My new song of encouragement....

When it seems like lifes path takes me up and down roller coasters I have been comforted by this song sung by Lincoln Brewster...

Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord
We will wait upon the Lord
We will wait upon the Lord

Our God, You reign forever
Our hope, our Strong Deliverer
You are the everlasting God
The everlasting God
You do not faint
You won't grow weary

Our God, You reign forever
Our hope, our Strong Deliverer
You are the everlasting God
The everlasting God
You do not faint
You won't grow weary

You're the defender of the weak
You comfort those in need
You lift us up on wings like eagles

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jP2nz6PG8KM

Enjoy listening to this song and be encouraged like I was that the Lord will raise us up when we wait patiently on HIm! Thank you God!

Dear Lord,
I am tired and weak today but I know you promised that Your grace is sufficient for us, for your strength is made perfect in weakness. It has been such a long road to travel but you have promised that I will never have to travel alone. I have spent times crying as it just feels like it has been such a heavy cross to bear and yet you promised that you will wipe away all our tears. Lord you promised that you are my Shepherd and you promised that I can take my burdens to you because your yoke is easy and your burden in light. Lord I am holding onto these promises...because it is through Your Word and the prayers of so many loved ones that have gotten me this far. Lord, please help me learn to take one step at a time with your help! I love you Lord!
C F B

The Goodness of the Lord

What more can I say other then that I serve an awesome God!! Last week was such a discouraging week in more then one way...but the Lord is teaching me to be thankful in each situation. Sometimes the trials overwhelm me and I call out to Christ that I am sinking. But then He reaches out and grabs my hand and pulls me back up with a reminder to keep my eyes focused on Him. So this week the song for me is from Robin Mark:

Blessed Be Your Name
In the land that is plentiful
Where Your streams of abundance flow
Blessed be Your name

Blessed Be Your name
When I'm found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed Be Your name

Every blessing You pour out
I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

Blessed be Your name
When the sun's shining down on me
When the world's 'all as it should be'
Blessed be Your name

Blessed be Your name
On the road marked with suffering
Though there's pain in the offering
Blessed be Your name

You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord, blessed be Your name

A New Verse....A New Day!

A very special friend lent me a book a couple weeks ago called Hinds Feet on High Places. I was so blessed reading that book. It was written like Pilgrims Progress. It really touched my heart as I felt like I was traveling with Much Afraid. The author portrayed how the Shepherd was there beside us no matter what. He is there at our every call. I cried when Much Afraid came to the end of her earthly journey and she gave her all on the altar to our Lord and Saviour. I cried when our Shepherd gave her a new body that was free from pain and suffering and gave her a new name!!! Wow...Jesus I can not wait to come Home to be with you, but in the mean time help me to continue on with Sorrow and Suffering as my companions to make me more ready for my Home above!
My new verse is from Habakkuk 3:18,19:
"Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The LORD God is my strength, and He will make my feet like hinds' feet, and He will make me to walk upon mine high places."
Thank you Lord for your promises and your reassurance!!

February 15, 2010

I get to start work again this week and I am so excited!! It feels like forever since I have been actually doing nursing care and yes I actually do miss it!! I will be doing four hours a day from Tuesday till Friday and then starting next week I will actually be doing nursing care! It has been a long journey of which I am still traveling...but the Lord has been so faithful. Every time I look back at what has happened I can only praise and thank the Lord for all He has done.
People might call me weird, but the last six months have given me a deeper relationship with our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. I want to encourage any one who is going through a rough time in your life to keep your eyes focused up on Christ. I think of Peter who was able to walk on the water as long as his eyes were kept focused on Jesus. I think of Psalm 121 where the reminder is given to lift your eyes up to the hills from where your help comes. Don't give up...the Lord is faithful and will walk beside you and before you if you allow Him to.
One of my favourite verses comes from Isaiah 55:
Seek the LORD while He may be found,
Call upon Him while He is near.
Let the wicked forsake his way,
And the unrighteous man his thoughts;
Let him return to the LORD,
And He will have mercy on him;
And to our God,
For He will abundantly pardon.
“ For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD.
“ For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts.
“ For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven,
And do not return there,
But water the earth,
And make it bring forth and bud,
That it may give seed to the sower
And bread to the eater,
So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;
It shall not return to Me void,
But it shall accomplish what I please,
And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.
“ For you shall go out with joy,
And be led out with peace;
The mountains and the hills
Shall break forth into singing before you,
And all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

Another week...

Today I spent most of my day in Toronto seeing more doctors and having more blood work done...sitting and waiting and having a lot of time to think and pray. I realized today as I was going through all this that even though at times it seems like I am in a dark tunnel, today I really felt like there was light in the tunnel with me as Jesus walked beside me and is carrying me through when I can not do it on my own! If we keep in mind that when we look up to Jesus instead of looking down at how deep the water is we can get through difficult circumstances in our lives. So just a word of encouragement to everyone...keep your eyes focused on Jesus and He will carry you through!

JANUARY 1, 2010

WISHING EVERYONE A BLESSED NEW YEAR! MAY YOU ALL FIND TRUE JOY AND PEACE IN OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST IN THE NEW YEAR OF 2010!

Travels in Life

I can not believe that is has been since February since I have written on my blog. My brother reminded me of my duty to continue to write of my life's journey. So here goes ...
When I look back on this year I will say one thing ... the Lord has been so faithful and continues to remain faithful through everything that has happened this year. It has been a long and trying year with many different things happening and even now I am trying to pull through trials that the Lord has placed in my life.
These past two months have been spent trying to deal with health issues in my life. Dealing with a chronic illness can be so difficult and trying but I will say again that the Lord is so faithful in pulling me through. I have not been able to work since November. My place of work has been very supportive in helping me through this. I can't believe I am saying this but I really miss working. I miss the interaction with my co-workers, I miss giving care to those who are sick ... its very different being on the other side of the spectrum and being the one receiving the care. The health care staff that has helped me out both in Orangeville and Toronto have been really great! I am thankful that they continue to help me in trying to figure out what is causing all my health problems. My family have been so supportive in helping me as well as praying with me and for me. My church family as well as my extended family has also been great in continuing to pray for me as we work on finding out what is causing all of these health problems. The power of prayer is amazing! When the Lord Jesus Christ is Lord of your life there is nothing more peaceful and rewarding then knowing that the prayers of the saints of the Lord will help to pull you through difficult times.
The other thing that I have found so encouraging during this time is that the Lord has shown me that when we place our trust in Him and continue to work in His work that the Lord will bless us. When we keep our eyes focused on Him our problems become small as we work in the Lord's Kingdom.
So I encourage you all...place your trust and your whole life in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be blessed more then you can ever imagine!

Thought of the day!

I believe that everything in life happens for a reason...we might not be able to see it at the time but there is a reason for every event. I love the serenity prayer for this reason:

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next.
Amen.

--Reinhold Niebuhr

Remember when you are going through a difficult time...pray for strength to get through so that years later you can look back and thank the Lord for what He taught you through those times. And then remember to thank the Lord for caring you through those times as well!

The Lord is My Shepherd

The Lord is my Shepherd I shall not want.
He makes me to lie down in green pastures
He leads me besides the still waters
He restores me soul.
He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name sake.
Yea though I walk through the shadow of death I will fear no evil for you are with me.
Your rod and your staff they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of mine enemies.
You anoint my head with oil, my cup runs over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever! Psalm 23

Thank you Lord for being my Shepherd. You never leave or forsake me! Thankyou Jesus Christ for always being in my life!

Just an update...

Wow I cant believe that it is already the middle of August! I have been blessed with an awesome summer! Beth and I were able to housesit for a member of our church for the month of July. This was plenty of fun...however I think both of us were so thankful to be able to go back home after! The last two weekends I drove up to Charleston Lake by Kingston to camp with the family. We had so much fun introducing Daniel to what camping is...boy does he ever love being outdoors!
I also finished my second Coronary Care Course. It was a very difficult course but I hope to be able to use it in Newmarket in September when I start working in the Emergency Department there.
This summer Beth and I have been able to spend some quality sister time together which has been such a blessing for both of us! The picture of us above was taken at the African Lion Safari on July 1, 2008.
Last week I was able to spend two days with Opa and Oma. Oma and I had plenty of fun doing crossword puzzles etc. We went to Holland Christian Homes on one of the days which was difficult as I still really miss Tante Tena.
That is about all that is new this summer. The Lord has been working in my life with the idea of getting involved with New Tribes Missions next year to be involved with short term missions trip. I am still praying with this idea and seeing where the Lord wants me in my life. Right now the Lord has been showing me that my mission field is where He has placed me now...as well as the ability to continue to learn so that the Lord can prepare me for what He has in store for me!

Through Difficult Times...The Lord is Faithful!

The last month has been a difficult month but from the very start I will say that the Lord has been very faithful and continues to be faithful!
Last month I learned that the full time position at the hospital was over and I needed to take a part time line. This was fine however the only part time line on the floor I am working on is a night line. If I did not want that line I would have to move to a different floor. Now working straight nights don't really mix well with someone who has crohn's but the girls I work with encouraged me to take that line and then wait till another line became available. Needless to say that is easier said then done! But the Lord has been teaching me to WAIT on Him through this...
Then three weeks ago I ended up getting a chest cold that just would not go. They decided last week that I had pneumonia and I was put on antibiotics for it. But this meant that I have not worked for the last two weeks. Again the Lord said to WAIT on Him. Today I am feeling much better! Thank you Lord!
The Lord has shown me through this and many other things that He has a plan for us. He knows what we are going through and will never leave us. My problems are just minor problems compared to what many others face from day to day. But no matter how small or how big the difficulty is we must acknowledge the faithfulness of our Heavenly Father and just WAIT on Him to fulfill His perfect will in our lives.
Thank-you Lord for continuing to teach me, thank-you for your patience with me day after day! Thank-you Lord for your faithfulness in my life!

Do you ever want to question God?

Another one of my favorite songs...one that totally voices what I am feeling at this time in my life:

Lord You seem so far away
A million miles or more it feels today
And though I haven't lost my faith
I must confess right now
That it's hard for me to pray
But I don't know what to say
And I don't know where to start
But as You give the grace
With all that's in my heart

Chorus:
I will sing I will praise
Even in my darkest hour
Through the sorrow and the pain
I will sing I will praise
Lift my hands to honor You
Because Your Word is true
I will sing

Lord it's hard for me to see
All the thoughts and plans You have for me
But I will put my trust in You
Knowing that You died to set me free
But I don't know what to say
And I don't know where to start
But as You give grace
With all that's in my heart

Lord may I leave my life more and more in your hands and trust your will as best for my life! I love you Lord Jesus!

For my dear sister (in law)...I am praying for you!

Sometimes we don't know why the Lord does what He does or why He allows certain things to happen in our lives or the lives of those we love. Many time we, like Job, question God asking why...why us?
But one thing I know that through the love of Christ we will be able to carry on. Through the great gift and sacrifice of our Heavenly Father we are able to get through the hard times. Yes I know that this is all easy for me to say but I know we serve the same Lord Jesus and His love is the same everywhere.
Melissa this song is for you...I hope that it will help and encourage you as much as it has helped me. Hold on to the love of Christ because through it you and your Mom and your whole family will soar like the eagle for He will carry you through!

Lord I come to You
Let my heart be changed, renewed
Flowing from the grace
That I’ve found in You
Lord I’ve come to know
The weakenesses I see in me
Will be stripped away
By the power of Your love

~ chorus ~
Hold me close
Let Your love surround me
Bring me near
Draw me to Your side
And as I wait
I’ll rise up like the eagle
And I will soar with You
Your Spirit leads me on
In the power of Your love

Lord unveil my eyes
Let me see You face to face
The knowledge of Your love
As You live in me
Lord renew my mind
As Your will unfolds in my life
In living every day
By the power of Your love

(repeat chorus twice)

And I will soar with You
Your Spirit leads me on
In the power of Your love

I love you sister! Prayers are always with you!

I Love Nursing!

It was working the last two days that showed me more then ever how much I love to be a nurse. It was having two patients pass away in two days that made me thankful even more for chosing this profession. It was hard emotionally and physically but yet I felt drawn more to the job I am in.
We as nurses have so much potential to help people, to encourage people, to support people, and to just be there with them. We have the privelege of making our patients comfortable in their last hours and minutes of their lives. We have the honor of holding their hand so that they know they are not alone. We have the joy of helping someone get better when we all thought that they were dying...and the list continues.
It was extremly hard seeing death...it can be such a horrible thing...but it is through death that the Lord uses us in this profession.
I pray that in all I do that the Lord will use me to be a witness for Him, to pray for those I care for, to pray for family that watches all of this.
I know this blog is a bit disorganized but I had to write my thoughts as these last two days were so difficult...and yet like I said before these last two days proved to me that I am in the right place.
Lord help me to do my best for you!

Laundry Party

Have you ever had a laundry party? Well we have and boy is it a lot of fun...laundry, food, and a good movie...and life is just great! So here are just a couple of pictures of us having fun at the laundry party!


Even my cat enjoyed it!


Yes life can be so much fun...although don't ask me what the movie was about...I think we were laughing too much!

How Short Life is...

The Bible says that man's life is as a flower of the field...one day is there and the next day its not. Do you ever go to work wondering if you will be coming home that night? Do you leave home saying good bye to those you love wondering whether or not you will see them again? This is the reality of the world we live in.
I am working on a cardiac medicine floor in the hospital here. I have thought about the brevity of life so much as I see people who one day were strong and healthy and the next day are in hospital wondering how long it will be before their heart gives out...I have seen people who were having a wonderful time with family and friends and half an hour later are in hospital due to a vehicle collision. This is the reality of life.
God calls us to live each day for His glory and honor. To live each day spreading the Word because we never know if this day is our last day. For those of us who know the Lord Jesus this time can be exciting...but for those who don't know Him it can be scary. Lets share the Word and live each day to its fullest of working in the Kingdom of God because you don't know when the Lord will call you or your neighbor home! Life is short....

Of Tons of Homework...and Frustrating Computers!

Yes I have been trying to study for the course that I am taking on the human heart. It is such an interesting course as it describes how the heart is so intricately made. I often wonder how people continue to say that humans evolve when they read the miracle of creation!
The final exam for this course is next week so that means I have to study much harder then I was studying before. I find it hard to study when I am working full time but I have to give it my all in order to pass this course.
My computer has been really frustrating of late as it loves to freeze. I have a dell notebook and I am pretty sure that next computer I get it won't be a dell...but I should not complain and be thankful for the computer I have.
But for now it is back to the books...

Thank you Lord for Family!

I am really enjoying being back here in Orangeville Ontario, Canada. I started this week working at Headwaters Health Care Center on a Cardiac/Medicine floor. I am really enjoying working there. The staff are awesome there making a great team to work with.

Tonight I went to watch my younger brother's hockey game tonight and was thankful that I was able to do that for him.

I had an interview this week at the Avalon Care Center for a casual position as an RN there. This is a nursing home that I had volunteered there for five years starting when I was fourteen. It was exciting to see people that I had not seen for some time. I feel like I have come home!

Other then that I have been enjoying the time spent with family and friends back home thanking the Lord for a social life that I have never had in Ottawa! I am so happy to be back home in Orangeville!

Singing to the Lord...

You know how sometimes the Lord speaks to us in different ways. I find the Lord touches my heart through songs alot. I love driving by myself and singing with the worship CD's I play...just praising or praying to the Lord. And with this all I am thankful that we don't need to have a voice of a famous singer to praise the Lord...but that the Lord says to make a "joyful noise" to the Lord.
My song for this week is sung well by Darlene Zschech, called "Power of your Love". Here are the lyrics:

Lord I come to You
Let my heart be changed, renewed
Flowing from the grace
That I've found in You
And Lord I've come to know
The weaknesses I see in me
Will be stripped away
By the power of Your love

Hold me close
Let Your love surround me
Bring me near
Draw me to Your side
And as I wait
I'll rise up like an eagle
And I will soar with You
Your spirit leads me on
By the Power of Your love

Lord unveil my eyes
Let me see you face to face
The knowledge of Your love
As you live in me
And Lord renew my mind
As Your will unfolds in my life
In living every day
By the Power of Your love

This song has been my prayer many times especially when times get hard and stressful because it is the power of the Love of the Lord that keeps me alive and able to face a new day! May you all find the joy in knowing the true love of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ!