2016-The Year of Do Update

2016 has been quite the year!  When praying about the plans God had for me this year and what it would entail, I felt that God was telling me to simply “Do”.  Do the things he had told me to do three years ago and to finish what I had started.  Start with a blog, write a book, update the workshops I had presented for parents while working with homeschoolers, organize my house, pray and wait.

Well, as we all know life throws us curve balls and I sure got one.  On January 4th, I went to the Dr. for a routine check up and he found a lump on my thyroid gland. To make a long story short, I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer on Feb. 4th and had my thyroid removed on Feb. 18th.  That was followed by one extremely high radioactive iodine treatment and now I am cancer free, PRAISE GOD.

When God said “do” I had no idea what He meant.  I was ready to jump in and write, write, write.  I had ideas for books and had started writing two different ones. I was excited about the blog. I was ready to pull out the old workshop notes and advertise my services. I had a schedule worked out for cleaning out the closets and taking care of all the things around the house.  And all the while I was praying.

Yet God had different plans.  What he wanted me to do the first half of 2016 was to learn to

“be a doer of the word, and not a hearer only, deceiving yourselves. ” James 1:22

Before you can be a doer of the word, you must know the word.  So with the cancer diagnosis, I started out reading the word.  I read Psalms every day, beginning with Psalms 23 and going where the Lord led me.  My heart was very troubled and I needed to have peace.  Once God established peace in my heart, He led me to some healing scriptures, especially:

Psalms 118:17  “I shall not die but live, and shall declare the works and recount the illustrious acts of the Lord.”

Jeremiah 30:17 “For I will restore health to you, and I will heal your wounds, says the Lord.”

John 10:10 “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.  I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).”

Philippians 4:13 “I have strength for all things in Christ who empowers me [I am ready for anything through Him who infuses inner strength into me;  I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency].

 

As Christians we sometimes coast along and forget to “do the word”.  Life comes and goes and we accept what it brings. Yet I have learned this year that we don’t have to accept everything that life brings us. We have the word of God as our guide and when the devil tries to sucker punch us with negative circumstances, we have the word to carry us through.

I’m learning that doing the word is essential to my walk with God.  Actually it is my lifeline. It sustains me, guides me, keeps me grounded and focused.

I am slowly getting well;  I tire easily and my mind is a little foggy at times.I  have a little trouble with my voice; my throat begins to hurt and my voice gets scratchy when I talk for a long periods of time and we won’t even talk about my singing voice.  I sound like a frog, a very sick frog. Yet these side effects are only temporary and are slowly subsiding.

Professionally, I plan to resume writing; writing 2 or 3 blog posts each week, continue contributing to http://aheartofgraceandjoy.net, continue working on my parenting book and continually look for other opportunities to get my work published. I also plan to update  the workshop materials and begin advertising in my availability to consult with homeschoolers the Fall. I am working toward getting the house organized and am moving forward.

I also joined a Christians writer’s group, Hope Writers, that encourages writers to improve their craft.

And most importantly, I plan to do the word and not let the things of life interfere with my getting things done.

2016, the best is yet to come.

So my friend, look for the good in life and remember Romans 8:28, my current life verse,

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.