Faith, Fear & Praying Boldly

Hi All,

I did get a call from Jan about 5:00 p.m. today. They were in Ennis, Texas and called to get Ennis' weather report for tonight and earlier tomorrow to see whether they needed to go ahead and go on to Houston.

I would ask that you continue to take this to the throne of God. Specifically asking: peace, excellent results, wisdom for the doctors, wisdom for Jan & Gerald and lastly for safe travel. Please pray that Jan will remain positive with a bright outlook on her future.

Here is a bit of something about Faith and Fear:

"The antidote to suffocating, stifling, stagnating fear is simple faith."

"If the Lord be with us, we have no cause of fear. His eye is upon us, His arm over us, His ear open to our prayer. His grace is sufficient, His promise unchangeable." Written by John Newton."

So don't worry, because I am with you. Don't be afraid, because I am your God. I will make you strong and will help you; I will support you with my right hand that saves you." Isaiah 41:10

"One of the greatest promises of God is that we don't have to face our fears alone. He is always with us; never will He forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). In fact, when we truly experience His love, fear is cast away (1 John 4:18). Why? Love is what must be present for trust to flourish."

God will:
Help you in trouble ~ Psalms 46:1-2
Provide your needs and give you peace ~ Philippians 4:6-7
Eliminate fear ~ Leviticus 26:6
Give boldness ~ Proverbs 28:1

Since we truly experience His love, we can walk boldly, with a sense of confidence to God and let Him handle all the anxieties that trouble us.

Please pray that our family will remain steadfast in our Faith and that we will not give in to Fear. Nothing can rob you of joy, confidence, optimism and opportunities more quickly than a spirit of fear.

"I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge --that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God." Ephesians 3:17-19

Laurie Ann @ A Magnolia Heartbeat posted Monday, 01/26/09 on Boldly Approaching the throne with our requests/desires... If you have not seen this post, please check it out. Thanks Laurie

~Bolding approaching the throne of God with Faith~

I made another necklace tonight while I was trying to keep busy.

~WFW~Faith in the Night~

"After he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them. And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, "It is a ghost!" and they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid." - Matthew 14:24-27

Why is it that problems always seem bigger in the middle of the night? In the hours between the days, our fears loom larger and burdens grow heavier. It was between three and four o'clock in the morning when the disciples fought the storm on the Sea of Galilee. In Matthew 14 we hear about how their imaginations whipped around like a wild wind. And just when the storm was taking them under for the last time, Jesus walked by on the water! Crazy!

Just look at their response.

"And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, "It is a ghost!" and they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid."

Why do you doubt? He asked him. I'm right here.

We painfully identify with the disciples' fear. When we're out here on our own, our hearts become filled with fear. Overwhelmed by circumstances, we forget who He is. He's God. He's in control.

The Christian life is a life of faith. In faith you can say, God has made some promises and I believe Him. I don't always understand His ways, but I trust Him. He's in charge.

God has given you some assurances so that you can walk by faith while you're waiting for Him to work. You don't have to take your view your life from what you see happening right in front of you. Living by faith and holding onto God's promises gives stability and strength to life. Devotion taken from James McDonald

I find my heart is heavy tonight. There are so many people who are sick, and the numbers keep growing. In less than 1 month now, it will be a year since everything changed in our family. In this last year, it is unbelievable how MANY people who have cancer, alone. There are MANY other types of illnesses. And, so many people who are hurting for various reasons. Please join me today in praying for the many with illnesses, people who are hurting and for our country.

In particular, Jan was pretty wiped out from her last trip to MD Anderson. She is attempting to come off the steroids. Her potassium was low, so they are supplementing that. She said she felt off balanced. The nurse over this clinical trial she is on made a comment that these new feelings are due to the chemo. Pray that she will not dwell on these comments and that she will remain positive and feel GREAT!

And, Joyce is doing dramatically better. Thanks for praying.

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Love & Blessings!

Fear or Faith

Here it is Sunday evening. The last few weeks have flown by since Jan has been home from M.D. Anderson. Tonight, her and Gerald are back in Houston. Tomorrow is TEST day. We will see how the first round of treatment of radiation/chemo has worked.

I titled this blog entry "Fear or Faith" because I just got a reply from an email I had sent my cousin early this evening. She is also facing her own battle with cancer (Leukemia) and made a note that she has to keep reminding herself that the opposite of FEAR is FAITH.

Just rest in the Lord. This is what I should be doing. Trust the Lord. This is SO much easier said than done! This is my baby sister, her health, her life, and her future is all at stake! She has so much to live for. I feel guilty that she's the one with brain cancer.

Life is hard! God never said it would be easy. It just seems to be getting harder. It just seems like our family has been hit hard lately and the hits still keep coming.

Please pray for great results tomorrow for Jan; peace, wisdom for the doctors in the decisions for future treatment, wisdom for Gerald and I to know which treatment will be the best for me and lastly for safe travel.

Please also pray for other pending testing for our family that these results will be favorable. Please pray for our little Missy. She suffered an accident Friday. Please pray for no lasting problems or deficits from this accident.

We have a lot of health issues and problems, but yet so much to be thankful for.

I'll leave you with this devotional tonight:

Press On

PHILIPPIANS 3:13-14

Weymouth13 ...one thing I do--forgetting everything which is past andstretching forward to what lies in front of me,14 with my eyes fixed on the goal I push on to secure the prizeof God's heavenward call in Christ Jesus.

Believers face many difficulties. Trials. Adversaries. Doubts.At times we're all tempted to quit. The struggle seems toomuch, and we wonder if it's worth it to continue, to hold on toour faith when there seems to be no hope left.

But there is a goal -- supremely worthwhile: life with ourwonderful Lord. Not just existence, but intimate fellowship.