Saved to live another day…

Posted on January 25, 2016 by Heart of the Matter

photo-1444533045186-3d46ae6c5e50

 

Healer

You hold my every moment

You calm my raging seas

You walk with me through fire

And heal all my disease

I trust in you

I trust in you

I believe you’re my healer

I believe you are all I need

I believe Lord

I believe you’re my portion

I believe you’re more than enough for me

Jesus you’re all I need

My healer

By Hillsong United

We are praising God today for the success of my husband’s recent open heart surgery. God saved his life to live another day, as a husband, a father, a brother, a son, and a friend.

We know that our journey is really just beginning, as my husband has many weeks and months of recovery ahead, but we also know that God will walk beside us every step of the way.

I often wonder how people who do not know the Lord navigate life with its many trials, tragedies, and disappointments. Neither my husband nor I could have gotten through this past few weeks without relying on a source of power, peace, and hope, much greater than ourselves.

We have learned that every day is a gift. When we open our eyes tomorrow, it will not be due to our own knowledge, efforts, or ability. It will be because God has chosen to sustain our fragile lives for another beautiful day. Our lives are in his hands.

Therefore, what we do with each day should count. It should count for more than just this temporal earthly existence. What we do with each day should count for eternity. And that doesn’t mean it has to be profound. A mother caring for her children with love and devotion counts for eternity as does taking food to a sick neighbor, delivering flowers to an elderly friend in the nursing home, or showing kindness and respect to those we encounter in everyday life. And of course if we want our lives to count for eternity, then we will help someone else to change their eternity… by sharing with them the life-changing gospel of Jesus Christ.

You see, a life lived only for pleasure, fame or monetary success is a wasted life.

If God were considering taking you out of this world, would there be enough reason for him to leave you here?

It’s something to think about.

We are so grateful that God has brought us through this bump in the road (ok, it’s a rather large bump) so that we might have a renewed appreciation for life and a strengthened walk of faith as we continue on this amazing journey with him.

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven. where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Matthew 6:19-21 (NKJV)

 

 

 

Posted in Heart Health, Spiritual Encouragement, Thankfulness | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

It is Well With My Soul…

Posted on January 17, 2016 by Heart of the Matter

Hello readers and friends,

I asked my husband to write down a few thoughts regarding his upcoming open-heart surgery. This is what he came up with. Hope you enjoy it and are encouraged about any trials you may be facing:

IMG_6417

As I sit here and think about my life thus far, a tsunami of emotions and thoughts rushes through my mind.  I have finally gotten over the shock/disbelief of hearing the news…”You have 4 blockages and need triple bypass”.  But, at times the flesh kicks in and says, “You are not ready for this”.  Even with all the conflicting emotions I’ve experienced, I still feel the peace of God, knowing He loves me too much for me not to trust Him. I also have spent some time thinking about the good that will come from this. No longer will I be at high risk for sudden death, as I am now. My priorities will be different than they’ve been before, and…I will feel better due to new clear arteries and a change in diet.

This event has also caused me to reflect on how God’s hand has been in even the smallest details of my life.  Little did I know that over 37 years ago, God would orchestrate a swim team carpool with a boy named Sam who would later turn out to be my cardiologist. After high school, I had lost contact with Sam for over 13 years until we ran into each other at the local hospital where I was a manager. Then, a few weeks ago, there we were having a casual conversation at lunch when I happened to mention some episodes of fluttering heartbeat I had recently started having at night. I know that I would never have sought out medical advice on these very minor symptoms had it not been for the relationship I had with my childhood friend.

One of my favorite passages, which I have been meditating on since my diagnosis is Isaiah 40:28-31.  Particularly, “the Lord is the everlasting God, the creator of the ends of the earth” (v28), and “those whose hope is in the Lord will renew strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk an not faint”(v31).

Although, I am not looking forward to the procedure or the recovery (who would?), and although I was blind-sided by this, I am reminded of the words the hymn writer scripted over 100 years ago; “Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say, it is well with my soul”. Through this experience I am looking for God to grow me stronger physically, mentally, and spiritually, and to help me to be a better husband and father than I’ve ever been.  And I am grateful beyond measure that our merciful God is giving me a new lease on life!

“So, do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10 (NIV)

Posted in Heart Health, Spiritual Encouragement, Thankfulness | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

When God slams on the brakes…

Posted on January 15, 2016 by Heart of the Matter

 

dreamstime_s_40293124

“In his heart, a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.” Proverbs 16:9 (NIV)

My husband and I have been very blessed during our married life. Although we’ve had some lean times when my husband was transitioning from one career to another, we have always been able to pay our bills and keep shoes on our childrens’ feet and a roof over our heads. Our children have, for the most part, been happy and healthy and stayed out of any serious trouble. As a matter of fact, they are currently thriving as young adults.

My father died of cancer at 80 years old several years back but lived a full and fruitful Christian life, impacting many for the kingdom and my mother is still living at 89 years old. My husband lost his mother at a young age to cancer, but his father is living a full and active life at 83 years old.

As far as my own life goes, I can say that any real difficulties I have had since my teenage years have been due to my own sin or wrong choices…I brought them on myself! But, we as a married couple have never had to face an unexpected tragedy or trial that seemed to come out of nowhere. I somehow knew that it was only a matter of time before the Lord would bring a test of faith to our marriage and life.

My husband is an athlete in every sense of the word. He is disciplined, strong, and competitive. Throughout our marriage he has always exercised, getting up at 5:30 in the morning most days to either swim, bike or run. He has participated in many triathlons over the years and has never been overweight or smoked.

A week or so before Christmas this year, my husband went in to see a friend of his who is a cardiologist about some unusual sensations he was feeling in his chest area at night. He says he wouldn’t even have gone in unless the doctor had been a longtime friend of his. His doctor friend set up a stress test for a couple days later and when the results came in they showed that something was amiss. The cardiologist then sent my husband for a CT of the arteries to determine what was wrong. Unbelievably, it showed a blockage of 70 percent in his right coronary artery! This was a shocking finding for those of us who knew Eric and his exercise habits and history.

The next day we were scheduled to leave for a ski vacation in Colorado. Our cardiologist gave us the ok to go as long as Eric took it easy…hard to do on a ski trip, I know. But Eric did take it easy and our son, who is an excellent skier, did the harder slopes by himself.

When we returned, the cardiologist set up a heart catheterization to confirm the extent of the blockage and to determine our course of action. We were a little nervous, but hopeful, thinking that the worst-case scenario would be that they would have to put in a stent to keep the artery open.

Well…as our cardiologist later told us, he had been surprised at every turn since Eric first came in to see him (given Eric’s age and fitness level), and the results of the heart cath were no different.The cath showed four different blocked arteries, three of them greater than 70 percent. The other, the left main artery, was 50 percent blocked. I later learned that a blockage in the left main artery is called “the widow-maker”…scary, huh?

My husband, who is 53 years old, is now scheduled for open heart surgery (a triple by-pass), in a few days. We never saw this coming. We are still in a state of shock at how our life has changed in the blink of an eye.

We had been living life, making plans, doing our thing, (see above verse) when suddenly the brakes were slammed on.

Even in the midst of it all, however, we have been counting our blessings. We are blessed that our only child still at home recently got her driver’s license, therefore, she is independent and I can focus on taking care of my husband’s physical and emotional needs. We are blessed that my husband’s business is strong and our finances are secure so that we may ride out this health crisis without too many financial worries. We are extremely blessed that my husband decided to go in and get checked before he had a heart attack which may have led to heart damage or death!

And these things we know: 1) Our God is in control, he will use this trial to grow our faith and make us more like him. 2) We can use this as an opportunity to live out our faith in front of those we know who are lost. 3) The God of peace and healing is there for us to comfort us and walk with us through this valley. 4) God has numbered our days on this earth and when our time is over, we can look forward to eternal life with him in heaven.

“I know, oh Lord, that a man’s life is not his own; it is not for man to direct his steps.” Jeremiah 10:23 (NIV)

 

 

 

Posted in Heart Health, Marriage, Spiritual Encouragement | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

When Life Throws You a Curve Ball

Posted on December 27, 2015 by Heart of the Matter

 

dreamstime_xs_32475693

What do you do when unexpected difficulties crop up in your life? When life throws you a curve ball, how do you respond?

This question became more real to us recently when a member of our family was discovered to have a potentially serious health issue that really came out of nowhere. The funny thing is, this was a family member who by all outward appearances was in the best physical shape of all of us, so it came as a complete surprise. We are still processing and walking through this issue even as I write this post.

So, how are we handling it? Well, we are concerned, but hopeful. If you asked the particular family member who is having the issue, they would say that they are anxious and a bit fearful, but yet, they have a peace as to the outcome, knowing that God is in control.

Although we were shocked and unprepared for this difficult news, we did not cry out in anger to God, asking, “Why us?” or fall completely apart fearing the worst possible outcome. Why not? Because we have a deep faith and trust in the one who made us, the one who loves us with an everlasting and abiding love.

We know several things from scripture: God cares about us so much that he knows the number of hairs on our very heads, trials are inevitable and are meant to make us more like Him, and God has numbered our days on this earth; when we go, those of us who know Jesus as our Savior will meet Him in heaven and sit at his feet.

You, too, can have this peace in the midst of trials and the assurance that even when walking through the darkest valley, God will never leave you. All you need do is come to Christ in repentance and faith, asking him to be your Savior and the Lord of your life.

God’s Word assures us that we will face difficulties of all kinds in this fallen world. No one is exempt. However, we can use these difficult events in our lives as opportunities…opportunities to renew our relationship with the Lord, to re-engage with God’s mission in the world, to restructure our priorities, or to reevaluate our personal relationships. You see, many times God is trying to get our attention when things like this happen and we need only to discover what he is trying to say.

In addition, when we walk through trials and struggles as a Christian family, we are not doing it in a vacuum. The world is watching our response…wondering if we will be angry at God, lose our faith, or turn on each other as the stress and pressure mount. Trials are an opportunity for our family and yours to reflect an abiding and unwavering faith to the lost world, as we humbly seek God for wisdom, comfort, and peace.

 

 

 

 

Posted in Heart Health, Spiritual Encouragement | 1 Comment

The faithful spirit of Mary, the mother of Jesus.

Posted on December 22, 2015 by Heart of the Matter

dreamstime_s_62449750“But the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name, Jesus’…’How will this be’, Mary asked the angel, ‘since I am a virgin?’ The angel answered, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God’…‘I am the Lord’s servant’, Mary answered. ‘May it be to me as you have said’. Luke 1:30-38

Mary, a common jewish young woman, was the vessel for God’s miraculous, salvation gift to us. She was neither a queen nor a person of any celebrity. Mary brought into the world the greatest gift to ever be given because she had a willing spirit and a believing heart. She accepted her assignment with faith and I’m sure a fair amount of trepidation.

Is God calling you to an assignment for him? Perhaps you have been moved to teach a Sunday School class, start a new ministry in your community, or become a mentor to a young woman who is new to the faith. Maybe you are even feeling called to the mission field, to serve God in the farthest reaches of another continent. (Or to your local mission field, the grouchy neighbor next door!) As Christians, God will often call us to new tasks, new beginnings, or new levels of commitment.

How have you responded when God has moved your spirit to do something for him? Mary responded with submissive willingness and humility and God did the impossible through her. She understood that her mission was from God himself and as difficult and uncomfortable as it was for her to experience a very visible and controversial unwed pregnancy in her community, she willingly accepted the task at hand, trusting God with her reputation, her future, and her life.

The next time God calls you to a task for the kingdom, especially one that seems difficult, uncomfortable, or even humanly impossible, look to Mary as an example, and respond with a willing spirit and a believing heart, for nothing is impossible with God!

Posted in Holidays, Spiritual Encouragement | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment