I left on Valentines Day for Albuquerque, New Mexico to surprise my mother and father. My dad came through the surgery fine and yesterday he was transferred to a skilled nursing facility to get rehab on his knee. My mother is not doing very well. She has been in the hospital for over 2 months with infection after infection from her surgery. Now her lungs are filling and Emphysema is taking its toll. She is being transferred to a skilled nursing facility in Aztec (4 hours away from Albuquerque) which is the only place that will take her with her continuous antibiotic drip. It has been a long emotional journey for our family. Please pray for comfort and healing for my mom. I want to thank all my brothers and sisters in Christ that live in New Mexico who are praying for my mom and dad. It was a pleasure getting to meet some of you and speak with you. I pray this journal will be an encouragement to you.
I was reading Ecclesiastes 7:13-14 which says, "Consider what God has done. Who can straighten what he has made crooked? When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider: God has made the one as well as the other."
L.B. Cowman has this to say about this verse. "God often seems to place His children in places of deep difficulty, leading them into a corner from which there is no escape. He creates situations that human judgment, even if consulted, would never allow. Yet the cloudiness of the circumstance itself is used by Him to guide us to the other side. Perhaps this is where you find yourself now.
Your situation is filled with uncertainty and is very serious, but it is perfectly right. The reason behind it will more than justify Him who brought you here, for it is a platform from which God will display His almighty grace and power.
He not only will deliver you but in doing so will impart a lesson that you will never forget. And in days to come, you will return to the truth of it through singing. YOU WILL BE UNABLE TO EVER THANK GOD ENOUGH FOR DOING EXACTLY WHAT HE HAS DONE."
I was struck and challenged by the thought that my situation is perfectly right and I will be unable to thank God enough for doing exactly what He has done. I wonder if faith is allowing this truth to permeate our souls before we reach the safety of the shores on the other side? Jesus slept in the boat as the storm raged around him. The disciples were filled with fear and panic, not unlike most of us when we face our own storms.
What boat do you find yourself in now? Maybe you are sailing on calm seas. There might only be a slight breeze rustling through the trees on the shoreline. Or maybe you are noticing the whitecaps starting to form and you are becoming anxious about the possibility of a storm. There may be some of you that are holding on for dear life as the waves wash over the sides and threaten to capsize you. Remind yourself that Jesus is in the boat with you. He is not worried or concerned about the weather on the lake. Ride it out by clinging to Him. Before your feet hit the floor running in the morning acknowledge His presence. Put every care that fills your heart into His. He came to bear your burdens. As you put your hand in His let His peace permeate your soul. Wait until you feel it before you face your day. Keep your eyes focused on God throughout your day, not your storm. What we choose to look at during the day will determine the amount of peace we will possess. Trust His presence in the boat not the the size of the storm. Remind yourself that the crooked path you are on is perfectly right! It is in this path that God will display His almighty grace and power.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Love Of My Fathers
A person is blessed when they understand the depth of their Heavenly Father and live with it wrapped around their heart. That person is doubly blessed when they have known that kind of love from an earthly father. I am one of those people. This blog is dedicated to my father Gene. Since I was a little child he has loved me, comforted me, encouraged me, hugged me, and told me he loved me. He has been the constant cheerleader in my life. He is the most generous and thoughtful man father I know. Throughout the years my mail has always been full of notes of encouragement and packages of comfort food! He has generously opened his wallet time and time again to help when there has been a need. He has believed in me when I didn't believe in myself. He has been proud of me for who I am, not just what I do. If I need to talk, he will drop what he is doing and listen. His wise counsel has guided me through difficult times. I have learned to be a "duck" thanks to my father. Ducks go through life not letting the water they swim in drown them. Because of the oils in their feathers the water rolls off their backs. My dad constantly reminds me to let things roll off. This has been helpful advice as I am trying to rid myself of stress in order to regain my healtlh. One of his favorite sayings is, "Carry the smooth end and let the rough end drag." I know my dad will always be there. He will never leave me or withhold his love from me.
Because of my father it has been easy to understand the love of my Heavenly Father. I think they are alike in so many ways. Each day my heavenly Father whispers words of encouragement to me. His arms reach from heaven to wipe away my tears and draw me close. I can cast all my cares upon Him because he cares for me. He fills my mind with wisdom for the day. Amazingly enough he delights in me.
Zephaniah 3:17 says, "The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing."
Dad, as you go into surgery to replace your knee (Feb. 13) know that I love you and I'm praying for you. God will guide and direct the surgeons hands. His angels will attend to your recovery. His peace will flood your heart and mind today and in the days to follow. He will quiet you with His love. Trust Him. He will be in your corner cheering you on and so will I.
I LOVE YOU!
Because of my father it has been easy to understand the love of my Heavenly Father. I think they are alike in so many ways. Each day my heavenly Father whispers words of encouragement to me. His arms reach from heaven to wipe away my tears and draw me close. I can cast all my cares upon Him because he cares for me. He fills my mind with wisdom for the day. Amazingly enough he delights in me.
Zephaniah 3:17 says, "The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing."
Dad, as you go into surgery to replace your knee (Feb. 13) know that I love you and I'm praying for you. God will guide and direct the surgeons hands. His angels will attend to your recovery. His peace will flood your heart and mind today and in the days to follow. He will quiet you with His love. Trust Him. He will be in your corner cheering you on and so will I.
I LOVE YOU!
Saturday, February 9, 2008
This week I gave a devotional to our entire staff. The talk was titled Lessons I Have Learned Through Pain. I used the Acronym TRUST since I have had to trust God with all my heart during this time.
This is an excerpt from it.
S low down
None of us are immune to living life in the fast lane. At one point or another we will all pay the price for pushing our bodies beyond the limits they were meant to go and the stress this lifestyle causes will take its toll.
Every book I’ve read and every doctor I’ve talked to about healing cancer naturally is looking for what caused the cancer in the first place. They believe if you find the cause you will have found the cure. Over and over again I am hearing that cancer is an immune system disease and that everyone in their lifetime has 1-6 cancer cells in their body. A healthy and efficient immune system will destroy those cancer cells. A recent statistic I read said 1 in 3 Americans will get some form of cancer in their lifetime. Breast cancer for women right now is 1 in 8. I was only one of 178,000 women who was diagnosed in 2007. Every 3 minutes of today a women will be diagnosed with breast cancer. Every 7 minutes someone will die from it.
Despite all our research and technology cancer is a disease that is beginning to take over our nation. I am convinced the choices we make play a critical role in all disease prevention.
Our immune systems are weakened by a lifetime of poor eating habits, by continual stress, lack of rest and sleep, toxic metals we have in our mouths, and from the pollution we breathe in the air and from chemicals we use in our homes to clean with.
Stress is one of the greatest underlying causes of most diseases we have today. All the books I’ve read on healing say that in order to heal, you must eliminate every stress possible. I took that to heart. I let go of many of my perfectionist tendencies, I stepped down from putting together the advisory materials, I scaled back on my Teen Korps responsibilities and I resigned from full time coaching. These were all painful choices but necessary ones.
All of these were good things to do but too much of a good thing is not always a good thing. I learned to say the 2 letter word most of us have a hard time uttering-NO. This one word is probably the best preventative medicine I know.
No one can put margins in your life but you. No one will give you what you refuse to take on. If you are feeling overwhelmed and overloaded you are going to have to figure out how to get out from under the load you have taken on. I used to think, “But who else will do this?” This really showed a lack of faith on my part. If you are serious about slowing down, God will help you. Don’t wait until you have a life threatening disease until you give yourself permission to rest. Dr. Swenson reminded us that God is a pro-rest God. (He was our speaker for Spriritual Emphasis Week. I highly recommend his book The Overload Syndrome).
T Training
I have spent a lifetime either training myself or training other athletes. The foundation of training is Exercise. Most of us are so busy that we don’t take the time to exercise on a regular basis. There are dozens of benefits to regular exercise a few of which are a general feeling of well being, increased energy and a stronger immune system. If you are too busy to exercise you are too busy. Every day I walk at least 30 minutes or ride my exercise bike. When I walk it gives me time to clear my mind and recharge my batteries.
Sleep and Rest are other key components. Every adult needs at least 8 hours of sleep a night. I used to go to bed around 10:00 or later. I was always trying to finish my to do list. I’ve come to realize it will never get done and I have to be O.K. with that. Since being diagnosed I have faithfully protected my 8:30 bedtime. I leave things undone that I never would have before. I don’t wake up exhausted and I am able to meet with God each morning for prayer and quiet time. I don’t drag through my day anymore and I don’t need a caffeine pick me up in the morning just to get started. I’m also trying to practice a true Sabbath day of rest once a week where I don’t work or think about my work.
We have all heard the saying “You are what you eat.” I have the orange palms to prove it. I ate pretty well (or so I thought) before I was diagnosed with cancer. I like vegetables, fruit and whole grain bread. I had studied nutrition for 25 years and I tried to apply what I was learning but old habits die hard.
I might have buried myself with my fork and spoon if I had continued down the path I was on. I think most of us are going to. We are too busy to take care of ourselves or give thought to healthy eating. We are overloading our bodies with refined sugar, white flour and junk food. If I could give you 2 pieces of advice from what I’ve learned it would be to get off refined sugar and white flour. Do it for one day, one week, one month and see what happens to your energy level. Money back guarantee you will feel like a new person. Don’t wait until you are diagnosed with cancer or another serious disease before you make changes in your life. Train as if your life depended on it. You never know when it will.
This is an excerpt from it.
S low down
None of us are immune to living life in the fast lane. At one point or another we will all pay the price for pushing our bodies beyond the limits they were meant to go and the stress this lifestyle causes will take its toll.
Every book I’ve read and every doctor I’ve talked to about healing cancer naturally is looking for what caused the cancer in the first place. They believe if you find the cause you will have found the cure. Over and over again I am hearing that cancer is an immune system disease and that everyone in their lifetime has 1-6 cancer cells in their body. A healthy and efficient immune system will destroy those cancer cells. A recent statistic I read said 1 in 3 Americans will get some form of cancer in their lifetime. Breast cancer for women right now is 1 in 8. I was only one of 178,000 women who was diagnosed in 2007. Every 3 minutes of today a women will be diagnosed with breast cancer. Every 7 minutes someone will die from it.
Despite all our research and technology cancer is a disease that is beginning to take over our nation. I am convinced the choices we make play a critical role in all disease prevention.
Our immune systems are weakened by a lifetime of poor eating habits, by continual stress, lack of rest and sleep, toxic metals we have in our mouths, and from the pollution we breathe in the air and from chemicals we use in our homes to clean with.
Stress is one of the greatest underlying causes of most diseases we have today. All the books I’ve read on healing say that in order to heal, you must eliminate every stress possible. I took that to heart. I let go of many of my perfectionist tendencies, I stepped down from putting together the advisory materials, I scaled back on my Teen Korps responsibilities and I resigned from full time coaching. These were all painful choices but necessary ones.
All of these were good things to do but too much of a good thing is not always a good thing. I learned to say the 2 letter word most of us have a hard time uttering-NO. This one word is probably the best preventative medicine I know.
No one can put margins in your life but you. No one will give you what you refuse to take on. If you are feeling overwhelmed and overloaded you are going to have to figure out how to get out from under the load you have taken on. I used to think, “But who else will do this?” This really showed a lack of faith on my part. If you are serious about slowing down, God will help you. Don’t wait until you have a life threatening disease until you give yourself permission to rest. Dr. Swenson reminded us that God is a pro-rest God. (He was our speaker for Spriritual Emphasis Week. I highly recommend his book The Overload Syndrome).
T Training
I have spent a lifetime either training myself or training other athletes. The foundation of training is Exercise. Most of us are so busy that we don’t take the time to exercise on a regular basis. There are dozens of benefits to regular exercise a few of which are a general feeling of well being, increased energy and a stronger immune system. If you are too busy to exercise you are too busy. Every day I walk at least 30 minutes or ride my exercise bike. When I walk it gives me time to clear my mind and recharge my batteries.
Sleep and Rest are other key components. Every adult needs at least 8 hours of sleep a night. I used to go to bed around 10:00 or later. I was always trying to finish my to do list. I’ve come to realize it will never get done and I have to be O.K. with that. Since being diagnosed I have faithfully protected my 8:30 bedtime. I leave things undone that I never would have before. I don’t wake up exhausted and I am able to meet with God each morning for prayer and quiet time. I don’t drag through my day anymore and I don’t need a caffeine pick me up in the morning just to get started. I’m also trying to practice a true Sabbath day of rest once a week where I don’t work or think about my work.
We have all heard the saying “You are what you eat.” I have the orange palms to prove it. I ate pretty well (or so I thought) before I was diagnosed with cancer. I like vegetables, fruit and whole grain bread. I had studied nutrition for 25 years and I tried to apply what I was learning but old habits die hard.
I might have buried myself with my fork and spoon if I had continued down the path I was on. I think most of us are going to. We are too busy to take care of ourselves or give thought to healthy eating. We are overloading our bodies with refined sugar, white flour and junk food. If I could give you 2 pieces of advice from what I’ve learned it would be to get off refined sugar and white flour. Do it for one day, one week, one month and see what happens to your energy level. Money back guarantee you will feel like a new person. Don’t wait until you are diagnosed with cancer or another serious disease before you make changes in your life. Train as if your life depended on it. You never know when it will.
Saturday, February 2, 2008
He Gives Quiteness
"He giveth quiteness", O Elder Brother,
Whose homeless feet have pressed our path of pain,
Whose hands have borne the burden of our sorrow,
That in our losses we might find gain.
Of all Your gifts and infinite consolings,
I ask but this: in every troubled hour
To hear your voice though all the tumults stealing,
And rest serene beneath its tranquil power.
Cares cannot fret me if my soul be dwelling
In the still air of faith's untroubled day;
Grief cannot shake me if I walk beside you,
My hand in Yours along the darkening way.
Content to know there comes a radiant morning
When from all shadows I will find release,
Serene to wait the rapture of its dawning
Who can make trouble when You send me peace?
L.B Cowman
Are your cares fretting your soul? Is grief shaking your life? Do you hear His voice in the midst of your troubles? Is your day untroubled as you face it with faith? Do you have peace?
I asked myself these questions today. There are so many cares, so many voices speaking into my life, so many troubles in the days ahead and yet the key to peace is found in stilling the voices so I can hear His. Peace is found when I walk beside Him, my hand in His. I encourage you each day to verbally lay every care at His feet and when you do His peace will flood your heart. He is the answer to your every question.
I am so excited about the results of the antioxidant test I took yesterday. My first reading back in September was 39,000 which is a C+ on a grading scale. A few months later it was 58,000! The highest level that prints out on paper is 59,000. Yesterday the scanning machine read my level at 64,000! The doctor that tested me said this was the highest level of any of their patients they've tested! In English this means my antioxidants are not being destroyed by cancer! A high level of antioxidants are necessary to kill cancer. What the Creator has created is healing His creation!
I pray each day God will help me influence the people I love to make changes that will benefit themselves not only physically but spiritually. It is a daunting task because we are all so programmed to live life grabbing and downing spiritual and physical fast food. And yet I believe God will show me how to make a difference one person and one day at a time. When I sit down to write this blog I ask God to use it in the lives of those who read it. If it has encouraged you, convicted you, changed you or comforted you then it is accomplishing its purpose and TO GOD BE THE GLORY!
Whose homeless feet have pressed our path of pain,
Whose hands have borne the burden of our sorrow,
That in our losses we might find gain.
Of all Your gifts and infinite consolings,
I ask but this: in every troubled hour
To hear your voice though all the tumults stealing,
And rest serene beneath its tranquil power.
Cares cannot fret me if my soul be dwelling
In the still air of faith's untroubled day;
Grief cannot shake me if I walk beside you,
My hand in Yours along the darkening way.
Content to know there comes a radiant morning
When from all shadows I will find release,
Serene to wait the rapture of its dawning
Who can make trouble when You send me peace?
L.B Cowman
Are your cares fretting your soul? Is grief shaking your life? Do you hear His voice in the midst of your troubles? Is your day untroubled as you face it with faith? Do you have peace?
I asked myself these questions today. There are so many cares, so many voices speaking into my life, so many troubles in the days ahead and yet the key to peace is found in stilling the voices so I can hear His. Peace is found when I walk beside Him, my hand in His. I encourage you each day to verbally lay every care at His feet and when you do His peace will flood your heart. He is the answer to your every question.
I am so excited about the results of the antioxidant test I took yesterday. My first reading back in September was 39,000 which is a C+ on a grading scale. A few months later it was 58,000! The highest level that prints out on paper is 59,000. Yesterday the scanning machine read my level at 64,000! The doctor that tested me said this was the highest level of any of their patients they've tested! In English this means my antioxidants are not being destroyed by cancer! A high level of antioxidants are necessary to kill cancer. What the Creator has created is healing His creation!
I pray each day God will help me influence the people I love to make changes that will benefit themselves not only physically but spiritually. It is a daunting task because we are all so programmed to live life grabbing and downing spiritual and physical fast food. And yet I believe God will show me how to make a difference one person and one day at a time. When I sit down to write this blog I ask God to use it in the lives of those who read it. If it has encouraged you, convicted you, changed you or comforted you then it is accomplishing its purpose and TO GOD BE THE GLORY!
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