“I can count a million times people asking me how I can praise You with all that I’ve gone through. The question just amazes me, can circumstances possibly change who I forever am in You?” -MercyMe
That is Emma’s hand catching rain. This pictures really touches my heart because it captures perfectly how our family chooses to accept the “rain” instead of run from it. So many times people approach us and tell us how strong we are… how brave we must be to take on all that we have, including my cancer and a daughter with special needs.
I never really thought we were brave, and most of the time we are not strong. What options do we have? We could either wallow in the heartache or we can praise Him through the storms.
Christ took on so much more than we could ever imagine. He never promised us that this life would be easy. He never promised that we would never experience pain or heartache.
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
I often lay in bed at night and feel the weight of my life on my shoulders and the tears well up. I think about my family, how much they have gone through and how much more they are going to go through. It is easy to sink when you think those thoughts. Yet in those moments, I feel Him gently nudge me and quietly say “I am still here.” If I let Him, He will guide my footsteps and guard my heart.
The choice is mine.
“I am yours regardless of the clouds that may loom above because you are much greater than my pain. You who made a way for me, suffering your destiny. So tell me what’s a little rain?” – MercyMe
So I choose to face my days with hope. I know that in every circumstance in my life, He is already there.
Nothing can take Him off of His throne…
How do you handle difficult circumstances? Do you face them already defeated or do you battle through? Trust me, I know it is hard. Yet I know it is so worth it! God longs to have you call out to Him. Christmas reminds us He came to us…and we can always come to Him. What are you waiting for?
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If the holidays are hard for you or someone you love, we recommend the best-selling book Rain on Me: Devotions of Hope and Encouragement for Difficult Times by (in)courage cofounder Holley Gerth.
Save 10% on Rain on Me, and get free shipping when you buy five copies from the (in)courage shop.
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“I never really thought we were brave, and most of the time we are not strong. What options do we have?”
I like the way you phrased this. I have said the exact same thing before. May God bless you and yours.
Amen! I am praying Phil 4:6 a lot – and 7!!
Heather,
I also have a special needs child and hear similar things from people in our life. I am not strong or brave. I have a choice to make everyday. ‘Will I praise Him all the way down to my hear? or Will I curse Him for whatever circumstance He places us in? Some days this choice is easier than others. Such is life. I know that I am blessed beyond measure to have this child in my life. My heart overflows with love for her. So we get up each day and make the choice come rain or shine.
Blessings to you and your family…
please remove me from these emails too many
Domnul este pastorul meu
Nu voi duce lipsa de nimic
Psalmul 23
cred ca Domnul este Pastorul meu
stiu ca EL are grija de toti cei care se
incred in EL.
DOMNUL sa va binecuvinteze.
hi are you spanish or italian it is good to see e-mail in an other language do get in touch I am english always good to have christain friends all over the world do get in touch maria
You are a wonderful encourager, Heather . . .you and your sweetie. You help us who have less to deal with say, if she can do this with a smile and praise on her lips, so can we! Thank you for that! God loves you . . .me too!
I will recommend not to hold back until you get big sum of money to order different goods! You should just take the personal loans or just financial loan and feel free
I’m sitting here crying because this so hit home. I’m not the one battling cancer but my husband is. Everyone keeps saying how strong I am etc..I have to continue to work and trust God will keep him safe until I get home. Only knowing that God and his son are walking me and my husband through this trial can I continue! I send my Love and prayers to you and your precious little one! God Bless♥
Hello Heather and all, I appreciated seeing your picture with the nice smile and with your beloved child. I had ovarian cancer long ago and here’s info. at my site at http://www.soulwellmall.com with some pages on cancer and boosting one’s immune system.
Cancer is hard to deal with, and people with various stages of it, and I think it’s some sort of immune system disorder. There are those who will receive a healing and others who will get a spiritual healing instead when they reach heaven. Whatever the case, God is with us through Jesus. May the Lord guide and comfort all concerned, Monica
Thank you Heather for reminding me again of the availability of God’s grace in Christ that will surely enable me (us) to bear all things that I will encounter in this present earthly life. My wife, Loraine has just finished a “6 month treatment regimen” for “mantle cell lymphoma” followed by a recent “stem cell transplant”. At times, the side affects of her chemo have been horrific but she maintains an attitude of trust and thankfulness to God believing that He is with her every step of the process. She is an inspiration to me. “Love, in deed, beareth all things, believes all things, hopeth all things and endurteth all things.”
John
God is the only one that can give us this strenght. Its not by our own means, its his power in us. I am a widow mother of two. We just have to go on, but its our attitude towards life, we can live with joy or with sorrow.
Heather ,thank you for your pictures.I had 2 big sisters who had brain cancer .Sera who was 21 yrs old when she left us .My other sister was 49 when the doctor told her that she had cancer .In Fiji ,there is not much medication but Jesus was the only hope we had .We prayed that God will always take care of them until they passed away.
May God Bless You and daughter .May he a healer to you and your daughter .It is my prayer that God is our Protector ,Our Healer and Keep up Good Faith .
Vika
Hi Heather,
Thank you for sharing your encouraging story. I know that the strength you have is from Jesus. Keep the good faith as in God, nothing impossible and there is always hope.
May God bless you and your daughter.
hallo Heather,
Ook ik ga op dit ogenblik door een moeilijke periode heen. Ik moet voor een chemokuur komende tijd. maar ik geloof en weet dat onze Heer ook door moeilijke perioden moest om ons te redden. Bij twijfel en perioden van angst probeer ik toch weer altijd Zijn Naam aan te roepen en te blijven geloven dat Hij ook met mij door deze periode heen wilt. Ik dank hem voor de kracht die ik telkens weer mag ervaren.
Heather bedankt voor jouw bemoedigende woorden. God houdt van jou en van allen die Hem willen volgen.
Hi Heather,
It’s really encouraging to see you praising God through every circumstances you are in. May your faith in Jesus christ lead others into faith. He is always with you. With prayers.
Hi Heather!
You served as a big encouragement to me! Thank you so much for those blogs. People should be more thankful despite of the problems that they have to go through their lives. Thank you for reminding me that I should not never lose sight of my Saviour, Lord Jesus Christ. After all, He’s up there and I am very confident that He knows what all of us guys have been going through. Continually to be a blessing!
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