Strength

"God is our refuge and strength a very present help in time of trouble."

Good late afternoon! I am changing things up a bit, writing around dinnertime! I do love a night when the crockpot has helped me prepare something easy...buffalo sauce/ranch chicken sandwiches with slaw is on tonight's menu..a new recipe, three ingredients, love already! Now onto our topic for today...I thought the entire day about one word. Strength. I was off today and had three doctor appointments (all normal yearly stuff and mammogram). Most of the day was spent with people I didn't know and in waiting rooms. Fine with me, down time is good these days. I did chat with a few ladies, one of which I immediately recognized to be a fellow survivor by, yes...her hair.I heard the receptionist say "look at how much hair you have" and when she turned around to sit down I said "it's not long enough is it?" She smiled the biggest smile and said "no, it's not." We shared some insight, she's almost one year behind me to the day of diagnosis and treatment. I rarely get that opportunity much anymore, but I jump on it when I can! I believe God continually places these women in my path to confirm that He is my strength. And because it is HIS strength, I can continue on and encourage in the way that He provides. Much of that is still a mystery to me, but the desire of my heart is to be obedient to Him. We are comforted by the strength of others. Especially when their story relates to our own. One of my favorite verses is "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul and all your mind and all your strength."Mark 12:30 It has taken me years to get to the point where I even know what that looks like. And feels like, strength. Driving home today, I noticed how all the trees are changing colors and the trees couldn't be any more beautiful. They stand there so tall and look the part, grace us with scenary that brightens up a dreary soul. Yet, underneath, there are thousands of roots that we don't see.Roots that keep them balanced and standing upright. We have no idea what's going on under there! And then I thought about all the people I saw today in the waiting room. See, today was a normal day for me. Finally, not a problem, a normal appointment. Praise God for that. My point is for many of those waiting it wasn't normal. No telling what their souls required strength for today. And maybe not even from a medical standpoint. We are all like the trees standing tall, with lots of roots! My prayer to the Lord is that He keep them in balance he prune, he fertilize, he cut off, he restore, and he heal the most broken places. By His strength. And He will. I close with Isaiah 40:29 "He gives strength to the weary, and increases the power of the weak." Be encouraged, the joy of the Lord is your strength and nothing can take that from you!

"I can do all things in Christ who gives me strength." Philippians 4:13

Blessings,
Suzanne