Tag Archives: God is good

Oh Give thanks!

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Oh, give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good. Psalm 118:1

 

What causes you to give thanks? When is it easy to give thanks and when is it hard?

 

Multiple times throughout the bible, the faithful are found giving thanks to the Lord, for WHO He is and WHAT He’s done. “Give thanks, for:

  • He is good
  • His love endures forever
  • His wonderful deeds
  • His unfailing love
  • Granted favor
  • Answered prayers
  • The reigning power of Jesus”

 

It’s fun to give thanks when things go well, when prayers are answered and blessings are overflowing. The truth is, those in Christ always have cause to be thankful for His undeserved mercy, His overwhelming compassion and forgiveness, and the hope of His eternal promises.

 

But we aren’t always thankful, are we? We grumble and mutter. We grimace in disdain disappointment when things don’t go our way. We suffer under great oppression. And our ungrateful attitude only serves to make us feel even worse. It separates us from God’s grace. Sometimes I wonder if God might be more offended by our ingratitude than our disobedience.

 

Giving thanks doesn’t always make sense. Job’s so-called ‘friends’ who saw him lose wealth and property, family, and then his health, told him to ‘curse God’ and die. Instead, Job blessed God.  I remember my friend, who before he died of cancer, told us that he had fallen asleep spiritually. He had become apathetic toward God. He said that the cancer woke him up, and that if getting healed from cancer meant that he would return to his ungrateful ways, he would rather have cancer and stay spiritually awake. I grasped his strong message then, but it became real when I was diagnosed with cancer years later.

 

“ In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18

 

IN everything, give thanks. We aren’t called to give thanks for evil or a fallen world. But we are called to give thanks in all circumstances, for it is God’s will to draw us closer to Him. Giving thanks changes things. It takes us from despair to hope.  It is the sigh that breaks the tension in our bodies.  Giving thanks doesn’t always allow us the grace to escape the pain and sorrow but it gives us the grace and strength to endure it while we must. It acknowledges that God is true to His Word – He never abandons us. A thankful heart brings peace to the soul even when the body is tormented. Giving thanks is one of the keys to our healing.

 

Let your heart become a garden of thanks. Even when you don’t feel thankful, you can choose to plant the seeds of thankfulness and then watch them grow into mature thanksgiving. For those in Christ, sorrows will not last forever. The goodness of the Lord is sure to be revealed.

 

“Yet, if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.” 1 Peter 4:16

 

 

Medical Update – June 2014

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Some folk like to know, so from time we post a medical update on my Leukemia recovery. Fourteen months after transplant and a year and a half since this journey began, the doctors are exceedingly pleased with my progress and not at all concerned with what seems to me a long recovery time.  Most of my blood counts are returning to low normal range with a handful of ones still struggling. The medical team seems especially pleased that I’ve had no fevers or hospitalizations. (Thank you God!)

 

I was glad to get 3 more ‘baby’s” vaccines, including DPT. I may get one more in August; maybe some of the live vaccines next spring if my immune recovers enough by then. They are hesitant on giving live vaccines even then as there is a 50/50 chance of contracting the disease. Along with the ‘baby’ stuff, I continue to require my preschooler naps to contend with lack of strength and endurance, though that too is slowly improving.

 

I had completely underestimated the impact of the disease on my body and the time it would take to recover. They say it is common to take 2+ years to recover from this type of Leukemia and transplant operation… or to find your new ‘subnormal.’  The seriousness of the transplant is deceptive because the infusion of stem cells was so routine; it seemed just like one of my 30 some blood transfusions. (Thanks everyone who give blood on a regular basis. It really DOES save lives!) But the process of destroying your entire immune system <think Galatians 2:20 and 2 Corinthians 5:17> is a major deal. It’s a journey of enduring patience and trust.

 

As good as all the reports are, they want to continue to keep close reins on me. So no letting up on the frequency of labs and treatments or the current med regime to keep Graft Versus Host Disease (GVHD) at bay.  I will also continue regular pulmonary treatments to reduce the chance of lung infection.

 

I’ll have to manage the fine line between exertion and rest in order to regain strength and endurance. I’m trying to work on regaining mental acuity and concentration, but that is a harder row to hoe. The ‘cancer brain’ continues to pose some cognitive issues…hopefully I will grow out of these. (I suspect some of you thought I was a bit brain-damaged BEFORE all this happened!)

 

God is good all the time, and we are pleased to wait on His perfect plan in and through all of this. Isn’t that true of each of us, whatever journey we are on?!  I am not remiss in remembering the pain others are going through. Except my friend Bob who lost his AML transplant battle recently. Now in heaven, he is doing better than ALL of us! Please pray for his dear wife, Betty.  Thanks for your continued prayers.

 

Live life fully each day while time remains!