Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Claiming the Word

****UPDATE***
Thanks to all the prayers offered up, we turned a corner and are doing great! PawPaw is doing better every day and his body is getting stronger so that he will have his surgery this week. We are hoping Tuesday but just don't know yet. Long, long road ahead but he is ready to get this thing started he told me this morning. Keep up the prayers and we thank you so much for them.

My heart is heavy tonight. My sweet father-in-love is in the hospital and we want so desperately for him to get stronger. He is in need of a quintuple by-pass and heart valve replacement. Not small stuff. Huge stuff. Long recovery stuff. Right now the doctors are trying to get his body strong enough to go to surgery.
I don't understand some times how the Lord has blessed me so. My family of origin is so wonderful and to think that the Lord brought me to another wonderful family is almost more than I can stand at times. Blessed, Blessed, Blessed. Shamefully blessed. Praise you Lord. Times like this call for putting my faith into action. Does my theology match my reality? I am doing a study on the names of God and am learning more about Him every time I learn a new name.

My Elohim- God as Creator, created my father-in-love for a wonderful and special purpose. Devoting his life to sharing the gospel and ministering to the needs of others. Has he been accomplishing his purpose? Read this :One Faithful Couple

My El Elyon- God most High is the Sovereign ruler of the Universe!!!! He is great and He is good. His plan is perfect and we trust in His provision to sustain us.

My El Roi - God who sees knows the answers to all the questions we have. He knows and is in control. We can trust in Him and are reminded our faith is not by sight.

My El Shaddai - God who is All Sufficient reminds me His grace is sufficient for us, and His power is perfected in our weakness.

I am so proud to be a part of this family. My in-loves are precious, fun, and fiercely devoted to family and watching their legacy being lived out. My father-in-love enjoys nothing more than being the number one spectator in ALL his families lives. He is the greatest cheerleader his grandkids have ever had. His patience and ability to have an appropos story for any given moment is a true gift. And does he ever love to laugh. He and his three boys just like to laugh to see who can be the loudest! He wins every time. He tickles himself. Oh, how his sense of humor has lightened many a dark moment over the last week! He is a handful.

He and little Gra-hay share a lot of laughs.

MawMaw and PawPaw are crazy about their great-grandboys.

But these are the ones that started it all - the Bobies and Bobettes!!!

Rarely have any of the grand kids had any sporting event or awards assembly that these two aren't in the audience - beaming with pride.


This pic was in Tampa where these two youngest were born. Several years later of course!
Funny how life throws curve balls and you can't imagine how just a few days before things seemed so normal. Then life happens. This may sound strange, but struggles like this are a blessing. Think I am crazy? James 1:2 tells us to "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance." My in-loves have shown incredible perseverance through many hardships in their lives. NEVER, have I seen or heard them doubt the goodness of our God. They claim the promises given us in Levitucus: "Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new EVERY morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for Him."

Yes, He is our portion.  So... our family is Hurting, Struggling, Praying, Questioning. But more importantly, we are Waiting,  Trusting, Persevering, and Claiming His truth.

"And we know that in ALL things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose."

Work it for good, Lord, work it for good.

Petitioning your prayers,
Michelle




4 comments:

  1. I love that picture of PawPaw and Graham. Such a sweet reminder of how PawpAw's face lights up when they are together. I love you and I'm claiming the Word with you:)

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  2. Love you, Michelle, and I'm praying for Mr. Gerald and Mrs. Judy, and all of you. What a blessing it is to have such a large family of Christ-loving, prayerful, believing people. Our cup runneth over and to Him be the praise.

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  3. Just read this. Know that I will be fervently praying for you and your family. Special prayers will go up for your father-in-love and those that God will use to do His work through their hands to touch him, heal him, and care for him. May your family feel God's peace through all this that transcends all understanding.

    Love you,
    Maurya

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  4. Love you Maurya! Thank you. Hope we can have a phone date soon!

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