After hearing testimonies in church, Nelson holds to the idea that God will heal him. 

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September 26, 2022

CS Lewis once said, “I love the dewy, cobwebby hours of the morning.” And I would say I have to agree.

Before the sun comes up (and that’s easier and easier to do, living way up north here in Minnesota where it comes up later and later every day), I’m spending some time in prayer, writing, putzing around on the internet. I’m looking at garage plans, or whatever.

These are some of my favorite times of the day. Annso and Will sleep a little longer and then the 3 of us hang out and read our Psalm and start the day. We don’t have official jobs, so we are afforded the time to do things like that. If there is a silver lining about having this disease, that might one of them.

I don’t have a job to go to, but can spend the whole day with my little family. Alternatively, having the strength to work a job would be awesome, and I’d take that in a second. But since this is what I have, I’ll chalk it up to a blessing.

“Sacrifice and offering you did not desire— but my ears you have opened— burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not require. Then I said, ‘Here I am, I have come— it is written about me in the scroll. I desire to do your will, my God; your law is within my heart.’ I proclaim your saving acts in the great assembly; I do not seal my lips, Lord, as you know. I do not hide your righteousness in my heart; I speak of your faithfulness and your saving help. I do not conceal your love and your faithfulness from the great assembly.” (Psalm 40:6-10)

The beginning part is a common theme in the Bible. God says that he does not require offerings and sacrifices, and then down a few lines, he goes on about how what he really wants is for us to proclaim what he has done.

They have been doing testimonies at church. The couple that shared last time, shared something similar to mine. He probably had lung cancer, spent months in a coma, and stood there yesterday cancer free!

God likes when we testify about what he has done. “I proclaim your saving acts in the great assembly. I do not hide your righteousness… I speak of your faithfulness and your saving help…”

Lord, you help us and want us to tell others so you’re glorified and so they have greater faith and courage to step out and trust you. I pray for courage to tell others what you have done.

I pray for the courage not to conceal your good deeds in my heart. Give me the words to say at the time, and the courage to say them. I’m thankful for this journal and the chance to write out the things I’m thankful for, for our little church where we know so many people who have welcomed us so openly and will, no doubt, give us the chance to share what you have done, Lord.

I have so much more faith now than ever that you will deliver me, and I will stand there telling our story to that group of people at some point. You have done so much. You have taken us out of Hawaii where we served for 6 years together as a couple, and brought us to this place of “wilderness,” and we are in it today.

But even as the Psalm says, “…you prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies…” you have led us to buy a house, you have given us a place to raise our little baby boy.

You have let us have a fish tank and do things a victorious, healthy family would do, even while the sickness goes on and the healing is slow. You do those things despite the attack of the enemy.

Thank you for helping us in those ways. You are kind and merciful, Lord. You send us new friends and have old friends come around who bless us like parents would. They take care of us, bring us gifts, and pray for us.

We are blessed to be a blessing, that’s for sure. Oh yeah, thank you for cluing me into the credit card fraud that we have been on the receiving end of, over the past couple weeks. The same card has been hit a couple times and the company has been great at blocking the funds and keeping it from costing us anything.

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“Blessed are all who hear the word of God and put it into practice.” (Luke 11:28)