen subtle improvements in symptoms and vast improvement in her emotional state. Sometimes we rely too heavily on science and fail to take into account the human aspect. Medicine doesn’t fix insecurities, worries or fear – but when we address those issues, and can find a positive perspective – everything looks better.
Since Kayleigh’s diagnosis God has been hard at work in me. It kind of feels like a super speed, crash course on how to walk closer to God. It’s an awesome course but a little terrifying at times. I’m seeing Him make changes in me that without such a massive catalyst, would have taken years to come about or possibly not happened at all. Because I am choosing to walk closer to Him, He is able to replace my anger with hope and fear with peace. He is also giving me more perspective – I can see when you are in a situation that you have no control over it is easy to get lost in self pity. We (people in general) are quick to blame – ourselves or other people (I struggle here). We get angry. We get lost in the negative. It’s a vicious cycle and it’s completely unhealthy. I had a gentle reminder today that it’s up to me to break the cycle. So this is your reminder – it’s up to you to break the cycle.
Whether you have something big going on like a major illness or you have a plethora of the small things nipping at you ankles, eating up your joy, you get to choose how to respond. Human nature tells us we have the right to be mad or sad. God tells us that our identities are in Him and that the storm doesn’t even matter. Because if we are centered in Christ, walking His path, focused on Him, we aren’t worried about the storm anyway. I mean, you’re walking with the One who can calm the storm with a whisper, right?
So let the storm rage all around you – and smile. Because if you have Jesus, you have already won. Keep your focus on Christ and draw your joy from Him. He never runs out.
1 Peter 1:6-9
6 So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. 7 These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world. 8 You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy. 9 The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls.
Prayer request – this is a big one… We need the trials that we sent scans to let us know if Kayleigh is a candidate. Time is getting short. We know God already has the details worked out but would appreciate your prayers on our behalf!
Until tomorrow,
‘Carrow 💜
