Hi Everyone
I want to thank you all for praying for my sweet mother. She is doing much much better today. Her surgery was a complete success but more involved than the doctors had originally thought, therefore her pain was almost unbearable yesterday and last night. I spent the night at the hospital with her and only got around three hours sleep. Between little sleep, working today, and mothering tonight I am spent. I can't believe it but... I will am going to have to miss my post today.
I look forward to reading all your comments. Thank you for understanding and continuing to pray for my mother. You are amazing group of friends! I appreciate the grace I know you are extending to me in missing today.
Jodie-hang in there! That precious little one is going to thrive no matter where the milk comes from you. You just love him and take care of yourself.
Jodie-hang in there! That precious little one is going to thrive no matter where the milk comes from you. You just love him and take care of yourself.
11 Comments:
Wendy we thank you so much for your dedication to us and this study! We have all been so blessed through your leadership. I love how God works through anything and He brought women from all over the world together via your site to study His word together. That is very cool!
{{HUGS and Prayers}} for you and your mom. And also for you Jodie. I have been in your shoes. I did not have time to read all the posts yesterday but I did read yours first thing in the morning. Will and I struggled too and at 6 weeks we began the transition to formula where he was on it solely by 8 weeks. I just could not make enough milk for him and he cried every 30 minutes to eat and we could not go anywhere. Which ever way you end up needing to feed him is just fine. As Wendy said, just love him! I will say they grow SO fast. Day in and day out you don't realize it until one day you wake up and they are off at school. Will is thriving at Kindergarten and doing amazing and loving it! Sometimes it is just hard to believe it has been almost 6 years that I started being home!
Hope you all have a wonderful, blessed day today. I do have a PTL for you guys. John has agreed to go with me to a Sunday school class stating this coming Sunday on Dobson's "Bringing Up Boys." WooHoo!! God is working big time sisters! I can't wait to share with you all when he is saved!
God Bless,
Brandee, TN
Praying today and tonight are much better for your momma...and for you. We will all be filling up bowlfuls of prayer for you!
Rev. 5:8
Sharon
Repost from yesterday...
Thank you, thank you, thank you...
My heart felt so much lighter today...we had a great visit from the public health nurse who gave us good advice about "living in the real world" and not living up to all the ideals and expectations out there. We then had a good visit with the lactation consultant who says we are getting close to full milk supply (in other words we might not need to keep using formula and all the pumping soon!!) and gave us some good strategies for latching. So hopefully in another week or so, things should be greatly improved.
Thank you sisters for carrying my burden in your hearts and for lifting me up to the Lord. I certainly flew on your prayers :) And thanks to everyone who shared their personal stories, it really touched my heart and inspired me.
Wendy - lifting you and your mom up in prayer this morning. I certainly have a new appreciation for my mother and what it must have taken to raise 4 children, only 6 years apart from oldest to youngest. She has been such an amazing support to me these past few weeks. I can feel your love for your momma right over the internet. I pray God grant you His supernatural strength to continue to be a support to your mom and family. I ask that He release the healing annointing for your mother - let His healing, life giving waters refresh, restore and comfort your mother (and you!). I ask the angels to keep watch over you and your family and protect you from harm. And I pray that you may abide in the shadow of His love for you today. Rest up and thank you for your continued diligence in leading the flock!
xoxo,
Jodie
Wendy, I'm so sorry for your weariness, but today I love you even more!!!! I'm not glad you're missing a day, I feel so sad for all you're going through, as I've experienced that physical and emotional exhaustion so recently myself, but this is just so real and honest. I know how your heart must be longing to be able to share here, not wanting to miss a day with us. Often we place too high an expectation on ourselves...one that God does not place on us...and, as I shared just a few short days ago, we pressure ourselves into letting something that should be a delight become a burden. You are setting a HUGE example for me today. Did you know that this obedience to Him would speak to my heart so deeply? THANK YOU!!! Praying for you, your mom and your family. May you be renewed today and go from strength to strength. Praying for your mom's healing and relief from pain. Hugs to you.
The verse that spoke to me today was, “…the gracious hand of the LORD my God was on me.” Ezra 7:28
Lord, I need to feel Your hand upon me.
A hand to wipe away tears. A hand to heal. A hand to mend a broken heart. A hand to remove fears. A hand to comfort. A hand to provide. A hand to shelter from the storm. A hand to correct. A hand to guide. A hand to deliver. A hand to encourage. A hand to hold.
Lord, I need to feel You and know Your presence. I’m looking for Your hand. I’m looking for it in my life as well as those close to me who are hurting. Shelter me in the hollow and the shadow of Your hands. Engrave me in Your palms. Let me sense Your touch. Circumstances beyond my control…not Yours…have pulled my heart to a place of seeking. My head tells me You are here, but I just need to see Your hand.
Hands that are not too short they cannot save. (Isaiah 59:1) Hands that measure the waters and position the heaven’s in place. (Isaiah 40:12, 48:13) Hands that hold the staff and the rod. (Psalm 23:4) Hands that hold my life and my ways. (Daniel 5:23)
Mighty hands. Saving hands. Powerful hands. Enabling hands. Conquering hands. Nail-pierced hands. Bleeding hands. Loving hands.
Lord, may we all today fall into Your hands,
Joy
I too underlined the number of times it said, "the gracious hand of the Lord his God was on him", and "I felt encouraged because the gracious hand of the Lord my God was on me". It told us this was because Ezra had determined to study, obey and teach the law of the Lord. There was action on Ezra's part. Later it said "Our God's hand of protection is on all who worship Him"....am I studying, obeying, teaching and worshiping Him like I should be?
Lord give me the desire to do these things everyday...and to really understand the importance of desiring to know You more. Amen.
Glad to hear less frustration in your post Jodie! Have fun and enjoy!
Morgen - MN
Good Morning Dear Ladies~
Wendy~Your hands deserve a break today, and maybe a few more, & we are all lifting you up in prayer!
Praying for your sweet Mama too!
Jodie~God's hands are mighty and hold the thought that as you're holding little Elliot, He's got a hold of both of you. :) As you continue to pour your heart out to him with all of your concerns and ask him to guide you and to place encouraging people around you, you will walk in victory. Seeking God's Will for you. Letting Him know you need Him. To the point where it's not what you want, but, LORD, what do you desire in this situation, and please help me get there. Praying for you sweet sister! Something I've been practicing too, which may help you...when the enemy puts a "thought into your head." Stop & realize it's not a thought from God. Begin praising and thanking God for everything you can think of...before you know it, your spirit will be lifted, and the enemy will flee! He can't stand to be around praise.
I love our family here, journeying along all together. Praying & praising Him for what He is doing in each on of our lives! I think this must be what it is all about! Studying, like Morgen mentioned. To be a Christ follower, we must Study Him everyday. Never letting go of our role-we are His students, and He is our Master. And, encouraging each other till the very end! PTL!
(Heb. 10:25)
Ezra - A Follower & Learner-
A true Disciple of Christ!
Ezra was committed to seeking, doing, and teaching God's Word. Ezra was determined to study and obey the Law of the LORD and to teach. 7:10. So many times we read the Bible, but do we do it? To read and accept and obey the Words in the Bible. Oh, I really want to know God more. To grow spiritually more each day. Obeying Him and putting my trust in Him. 100% Faith. Lord, thank you for drawing me to You. Thank you for putting encouraging people around me. Thank you for your Word. Help me to follow it, not just read it. For it to sink in to my deepest parts, for your verses to be alive and active in me. Amen.
Love, prayers, hugs coming your way, lori - az
Lori - AZ
Sweet Wendy and Friends, While I have not been posting, please know your comments, encouragement, and enthusiasm help me so much. We are facing so much here as daily my husband's father moves closer to his heavenly home. While we know that God works for good for those who love Him, we also are realizing that His good doesn't always feel that way. Your prayers are sure welcome.
Wendy, I love the new look. The pictures show your true beauty, both outer and inner. You are such a treasure!
Hugs to all of you too, especially to that sweet baby of yours, Jodie!
Encouragement seems to be our theme and lesson for the week!
Sometimes when we are encouraged by God and being encouraging to others we do become depleted. We need to reach out and ask for grace, to be honest about our need for help and for rest. Jodie and Wendy have certainly been leaders this week in teaching us the type of courage it takes to come to others with our brokeness and weakness...our weariness.
I echo Joy's comment that far too often we place a higner burden on ourselves than God ever intended. When we are extending grace to others but not to ourselves it is time to spend time with God and let him lavish his love on us and fill us back up!
I have so enjoyed the texts this week and all of your comments. Although I try, it does not always work out that I have time to respond each day, but I faithfully read every word each of you write.
I am encouraged by you all and I am encouraged by our gracious father God who created and connected us and walks with us along this journey.
May he bring you all the rest, renewal and refreshment you need today,
Liz
AK
Wendy,
I also am praying for rest and peace for you and your mother. How precious a time to be able to care for and minister to your mother! I am glad God gives us the opportunity to serve those who served us so well in our lives; the circle is unbroken.
Jodie, I can add no more to what the others here have said. Know you are in my prayers too and that I am cheering you on!
Joy, your post was so thoughtful and inspiring! You provided a wonderful description of the hands of God! I will journal about your thought today!
I also noticed the faith Ezra had (7:21-23);
21 And there by the Ahava Canal, I gave orders for all of us to fast and humble ourselves before our God. We prayed that he would give us a safe journey and protect us, our children, and our goods as we traveled. 22 For I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen[r] to accompany us and protect us from enemies along the way. After all, we had told the king, “Our God’s hand of protection is on all who worship him, but his fierce anger rages against those who abandon him.” 23 So we fasted and earnestly prayed that our God would take care of us, and he heard our prayer.
Active faith; that is my message for today. Ezra didn't want to ask the king for protection because he had been saying all along that God would be his protection. When faced with the reality of that choice, he chose to be faithful and to turn to God in prayer, receiving fulfillment of God's promise in response. How often have I boasted to others that God is with me and will provide for me or protect me, and then when the situation is present, I turn to earthly sources for my provision or protection because I don't trust God to be faithful! That is a humbling thought for me today; one I am confessing to my Heavenly Father in prayer.
Peace to you all today,
Karen, CA
Sweet Wendy and sisters,
Thank you for allowing me the privilege of praising and praying along side you today.
I count it a blessing to hear the work of our Father across the miles. Wendy I have lifted your mama up and asked for the Lord to surround you with people, comfort and strength. Please take care of yourself along the way.
Brandee, a wonderful answer to prayer about your hubby going to church. Continued prayers for his salvation, please keep us posted.
Joy, you are spot on with the verses about “the hand”.
As I sit here at my desk and look up, there are 14 verses posted about “the hand” of the Father. After my last surgery I couldn’t look at my hand because of the deformity. It was in these verses I took comfort. They all related to comfort and God’s control, not mine. It was a “hand” not a “fist”. That had been exactly what I found myself shaking at God and asking Him to comfort me, no wonder I hadn’t found any. I love Daniel 5:25
“Hands that hold my life and my ways.”
Kristen I have missed you and sorry to hear about your Father in law.
Jodie, my first born was a preemie and ate every 2 hours. It was so hard, but treasure these sweet days. I go back and read the journal I kept for him and it takes me right back. One thing I learned was the more they nurse, the more milk you make.
What a wonderful net work we have in the sisterhood of the Lord!
Can I get an amen?
Blessings and love,
Praying for you, for Fay and for your sweet family as you all love on and take care of each other!!!
Hugs, blessings and prayers,
Renee
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