WordFilled Wednesday

The Lord's Will

"For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure." Philippians 2:13

I think the hardest part of faith sometimes is the not knowing. I am thankful today that I am one more step to having some answers. My dr appt today is at 12:15, I really can't wait. I would like to know about my bloodwork and then also just set an appointment for our next step. 

I am so thankful for my dad, I miss my mom through this, I miss her encouraging words. I was blessed on Sunday with a friend that invited us over for dinner. She took a moment for her husband, herself, my husband and myself to all join hands around a table and she spoke some words of prayer over us. It was exactly what I needed at that moment. I knew the Lord knew that. I have had a couple others email or message and they too have let me know that they are praying. I love that encouragement. I truly understand the power of prayer. It is a very personal response for me.

My dad was diagnosed with Leukemia back in 1996. We had gone home to California to visit and towards the end of the visit he started to get sick. Jakob was just two months old. When I got back here to Texas, I got a phone call shortly after to let me know that something was terribly wrong. My dad had never been sick. We always used his sick days to go on summer vacations and travel. Here I was with the rug just pulled directly out from under us. I could not test to be a blood match because I was one not his blood type and two not his natural daughter, he adopted my sister and I when I was 4 years old. I will never forget how scared I was for him, for my mom and for my brother who was a graduating senior that year. My mother in law Joyce said the best thing I could do was pray. That is exactly what we did, constantly, for the next year.

He has Type AB- blood, not very common. He had some other issues and my brother, his only natural son, was AB without the negative, he was not a donor either. He did have living parents, also not a match and one sister, the same situation, no match. He would be in the hospital for a very long time. My mom basically moved in with him, into that hospital room. They harvested his own system of stuff- I don't know all the technical terms, and then he was able to freeze some and use some and basically rebuild his system. I never stopped asking for prayer for him. I called TBN, radio stations, online systems. I was seeking world prayer. I was not willing to give up, even though the doctors said there was not much chance.

That moment saved my parents. They had an okay marriage before then, they had, like us been through so many battles in their marriage. So many times it seemed it might be over. That brought my dad closer to God, he truly accepted him as his personal savior. My mom would pray with him, it was what our family needed. My dad would tell you, well maybe not all of you, because he is very private that even though it was a tough battle, it was worth it. They had so much time together. They learned to cherish moments. They took trips, they valued one another. They fell in love with each other and the Lord more than ever before. 

As I look at this situation I realize that truly I have nothing to fear. My mother in law Joyce would quote me this if she was still here,  

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who^[a] have been called according to his purpose." Romans 8:28

My mom would tell me worrying was useless, she is right, and she would tell me 

I can do all things through Christ that gives me strength. Philippians 4:13 

I am thankful this morning to think back on my parents marriage. I do not know what footsteps the Lord has planned for my family come tomorrow. I have faith that if needed he will provide us support and love. I pray that no matter the outcome that it will move in my husband to leave his old world behind and become more in love with Christ then ever before. I pray that the Lord's will truly be done, not mine. I pray for Philippians 2:13 today, as I deeply want to always try to stop and listen and do what He desires.

"For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure."