STANDING AND THANKING

Do you ever simply drop your jaw when God speaks to you? It never fails to amaze me when in certain cirumstances, I see a big "LOOK AT THIS, MARY. PAY ATTENTION" sign in my mind's eye and I know it is straight from the throne of God. The devotional for today that I just read has God's megaphone pointed from the pages to me. I have to share! I won't write out all of it due to length, but I will give you the nuggets from each paragraph.

The Bible contains over 7,000 promises from God. I must confess it disturbs me sometimes that so many Christians have a "ho-hum" attitude toward God's promises. Next time you go to a Christian book store, notice how many "Promise" books there are. Why is that? Because a growing number of believers have discovered that praying and standing on God's promises can give us hope! Psalm 119:49-51 says, "Remember your promise to me, for it is my only hope."  If you are going through a trial, meditating on faith-building promises can give you the strength and hope you need to keep going. Try praying promise-centered prayers instead of problem-centered prayers and I guarantee it will change your life.

This doesn't mean that you can always pray a promise once or twice and have it come to pass. That does happen sometimes. But most of the time we have to go through a period of "standing" on a promise before the answer comes. We sometimes have to persist in praying God's promises before they are fulfilled. Many times we give up before we receive an answer. Remember delays are not denials.


The Bible teaches us that Jesus "carries out and fulfills all of God's promises, no matter how many of them there are (2 Cor 1:20). God is serious about His promises, and He honors those who take them seriously. But don't just take my word for it. Start getting serious about taking God at His Word, and discover for yourself that He is the God who keep every promise!" (Ps 146:6)



YES! Feels like the Lord's confirmation of our standing on His promises for the healing of my cancer. A simple and powerful way to live with a health crisis. I hear God's whisper, "You are doing exactly what I want you to do. Take me at my Word, just like you are doing. Keep it up. I will not fail you."  AMEN!

Thinking alot about my family today. I feel washed in gratitude for every one of them. For so many things. Richie and Sam, you are my heart and soul, the reason I fight, and the reason I can experience joy in the midst of cancer. Mom and Dad, your never-ending love and faith carry me and bathe me in hope every day. No parent should have to hear a cancer diagnosis for their child, but you have handled it with such grace. Mike and Chris, as brothers, you go beyond description in the ways you care about me, and your belief that I was always strong enough to start and finish this journey helped bring me out of the darkness. Mabel, thank you for your frequent phone calls checking on me, your very generous gift, and the hours of loving prayer I know you are sending heavenward on my behalf. You are a special mom-in-law.

Mom, Mae and me

Mike and Betsy

Margie

Richie, Sam and me

Joyce and Ron, your standing in faith with us is like Godly cement. You have loved me with your cards, emails, calls and encourgement, and it has meant the world to me. Thank you for caring and supporting us so faithfully. Margie, your heart is bigger than your body and your giving generous spirit has touched me so deeply. I can't thank you enough for being here for me. You are the most selfless woman I know. ( My sis-in-heart literally gave me the shirt off her back and the pants off her legs when she was here!) 

 Rachel with Lucy and Asher

 Anna with Will and Tim

My family with Mabel, my mother-in-law

 Rachel, you are walking in the muck with me every second, understanding my emotions and upholding me with love in more ways than I deserve. I feel your prayers every day, girl! Thank you for always being on the other end of an email when I need you. Anna and Mae, you have both been so awesome about getting oncological answers for me when I need them and you both were tenderly-tough with "fightin' words" that I needed to hear early on. Mae, you were the one to rev up the "kick cancer's butt" train and forced me up in the engineer's seat when I needed it most. Nancy and Lowie, your words of hope and love have been fully absorbed and felt. Nancy, I still have my Goliath quote hanging up!

Me with 3 of "my girls"..... nieces Kate with baby Hendy, Betsy and Maddie

Mom and Dad with my family and Chris and Margie's family

Ron and Joyce (I could not find another pic of you and I know you will groan

when you see this one, but I couldn't leave you out. Send us a new pic of the two of you!)

Most of the Hieb extended family; my aunt Nancy on first step on right;

cousin Mae behind her

  Chris and Shirleen

Gretch, Kate, Bets....your emails are so sweet and full of love and always day brighteners. I know you are all praying for me, and that is the best thing you can do for me. To the rest of my family, unnamed here, but very vital links in my chain, I feel your prayers and I know your concern. I feel as though I am swimming in my family's love. I don't know how people walk through cancer without a family to lean on. I will never be able to give back to any of you what you have given me these past 3 months. You guys just rock. I love you all past the moon.