Walking {Through} Trials with Peace (Pt.2)

My last "Walking Through Trials with Peace" post, I mentioned that I was going through some health issues. Well, I have good news. I will share my short story first...

I went for my annual GYN exam in August. Since turning 40 in April, my doctor informed me it  was time for my annual mammograms. I agreed. No big deal, right? When the scheduler informed me that my appointment was going to be Sept. 25 I gladly accepted as it's my BFF's 40th Birthday. I wanted to do this for her because she has been fussing at me for a few years about getting one. She too has had a scare last year with a questionable mammogram that ended with a benign report. Praise God 10 MINUTES! Plus, let me add, her mother has been breast cancer free for 5 years now! Woo Hoo, Thank you, Jesus!

My appointment was not bad at all. Nothing like all the crazy signs and sayings I've seen on Pinterest or Facebook. The technician informed me that they may want to call me back for a second test as this was my baseline. She made it sound like this was the norm. I think she was trying to prepare me for what lay ahead as she has "been there, done that" with other patients whose mammograms were positive.

So when they called me back the next day, I knew something was wrong. She told me that they would give me a call in about a week. With my heart beating out of my chest, I arrived for my second mamo the following Monday. The technician was kind enough to show me on the screen which area was of their concern. She informed me there was a cluster of microcalcifications. That didn't sound good to me. Still believing that God is for me and that He was not going to allow anything to happen to me that wouldn't sooner or later bring him glory. I was however, discombobbulated with the idea that I could possibly have "breast cancer". There is no history of breast cancer in my family. Not to mention, I breast fed 3 kids for 4 yrs. If the statistic "Breast cancer is reduced 33% every time you breast feed" is true, I have a 99% chance that I will not have breast cancer. No matter what, I was going to move forward and praise God no matter what!

The next day, which happened to be my 19th wedding anniversary, my GYN nurse informed me that my doctor wanted to send me to a general surgeon. (That was the worst visit I've ever experienced. I will spare you the details.) The general surgeon informed me that he wanted to do a stereotactic biopsy. Ok, that sounds easy enough, right? A week later, I finally make it to the hospital for my biospy. That was not a walk in the park, but not too bad either. A lot easier than having a baby for sure!

Do you know what the hardest thing was? It was not the biopsy,  possibly facing chemo, mastectomy or even death. It was facing my kids. Seeing them struggle with that disease and what it could possibly to do me.  I just couldn't bare it. I do not in any way want them to suffer. We, Lynn and I, decided not to tell them until we knew exactly what we are facing. We knew that our son would be able to handle the news a lot better than our daughters.

Just to get right down to it. The biopsy results came back and it's BEGIGN! Talk about getting our praise on?! I can't thank Him enough. My next step is to have another mammogram in 6 months to watch for any changes.

God is definitely good and knows what He is doing. I love Him much more today that I did yesterday. I will forever praise HIM!

Celebrate with me by having your mammogram if you have not done so and encourage those in your life to do so as well! Don't just do it for me, do it for those who love you so much.

Thank you, Jesus for giving me your peace during the "waiting time" that passes all understanding!

~dee dee~

Walking {Through} Trials with Peace

As many of you know, I've started blogging in order to be obedient to my heavenly Father. He has been speaking to me for quite sometime about blogging for healing, mostly emotional. I believe this is my walking out the... "They shall overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the WORD of their TESTIMONY"! (Rev. 12:11)

Unfortunately because homeschooling requires so much of my time, I have not been able to blog as much as I would like to. I ran into a friend last night who talked about my blog and how much she enjoyed reading it. She doesn't know just how encouraging that was.

Today's blog is about something (Which I can not disclose at this time but will at a later date) that I am having to walk THROUGH!   Thank God I'm only walking through.  This is something that I thought I would never, ever, ever happen to me.  I will say, it's concerning my health. I've felt in the past that I have done "good" things for my body. Like, eating organic when I could, watching what I eat and trying to avoid antibiotics and hormones,staying away from fried foods, using coconut and olive oil, not using pesticides or fertilizers when growing my own food, drinking plenty of filtered water, taking my vitamins, praying continually, always forgiving and not holding grudges or bitterness. The only thing I could do better at is exercising. I've not been able to find the time.

When I started this medical process, I was doing it for just a basic health routine. Never in a million years had I thought that it would have to go further. This could turn into a pretty serious deal. Without God's immediate healing, I will have to walk through for a while. But I have to say, God's peace has NEVER, NEVER left me. I am experiencing the "Peace that passes all understanding".  Actually I really like how the Easy-To-Read Version states it... Php 4:7  And because you belong to Christ Jesus, God's peace will stand guard over all your thoughts and feelings. His peace can do this far better than our human minds.  Whoa, holy cow. Is that not just amazing. I just love how God creates circumstances that allows you to test His word.  Testing means walking it out, living it!

Let me explain a little about His peace!  I started this journey on Sept. 25, 2013 (Which just happens to be my best friend's 40th birthday) Just like Phil. 4:7 states. "His peace will stand guard over ALL my thoughts and feelings. I haven't really gotten upset, anxious, nervous or fearful over what "could be". My mind has stayed on him. (Is. 26:3 You [God] will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You; because he trusts in You.)  Actually, I haven't thought about it much, except when someone who knows what I'm going through calls me and ask me how I'm doing.

I just want to testify that God's word is true. It never fails. God never quits fulfilling his promises. He will do what His word says. He is not a liar. He is a caring, loving, gracious, healing, peace giving/sustaining, mind keeping God. I am His child and He will NEVER EVER give up on me. If there's good news of my health test, I will certainly praise Him. If bad news comes, I will still praise Him. There is a reason why I'm going through this. I can't help but feel honored, chosen. My greatest desire is to carry this mantel that He has allowed me to carry will be done so with glory to Him and with great gratitude and thanksgiving. May I somehow show His light to someone who needs encouragement and hope.

Although, let me inlcude, I am believing the best of news. I'm believing that God still heals and can heal me.  But, if that is not what He chooses for me, I will gladly walk THROUGH it. His thoughts are higher than mine, His ways are higher than mine. (Isa 55:9  Just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my[God] ways are higher than your ways, and my[God] thoughts are higher than your thoughts.")

Please, keep me in your thoughts and prayers and very very soon, I will be able to share with you wholly what it is I am facing and possibly will be facing. 

I don't have much but what I do have I give to you...Hope and Peace.

With greatest of love to you, my friend
~dee dee~

Shoes on the wrong feet! Moving to Mobile, AL

Our lives have not been normal for over 9 yrs now. We have been functional and somewhat productive on the outside. Have you ever put your shoes on the wrong feet? We've all done that. It feels funny don't it? You can feel shoes on your feet, but when you start to move in them and take a step forward, something just don' feel right. Your feet still get you somewhere. And as you walk, you know that it does not feel right, but you don't take the time to fix them. Or maybe you don't even realize that you have them on wrong. But you keep going. After a while, you began to get sores, bruises, blisters, corns and callouses. You develop a limp and start to walk funny. You might even favor a side.

There is this little 3 yr old boy in our neighborhood. Precious as can be. He loves to dress himself. I don't think I have ever seen him put his shoes on the right feet. I've even pointed it out to him and asked him if he would like for me to help him put his shoes on the right feet. But he politely says "NO" and goes about playing. It really is spectacular to watch a child in the midst of learning to care for himself. That is a time to worship our creator.

So along our journey in Chattanooga, we've discovered that we have our shoes on the wrong feet. So what do we do? We just tried on another pair. That does not work, so we tried another pair. Well, that didn't work either, so guess what? You are right, We tried on another pair. And each time we tried them on, we continued to put them on the wrong feet.

Have you ever been disgusted with something or someone and didn't let them know about it? You didn't confront them? So, you left them alone and found another friend. But then you found yourself in the same situation and did the same thing as before. You just left them alone. Before you know it, you've left 3 or 4 really good friends just flapping in the wind like some old dirty underwear.

How about a church? Have your ever tried another church because you didn't like what the preacher said on Sunday? Maybe you didn't agree with the way they handled a situation that involved you. Maybe there was a lot of gossiping and very little praying. Maybe it was filled with religion, rules, elitism and programs. That maybe a legitimate reason for leaving. But anyway, you found yourself church hopping.

We did! We church hopped (changed shoes), job hopped (changed shoes), school hopped (changed shoes) and even did some friend hopping(changed shoes again). Let me add here that there are some unhealthy friendships that you need to seek God's wisdom about. You may have to walk away from those unhealthy relationships. Back to my story. We were trying on other shoes and still putting them on the wrong foot. But you know what? I would not trade that for the world. We have learned so much about ourselves, each other and our children. God has not pulled us out of some situations so that we can be taught of him. There is no price for that.

In the end, we just took our shoes off and we didn't wear any shoes at all. Our feet got torn, bruised, blistered, cut, bumped, stepped on, dirtied, calloused and corned. We humbly came to Jesus, confessed our sins, accepted His forgiveness, gave forgiveness to each other and stood face to face with Him. God arrested my husband during a revival in September 2009. I mean seriously arrested him. He layed out in the floor for hours that week. God was cleaning him up, doctoring his sores, restoring his feet or should I say, his walk. Healing him completely. I knew what was going on and because it was an answered prayer to see my husband laying with God, it was healing to me. God put a new fire in us that week. He also brought some seeds forth that he had deposited many yeas ago.

Now, God has put a brand new pair of shoes on both our feet. And they are on the right foot. He didn't put shoes on dirtied, calloused, bruised and blistered feet. He didn't put old shoes on clean healthy feet. He didn't put the wrong shoes on the right feet or put the right shoes on the wrong feet. He has put a specially made pair of shoes for my husband's feet and a specially made pair of shoes on my feet. (Guess what? my shoes match my honey's, but fit my feet perfectly! I just love that)

What I'm trying to say is that after 7 yrs of a long slow learnin sabatical, we are joining forces with God like never before. We are moving forward stronger than we ever have before. We are returning to the ministry. God has laid Mobile, AL on our hearts. We don't know why Mobile. We wouldn't care if it was New York, Spokane, Little Rock or Las Vegas. We will go where ever He sends us. We are more that exstatic that it is my hometown. I get to be with my family again. I have missed them more than words can say and I know they feel the same way.

We have a passion for the lost. We also have a burden for a generation that is willing to stand up and take back what the enemy has stolen. We are not looking for any wimps. A generation that is ready to take their place in the Kingdom with faith and boldness. A generation that wants to be His hands and feet and get dirty doing it. A generation that will worship foolishly before their Father. A generation that is filled with the Holy Spirit. A generation that will love the Lord God with all their heart, soul, mind and strength and love their neighbor as we love ourselves so that the world will know that we belong to the one and only Jesus Christ. We are not playing games and are tired of wasting time. Jesus Christ is coming back really really soon. And he is looking for a bride that is willing to obey His word and His spoken command with out fear or question. A bride that is spotless.

So, we will be starting a new church somewhere in Mobile. More than likely in West Mobile. We need to get to the city and do some major praying to find out for certain where God wants us. A well as meet the people that God has lined up to help us. I know what you are thinking..."Another church?" "Mobile does not need another church!" I thought the same thing. But who am I to question God. When he says do something, we just do it right?

We will obey his first instruction to us and that is move. We will be moving Dec. 16th. Just in time for the holidays and just in time for the In The Midst New Year's gathering. In the meantime, please be in prayer for us. Our current prayer request and needs are finances, wisdom and devine revelation and appointments.

I hope to keep you posted in the up coming weeks. Thanks to all for all your love and prayers. I'm so excited to see what God is up to. He sure is Jehovah Sneeky!

Praises Challenged

How many of you know that when you set out to do something, you WILL be challenged. Either by your friends, spouse, family, the enemy or even God. This is a test to see if you were for real.

I know your wondering what in the world am I getting at. Well, if you will notice the name of my blog. It's "Praises 2 Sing" or praises to sing. I did the #2 cause it was kool. Anyway, when I set out to do this blog, I wanted a title that fit me. At that time I had been going through some tough times and God was in the process of pulling us out of the pit. (Like Joseph when he was thrown into the pit by his brothers.) I vowed then, that I would forever praise my heavenly Father. That no matter what come my way, I would praise him. If he never did anything for me again, I would praise Him; especially because of what he had already done for me. Saving my soul from hell for one, restoring my marriage and giving me 3 completely healthy children, just to name a few.

I have found that it is easy to praise God when things are going good. When the sun is shining, you have money in the bank, your marriage is real peachy, the kids are doing well in school and are not sick, no one has died. Things are real quiet in your life. Well, what happens when there is no money to buy Christmas presents? No money to travel to visit family for the holidays? You have lost your job or your pay has been cut? What do you do when all your kids are sick at the same time? Or maybe your best friend has abandoned you? I have been so down in the pit financially that I couldn't find two quarters to rub together to buy toothpaste. (We used baking soda.)

We have been in the pit in many areas of our lives. What I mean by "the pit" is - the dumps, in really bad, things not going well on the inside of you or the outside.

When you make a vow to God that you will praise Him no matter what it looks like on the outside, you will find something to praise him for. You praise him for the stained shirt you have on your back. You praise him for the roof over your head. You praise him for the 13th mess that you have cleaned up today, because there are people out there that don't have children and want them so badly. You praise Him because you can breathe, you praise Him for the food that you have on the table. You praise Him for saving your soul. AND when you begin to praise him, your spirits will lift. Just like in Psalms if you begin to praise your heavenly Father, you will take off the spirit of heaviness and put on a garment of praise. When you praise your heavenly Father, things begin to fall into place. Your mind lines up with scripture. In Phil. 4:8 it says "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."

In Acts, Paul and Silas began to sing praises to God while they were in prison and the chains of heaviness (shackles)was shaken from their hands and feet, the walls were torn down and they and all the other prisoners were set free. Praise frees us from our current circumstances.

I said all this to say, that I have been challenged in the past few weeks to really praise God for what I do not see. I have been praising him for the things to come, things that he has shown me and promised me. It is so easy to take our eyes off of our blessings. The enemy makes things so appealing to us. But we can not for one minute give him an inch. You know what he will do with that.

So I challenge you, now that Thanksgiving is over. Are you still praising God? If not, take the time now to do so. Ask him to give you the words to praise him with. He will do that. He has done it for me. Don't wait on "the feeling". You can not depend on them. Praise Him no matter what you feel like.

Love to all,
Dee Dee