Monday, June 8, 2015

Praise Update

27 What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight. What is whispered in your ear, shout from the rooftops. Matthew 10:27

There are many, many things God told me in the dark and whispered in my ear and now I want to shout about his goodness from the rooftops!

I felt compelled to write this update so that the many, many people who prayed so loyally for me for so long can be encouraged.  My family and I had an incredible vacation in Disney World at the end of April.  We were gone for an entire week and visited all 4 Disney theme parks.  I felt good the entire time.  In fact, my Meniere's Diseased, dizzy self rode every roller coaster in every park - some more than once!  That is a BIG DEAL!  We all LOVED the Rock & Roller Coaster at Hollywood Studios.  It boasts a top speed of 60 mph and does "3 thrilling inversions: 2 rollover loops and one corkscrew"!

Here we are taking off:

Jonathan and I were pleased to discover that our kids love roller coasters as much as we do!  

And during our trek to Disney we got to take the kids somewhere that I have been dying for them to see for years... the Promised Land (aka: Gainesville, home of the Florida Gators).  We drove all over, showing the kids where Jonathan and I first met, the apartments we lived in when we met and the first apartment we lived in when we were married.  Best of all we got to explore the football stadium:

The SWAMP!


After that trip, we returned to see our kids "graduate" 3rd grade with honors, turn 9 and continue to grow in size almost before our very eyes.  Then last week I lived through another reminder of God's goodness... I worked VBS at our church all week.  I don't take lightly that working at VBS in our church is an absolute gift, a joy, an honor.  I loved being up at the church with my kids.  I loved serving my church in that way.  I do not for one minute take for granted the fact that I could be there.  I wasn't just working VBS... I was living out the answer to your prayers these past few years!

Three years ago I never would have dreamed any of this was possible.  Three years ago many of you were praying for me.  I just want you to know that your prayers were heard.  It is a reminder to me that God doesn't always answer right away and His answer isn't always specifically what we ask for.  Three years ago I was naive (and desperate) and I often prayed and firmly believed God would miraculously and instantly heal me.  That wasn't God's plan.  God wanted to take the longer route so that He could get my FULL attention.  And that took time.  So what I thought were unanswered prayers at the time were just a delay in human time because God wanted to teach me more than I thought possible.  And I didn't get exactly what I asked for - complete healing.  I still have Meniere's Disease and some days I still get really dizzy and feel bad, but I am okay with that.  In fact, I'd rather it be that way.  Those times and those days remind me that I am not in control.

I hope this update encourages you... to keep praying for others and to believe that God does listen.  He may not always answer right away or give us the specific answers that we're seeking.  But there is great privilege and honor in taking our requests to Him.  Keep on praying.  Keep being faithful.

And from the bottom of my heart, I humbly thank you for thinking so much of me to pray for all those years.