Are you Suffering too?

 If there ever was a cry of my heart, it is to be able to comfort those who are hurting.  Because of my constant hurting in my incestuous childhood, I try so hard to reduce suffering for others.  Sometimes I wonder if I try too hard.

  Sometimes people push me away when I have every intention to bless them.  Talk about pain.  Sometimes I think that people as wounded as I am are the last people to help someone else.  In times of rejection, I am the one who retreats from humans entirely.  I don't write on my blog.  I don't return texts.  I don't send out cards.  I end up suffering in silence like this article discusses.

  Why does caring have to be so painful?  Then, when the pain in my legs flares up like fire, I decide I don't care about a single person anyway.  I walk away from the human race and go visit the neighbor's dog.

  I can't have a dog of my own anymore.  The MS has seen to that. I didn't even have a garden this year for the first time in my life.  With the arrival of 2 new granddaughters and a new daughter-in-law joining our family next month, my nerves couldn't take one more thing.  

  Sometimes I think, if I can't even get my work done, what sense does it make to want to help others?  At other times I think, if someone is hurting more than I am, who am I to keep silent when a few words could make the difference for them to want to keep living.

  So YES I'm suffering but you know what changes everything for me?  When I look at ALL of the ways the Lord has sustained my life, I truly become thankful.  It seems to me that without gratitude, there is no true joy.  So my advice is to find a song that lifts your spirits.  You can make it the theme of your life.  Here's mine.

Let's remember to pray for those who are grieving and those who are sick.  I'm especially asking prayers for my family and I as we approach the wedding of our son on our 46th anniversary.  Even happy events can be stressful for those of us suffering with MS or any other nervous condition.  

To everyone suffering today, you will do well to look to Heaven and say "Father, I am so thankful for how you have carried me through everything so far.  I KNOW you will carry me through this too!"  Amen?

My love to all of the saints scattered around the globe,

God is with you all--especially the suffering ones,

Dawn

Encounter God in Prayer…

Suffering in Silence

Lord, show me how to love those who are hurting and suffering in silence. Teach me to be patient with those who pull away and retreat. Show me how I can help them. So many times you have come to my rescue. You have lifted me out of the pit of despair and caused me to laugh again. Now I’m asking for you to do the same for those around me who feel as if they are falling apart. Reach out in ways only you know how and ignite their hearts with hope. Heal the wounds and disappointments that cause them pain. Restore them and redeem their past. Shine the light of your glory into their darkest hour. When I’m with them, fill me with wisdom and compassion, and teach me how to love. Give me ideas and creative ways to be a blessing to them. Show me how to make them feel valued and understood. Help me to empower them, so they find the courage to let go of the pain. Let my joy be contagious. Set them free!

From Prayers on Fire written by Brian Simmons and Gretchen Rodriguez

Psalm 6:2 TPT

Please deal gently with me, YAHWEH; show me mercy, for I’m sick and frail and weak. Heal me, YAHWEH, for I’m falling apart.

Twenty-two Days to Empty Next

 Hi everyone,

  So much has happened since I wrote last time here.  Sometimes so much happens in just one day that my head spins.

  My head is really spinning now.  Our tenth grandchild was born a few weeks ago.  SHE is the 5th child and the 1st daughter.  Excitement is running high in that household!!  Welcome little one!

  We had a baby shower for her mom a few weeks before that.  I think I posted about that with tips on how to host an economical but special shower.  You can scroll down if you're needing that info.

  Then we went over to MN for our granddaughters' baptism.  She and her younger sister had a joint birthday party.  If that's not enough excitement for one day, the baby was dedicated to the Lord ALL ON THE VERY SAME DAY!  

  Robert and I made the 5 hour trip a few days early to help with food and holding baby....  Robert said he's never read so many books in his whole life!  My 70 year old husband comes to life when he's with our grandchildren.  The years fade and he plays like he did with out children.  What a wonderful husband, father, grandfather God has blessed me with.  Cora gave him that shirt.  I love him sooo much!

  So now we're 3 weeks and 2 days away from our youngest son's wedding day.  I've been "Shopping" online for our clothes and finally decided this morning how he and I can match with the wedding party.

  My life-long friend, Anna, came to alter Sharon's wedding gown last weekend.  It was soo good to have her here with her youngest sister, Cindy. There's actually 4 sisters in that family.  Being I have none, they adopted me when they moved next door.  Finally at age 12 I had some girls to hang around with.  I just counted and we've been friends for 55 years.  The Lord has blessed me with the most amazing friends!!!

  The guys have been extremely busy at the grain cleaning facility all August and September.  We're very thankful for the business as our crops aren't doing very well.  God always takes care of us but now there are wedding expenses so those pennies are getting pinched pretty hard.

  So we went from 0 dogs in the family to 3.  I showed you Lyla in my last post.  Well, my son Andrew and family like Saint Bernards.  Andrew was looking online for one all Summer.  One day he found TWO!!!!  They were nearby so he went and looked at them and fell in love.  A few days later they brought Moose and Aspen to live with them and the ducks.  

  I'm singing at Jacob and Sharon's wedding as I did for our other children's weddings.  Please pray for me as I dust off my vocal cords.  What is REALLY cool is that it just happened they are getting married on Robert's and my 46th wedding anniversary!!!  

  When we got married, my brother sang the song "God, A Woman, and A Man."  When I went through music with the bride and groom, they liked it too so I'm singing for my son's wedding the song we had sung at our wedding.  How special is that?  VERY SPECIAL!!!  Please pray for me to do well!

  This is the first time I have planted a garden in probably my whole life.  When Cora's baby came 2 months early again, I was over in MN helping with the children.  When I came home, I was wiped out and it kept raining.  I bought a few plants and managed to get them planted but, living with MS is unpredictable. I couldn't water the veggies and it didn't rain.  Finally I had to admit defeat and Robert mowed it off.

  God is so good in that Jacob's fiance planted a garden in SD.  She and Jacob brought us a box of potatoes; some peppers; and some vine ripened tomatoes.  YUMMMMMY.  God bless them!

  So our family has grown from 2 on October 10, 1980 to nearly 19 in 46 years.  It will be 19 on October 10th.  Again, I covet your prayers for everyone to come to the wedding whom He wants to be there.  Also please pray for unity to grow in our family as we pull together to welcome Sharon into the family.  Wedding bells are ringing!

  Love to all,

  Dwan

  PS.  This is the song I mentioned above.