An unexpected phone call.
Psalm 8:4
what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?
Job 38:4
Words of encouragement from a stranger; now friend.
Messages of hope intended for my farmer.
Compassion and grace right on the other end of the phone.
Unexpected.
Humbling.
Hard to take.
Job 38:4
Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand.
I call my farmer. I share the encouragement.
Hoping to lift his spirits.
He asks me “Why am I so depressed when so many are praying?”
I remind him of the enemy.
The one whose tool is discouragement.
The one who doesn’t know the future; only the past and the now.
I remind him that we are fearfully and wonderfully made.
Psalm 139:14
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
Depression needs to run it’s path.
Even when we’re wonderfully made.
The antithesis of depression is praise.
Something that is hard to do.
I tell him about the morning Elijah went home.
After the police left and he and Cedric had gone to the barn, I could hardly breathe.
I opened the Ancient Word.
I couldn’t read.
I couldn’t pray except; Lord don’t ever leave me.
I took a shower.
Mechanically, I started praising God for the shower
handles, for the water streaming down my face, for my eyes, for shampoo and soap; for His goodness, for the towel and the bath mat;
for my clothes and on and on I went.
I was so numb I couldn’t feel.
I didn’t know what else to do.
I still don’t.
Each morning I force myself to praise God for the day, for a bed,
a pillow, for legs, on and on.
I still don’t know how to pray. . .
I fear that the scans on Wednesday won’t be clear
and more of my world will
shatter.
I opened the Ancient Word.
I couldn’t read.
I couldn’t pray except; Lord don’t ever leave me.
I took a shower.
Mechanically, I started praising God for the shower
handles, for the water streaming down my face, for my eyes, for shampoo and soap; for His goodness, for the towel and the bath mat;
for my clothes and on and on I went.
I was so numb I couldn’t feel.
I didn’t know what else to do.
I still don’t.
Each morning I force myself to praise God for the day, for a bed,
a pillow, for legs, on and on.
I still don’t know how to pray. . .
I fear that the scans on Wednesday won’t be clear
and more of my world will
shatter.
The burden of this walk too much to bear.
But I can praise him.
I can lift my hands to the sky.
The gift in a walk with the Lord is to lay all those burdens down.
That is how I will walk into the next few days.
I will praise God for the next step and the next one after that.
Our 8 year old quotes the movie, “God’s Not Dead”;
God is good; all the time.
She makes us respond.
All the time; God is good.
Let Faith Arise
Be still there is a healer. . .
Let Faith arise.
Let Faith arise.
I lift my hands to believe again.
You are my refuge you are my strength
As I pour out my heart these things I remember
You are faithful God forever
