Last night my Dear Hubby and I were talking about my latest doctor’s appointment on 9/18/2023 and my ongoing maladies:
autoimmune disease that we are still working to control after 2-3 years of symptoms,
ongoing insomnia issues,
five years, and counting, of menopause symptoms,
side effects of medications,
side effects from autoimmune symptoms,
fatigue, stress/anxiety, and general malaise, at times.
My Hubby mentioned that my current struggles remind him of the story of Job…How God permitted Satan to bring trials to Job’s life as a testament to Job’s righteousness as a faithful servant. Job experienced personal and financial loss, illness, suffering and even rejection from his remaining family and friends as a result of the Enemy’s plagues against him. Yet in the midst of those trials, Job remained faithful to God. Even when he wife challenged him and his decision to continue to submit to God, he remained faithful and shared his heart with her.
His wife said to him, “Are you still maintaining your integrity? Curse God and die!”
He [Job] replied, “You are talking like a foolish[b] woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?”
Job’s friends challenged him…even blamed him…that he had to have done something wrong to be in the situation of struggle that he was facing. Job continued to argue his case that he was not to blame; yet he did not know why this was happening to him. In all of this, Job did not just talk about God with his friends and his wife. He also cried out toGod with his struggles and confusion.
Job’s words and actions have also brought me words of HOPE and JOY. Job has reminded me that my God and Father cares for me. He knows my limitations and He desires to strengthen me and my relationship with him through and due to my trials. I must go through these situations for growth and renewed closeness to my Savior.
In summary, some of the LESSONS I learned from the Book of Job are the following:
I am able to love God and remain faithful to him while lamenting my losses and burdens.
God is big enough to handle my honesty and my laments. (Plus…He already knows them anyway.)
I am able to pray to God about all my fears and doubts.
God will never leave me and he protects me in my trials.
Even in the midst of the most devastating trials, I may still put my hope and joy in the Lord.
God is in control of all things.
My trials have the ability to draw me closer to my Savior.
Unlike Job’s wife and friends, my Hubby has supported, encouraged and cared for me through my health journey. He has protected me when I have struggled to set boundaries. He has provided countless foot rubs when I need to relax and rest. He has gifted me with little (and not so little) surprises to help bring me joy and community with those I love. Thank you, Pat, for your care, compassion and love. You are a gift from God to me.
I hope and pray the story of Job brings you comfort and hope in the midst of your trials, too, my Friends. Bless you this day and every day!
PRAYER:
Abba, Father. Thank you for your faithfulness to us. Thank you for the promise to never leave us, the promise to never burden us with more than we can bare, and the promise to love us and build us up during and through our trials. Our hope is in you, Jesus. You have sacrificed your life to save ours. Thank you for your unconditional love. Amen.
QUESTIONS TO PONDER:
What is your current trial or trials?
Who are you leaning on…yourself or your Savior?
Have you been honest with yourself and with Jesus about your fears, your concerns and your frustrations?
It’s been three MONTHS since my last update! On June 21, 2023, I posted Life’s Journey #16 – New Meds / New Challenges to share with you my choice to try a new drug for my autoimmune disease. I can’t believe it has been that long! Today was my first appointment with my doctor after making the change.
The GOOD NEWS!
My bloodwork is good!
My blisters are smaller and fewer overall!
I am seeing improvement!!
The NOT-SO-GOOD NEWS!
I am experiencing joint pain…knees, hips, hands, wrists, elbows, and shoulders. So much so that I am not able to do normal activities such as kayaking, jogging, mowing the yard (oh, darn), and even opening cans and jars!
I have to stop the drug for one month to determine if the joint pain is related to the drug.
I may have relapses during this break on the drug.
If it is not due to the drug then I have to see another specialist to determine if I have developed another autoimmune malady.
Our decision to stop the drug for one month brings mixed emotions for me. It is disappointing because I feel like I am gradually getting better by being on it. My blisters are fewer and smaller than they have been up to this point. BUT I am encouraged that I have a doctor that is cautious and concerned for my overall well-being. She does NOT want to trade one area of pain with another area of pain. She feels this is our best choice to truly determine if the two are related.
My WIN in this TRIAL: We have a path forward!
Stop for one month.
If pain subsides, then we switch drugs.
If pain remains, then we schedule appointment with a Rheumatologist for additional evaluation.
I am so grateful for the support of my family, my doctor, my friends, and especially my faith that God has this in His control. He knows what I am going through, and He knows what is ahead for me to learn, to be patient, and to grow in this experience.
Thank you, Jesus, for your love and guidance and strength in the midst of what is unknown for me, BUT clearly known by you. I trust you to bring me through this! Thank you for the Truth of your Word from Psalms:
Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me. He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies. He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!
I would love to support you, my Sweet Friend, with any trials you may be having. Please share in the Comments below how I may best pray for you. If you are not comfortable sharing publicly, then you may email me at stacy@stacyturley.com.
“Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.”
~Psalm 37:4 (ESV)
PRAYING SCRIPTURE:
Abba Father. What does it mean to “delight myself” in You? When I am delighted in other things or other people, I want to be with them, learn more about them. I want to comfort and encourage the person with whom I am delighted as well as be comforted and encouraged by them.
This is also true for me when I think about being delighted in You…When I delight in you, I want:
To spend time with You… time in prayer, worship and praise.
To spend time in your Word… learning who you are.
To have community with You all day.
To spend quiet moments in solitude to ponder your promises.
To celebrate Your presence in my life.
To lift my voice in song to You, Lord.
To journal, meditate on and remember all the ways You have revealed Yourself in my life.
To express my gratitude for Your love and sacrifice.
To express my gratitude for who You are
To express gratitude for answered prayers whether the answer was YES, NO, or WAIT.
To extend to others the same love, service and forgiveness you have shown me.
Lord, when I think about the 2nd half of this verse… “He will give you the desires of your heart”… help me remember that this does NOT mean You will give me anything I want. But it does mean that when I do “delight myself in the Lord”…in YOU…my desires will be transformed and realigned with your desires. I will want to share of your redemption and restoration for humanity through Your healing power, Your great love, Your generous forgiveness and Your servant’s heart with those around me and around the world. I will want to be more like You in my thoughts, words, generosity, forgiveness and service. When I respond to You and Your will, You will be faithful to complete a good work through me. Amen and Thank You, Jesus!
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.”
~Romans 8:28
PRAYING SCRIPTURE:
Lord, You know me so well! You know all my strengths, weaknesses, gifts and hang-ups. You know this because You created me. You molded me like clay in the Potter’s hand. You shaped, carved, and perfected me with Your own hands and from Your own image. It makes me wonder in awe how You do that for each of us and every being You created is unique and gifted and planned for purpose. With so many people in the past, so many living, and so many yet to come, You are creating and creating and creating. While at the same time, You hear our prayers and watch over all of us. You promise to never leave us. Amazing! You are a mighty and powerful God.
Lord, as apostle Paul wrote to us in Romans, “…all things work for Your good.” You are in CONTROL, Lord. I am living a lie if I think I have control. My trust is in You. You have a grand plan for Your creation and a specific plan for each of us. Even when I make the wrong choice You are able to work it out for Your good and the good of Your creation. You are able and willing to redeem our stories. Thank You, Lord, for Your guiding hand in my life. Amen.
Praying…what does it mean exactly? Is there a method to prayer? How do I do it and what do I say? Is there a right or wrong way to pray? I know God is not a vending machine where I only come to Him when I want something. I know he wants a relationship with me and I with Him. But sometimes I wonder, “Am I doing it right?” Or, “Does He hear me?” Or, “How do others pray?” Or, “Is there a better way?”
I know I have asked these questions of myself. So if you are also asking them…just know, you are not alone.
So what is PRAYER? Simply put it is time and communication with God. So what is communication? It is giving, receiving, and sharing information. It is a two-way path between me and God….between YOU and God.
What I love about prayer AND find very difficult, is that it is not just me talking to God. God wants and will respond to me too. BUT, I have to be silent and listen. I have to pause and let Him lead me. He wants to lead and love on all of us. He wants a relationship with all of us through His Son Jesus. We need to pause and listen for the still small voice, the gentle whisper, of our loving Father. (1 Kings 19:11-13)
ACRONYMS FOR PRAYER:
I have seen suggestions on acronyms to remind us of the different areas of prayer such as ACTS, PRAY or CHAT:
A – Acknowledge God and His sovereignty.
C –Confess my sin
T – Offer Thanksgiving and gratitude
S – Supplication or asking humbly/earnestly for something
P – Praise
R – Repent
A – Ask
Y – Yield
C – Confess
H – Honor
A – Ask
T – Thanks
All of these are great and are also very similar. Any one of them can help as a guide for our prayer time.
SCRIPTURE JOURNALING AND PRAYING SCRIPTURE
In addition to these helpful reminders, I have recently been reintroduced to another form of prayer that has touched my heart and replenished my soul. And that is by “praying scripture”. Back in the day, I used to do this but for whatever reason I stepped away from scripture journaling and praying scripture. At the beginning of August 2023, I received emails, heard podcasts, and read books that all pointed to this method. I felt the Holy Spirit nudging me to go back to the Word of God in my quiet time to pray. To use God’s very Word of Truth to be the foundation of my prayers. And to write them out…putting pen to paper.
Pen-to-paper seems like such a slow method of journaling these days, but I found it to be dramatically healing and life-giving. By slowing my mind and thoughts through the process of writing, I am able to use the rhythm of the flowing strokes not only to process my thoughts but also to process and reflect on what God is telling me through the Words of scripture. To process the lessons and the promises and the wisdom He is providing to me.
DAILY LITTLE MIRACLES
I am also shocked by the timeliness of the passages to my life. I have often asked, “How did you know I needed to hear this, God? Your Words were a salve to my soul.” I am experiencing my own little miracles through this process by receiving direction, counsel, and wisdom for the very trials that are in my life or dominating my mind. The Word itself allows me to feel closer to God in those moments when it feels like He is speaking directly to me through His Word.
I CAN’T HELP BUT PRAISE HIM
But it is not just direction or wisdom for my life, the scripture also points me to praise and thanksgiving for God’s character, love, mercy, faithfulness, promises and love. I am able to see Him act in the lives of those found in the Word from thousands of years ago. I see His love in action and the love of His followers to others in need. I see His followers serving others and Him in their actions even when they too are suffering. Praying through the scriptures has linked me to those who came before me as I realize their words are my words; their thoughts are my thoughts; their cries are my cries; and their words of praise are my words of praise for our Savior Jesus and the love he has for me.
FUTURE BLOG POSTS
I will be sharing some of my prayers with you in future posts. Prayers that have flowed from my heart through my pen to the paper that have touched me deeply and allowed my soul to be soothed by the messages. I hope they are a stimulus for you to pull out your Bible and use it as a prayer tool.
PRAYER
Abba Father, You are a gracious and merciful God. I am in awe that You desire a relationship with me. You are the Creator of this world, the sun and the moon, the stars and the galaxies, the animals, plants, and crawly-things. Yet even with all of this You created man-kind in Your image. You created me. AND You want a relationship with me. Thank You, Jesus, for the love You have for Your creation. Thank YOu for the examples I have in Your Word of Your love, your promises, and your wisdom. Help me lean on You for my decisions. Help me praise You for Your love and glory. Help me act for You as a servant to those around me. Help me use Your Word as a tool for communication with You. Amen.
QUESTIONS TO PONDER:
Are you using Scripture as a tool for prayer currently? If not, are you willing to try?
How has God spoken to you through the passages of the Bible?
What is your favorite scripture that seems to speak to you ever time you read it?
I would love for you to share your experiences as you use scripture journaling and praying scripture as a tool for communication with our Lord and Savior. Please share in the comments below or send me a private email to stacy@stacyturley.com.
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