The Spirit's Prodding

Well, I've been dragging my feet on this blogging thing and not sharing my good news. The Holy Spirit has been prodding me along the last few days by just heaping blessing upon blessing, so I am therefore about to burst with good news and anticipation. I just have to share......

I have to first tell you about my hospital stay and how the Lord surrounded me with His presence over and over. There were a few days that I was by myself in the hospital. It was the first time that has ever happened over in Gainsville, but I was not concerned, I knew I would keep myself busy reading or watching Food TV (which subsequently is not the best idea to do in the hospital when you only have access to icky food). The Lord places this one specific nurse in my path in through conversation I found out she was a Christian and a very dedicated one at that. We spent hours just talking about the Lord and how good He is, encouraging one another and sharing testimonies. It reaffirmed for me that although it may seem we are all alone the Lord is always there, and not only that, but He generally will provide someone or something to encourage us when we are down. As it came time for my hospital stay to come to an end my oncologist came to visit me. Now, if you recall, I have been traveling 4 1/2 hours to Gainsville to receive my treatments which usually require a hospital stay of anywhere between 4-7 days. It has been extremely burdensome upon my family. We have been praying that I would be able to receive my chemo at a hospital closer to home in San Destin. My oncologist came with the good news that my request to receive treatment locally had been granted!!!! She has sent all of my information to the oncologist here and he is ready to take me on! YAY!! After she shared that good news with me we talked for a long time and she opened up to me about her own feelings of God, she too is a believer (I hadn't known this before because we hadn't had the chance for such an intimate conversation). She talked to me about my faith in God and how it would see me through this time, how she had to cling to the Lord and that she knows He has a plan in cancer in suffering when dealing with her pediatric patients. It was a sweet talk. I could tell that she opened up her private thoughts to me and felt safe to share with me what others in her medical community might scoff at. It was a true blessing indeed as well as another example of the encouragement that the Lord brings to His children when they need it.

Coming home I was so happy that the Lord worked things out for me to have my chemo here locally. The oncologist that will be overseeing my care is a very strong Christian man and very open about it as well. From first meeting him we have all been impressed with his character and bedside manner. I look forward to what this next round of treatments will bring. Although I know that sickness is in my future I also see healing. I truly believe that the Lord will heal me of this infirmity.

Among these blessings that the Lord has brought me, in the last two days I have come to find out that a dear friend is expecting. I'm so happy to be able to share in her joy and see the Lord bless this family!! In addition the family that keeps my Jarred while I am in the hospital has been praying for the father of the family to find a good job close to home. Today we received news that not only did he get a good job close to home, he got an AWESOME job close to home. The circumstances surrounding his hiring were completely orchestrated by the Lord. Also..... the sweet lady that picks Jarred up from school in the mornings just got a job her heart desired as well!! All these blessings to people around me just make my heart so full. It is so incredibly encouraging to see the Lord work in the lives of those people who love him and are called according to his purpose. It is so wonderful to see Him work things for good.
Last, but not least there has been a prayer request that has been very near and dear to my heart. Jarred will be starting the 5th grade (no, I can't believe it!) this year!! I have been wanting to set up a meeting with his teacher one-on-one to discuss our unique situation and also for Mrs. Shawn (his care-giver in my absence) to meet with her. I want us all to be on the same page and her to understand exactly what is going on. With Jarred going back and forth between homes I feel it is of the utmost importance for everyone involved to be familiar with one another. So anyway, the sweet lady that picks Jarred up for school also has a daughter in Jarred's class and she sent me a note to let me know that she had met with the teacher and she seemed just wonderful. She also said that she told the teacher about me and my circumstances just briefly. She just raved about her and it made me so excited to talk to her. I called the teacher yesterday to see if we could set up an appointment and let me just say, WOW! Does God ever know what He is doing!! I wouldn't be as self-centered to say that the Lord brought this teacher to Florida just for us, but I know that when He brought her He certainly knew we needed her. I was just so in awe of God - and in tears- by the time I got off of the phone with her. When she got on the phone she said to me "You know, I prayed for you this morning!" Isn't that something!! Well, we talked and she told me that she had had two students in the past whose parents had been diagnosed with cancer while in her classroom. So she knows exactly what Jarred is going through and what type of support he needs. She told me that she wants to do whatever she can to help him succeed. And that, my friends, is my number one desire, that through all of this craziness that cancer has brought to our lives that Jarred will be successful in life, in whatever he does or endeavors to do. So anyway, Jarred is psyched to start school. Yesterday he put on his new uniform, new shoes, new belt, and got his new backpack and paraded around the house strutting his stuff. So funny. And I'm excited too! We go to meet with his teacher on Monday at 11 then she wants to take us to lunch at Chick Fil-A (eat your heart out Rachel, I'll think of you :)). Isn't that so sweet!! I thought so. I will let you know how things for from there.

So, on this day when all I see around me is God's goodness and His many blessings I knew that everything is going to be OK. God is on His throne smiling down at us today and I'm smiling back at him!

Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

"Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable.One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts."
Psalms 145:3-4