The Last Week in July

Ever since the spring of 2014 when I talked with my cousin Greg for the first time, I have looked forward to the last week of July with great anticipation and excitement. I love missions. I love to be involved in things that make a positive difference in people's lives. Victory Sports Outreach does just that. During the last week of July, Victory Sports comes to St. George with a whole lot of volunteers and brings a lot of love and hope to share with the community. 

This year my excitement was mixed with anxiety, and I had waited until the first of July to even sign up for the trip. My recent physical issues had brought me to a low point, but I still wanted so badly to be a part of this week in St. George. I was struggling. Even the Sunday that I was heading to St. George, I told my husband that I hoped that I was making the right decision to go. He in turn said, "You need to go. This is going to be good for you." 

It's always exciting to meet up with the group when they arrive on that Sunday at Old St. George Baptist Church, reconnect with team members from past trips, and meet new ones. This year was no different. In Hebrews there is a verse that warns Christians not to neglect meeting together. There truly is something about surrounding yourself with like-minded believers, especially when there is a common goal. My excitement was building, but over the first couple days there were hurdles to overcome physically and with my children who were struggling with missing there daddy after a week away at camp the week before. 

God was doing a good work in the community through the work of Victory Sports. This was quite evident through the devotions, Bible stories, relationships, and outreach that were taking place. I was excited and humbled to be a small part of this. To see change happening in people lives is amazing, and it's always awesome to see God move. 

I had no idea how God was orchestrating things to move in my own life. Wednesday night at share time, I told Greg that I wanted to share a little of my story in hopes to encourage the team. As I finished, team members began to circle around me, place hands on me and the kids, and proceed to pray. I don't often cry, but this brought me to tears, and still does today. I was humbled and moved by the love and care of Greg, my team, and God. Here I came in hopes to minister to others, but God moved in my life. He used Greg and my team to minister to me at a time when I needed it the most. And that's just how God is... He never ever leaves us. He picks us up when we are down. He puts people in our lives when we need it most. He always provides. He loves and cares for us so much more than we will ever know. 

"Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint." Isaiah 40:28-31

There have been answers to those prayers that night, and I am incredibly thankful. I serve a God who hears and meets our needs. 

Thank you Greg, Mia, Cody, Christopher, and the many more "Blue shirts" who surrounded the town of St. George and ME with love,prayer, and encouragement!!! BUT GOD!!!

In my weakness...

I remember this day well. The sun was quickly rising on what was appearing to be a beautiful and sunny but hot July day. I was supposed to be at the beach with my mom and sister. Instead I was following my husband and his mother to the hospital. My father-in-law was having heart surgery that morning. Not even a month earlier I had been wheeled into the OR for my own surgery, and the past few weeks had taken a toll on my mind and emotions. I had not been prepared for the roller coaster of symptoms that go along with your body adjusting to fluctuating thyroid levels as it adjusts to a new normal. Since my surgery, there had been one thing after the other, and I was not having the down time that I so desperately craved to recover. That was the reason my mom made arrangements to take me to the beach, and now, that time of rest and relaxation had been taken away. My stress level was very high this particular morning, and I had struggled through a panic attack the night prior. Ever since my surgery, I had dealt with anxiety and panic attacks.., something I had never had problems with before. As I followed my husband down the interstate toward the hospital, my mind was on everything that I had been doing to help my body heal. I had changed my diet to include foods to increase thyroid function and had taken food out of my diet that hindered thyroid function. I was exercising. I was taking supplements. I was striving really hard to lower my stress load, but everywhere I turned, I seemed to land in the middle of stress. In the realms of anger and frustration, my question to God that morning was, "How am I ever going to heal if I can't catch a break??? "

Then it hit me like a ton of bricks. I was focused on everything that I was doing. I was changing my diet. I was trying to decrease my stress level. I was doing all this stuff, but how many times had I cried out to God and really believed that He was able to help me? My focus had been on finding healing and help in the medical realm. And, yes, I believe that God uses diet changes, doctors, medical treatments, medication, and the like to bring healing; but I also believe that our hope must lie in the One who is the Great Physician. I had become so caught up in my struggles and actions that I forgot to fall into the arms of the One who could uphold me and bring me healing and peace.

I honestly did not know how I was going to get through that particular day. I was struggling. A few months prior I would have told you that I felt like I was in the best shape physically, mentally, and spiritually that I had ever been in my life. In this moment, I truly felt at my weakest. But at that moment, I knew I could call to the One who knew my needs before I even asked, and it dawned on me that if He is the Great Physician, He could heal me despite my circumstances.

In those moments of feeling very weak, God brought verses to me that became my prayer. I began to cling to God's promise in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong." I also began to pray Nehemiah 8:11, "for the joy of the Lord is your strength."

God met me in my weakness. He enabled me to overcome the challenges of that day and the weeks that have followed. No, it's not always easy, but when we rely on His strength, He is faithful and carries us through. He equips us with everything we need to handle any situation that is thrown our way. I have realized that when we have nothing left, we acknowledge God more because we realize that it is only by Him that we have made it through. Therefore, all glory goes to Him which is where it should have gone from the start. He is the only One worthy of our praise.

"Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted; his majesty is above earth and heaven." Psalm 148:13