Obssessed by God
Once we had decided which treatment plan to follow there was a lot of waiting. The surgeon said it was urgent we begin treatment, but we had to wait for insurance authorizations before we could begin. Dennis used the phrase "hurry up and wait". It was hard to wait, but it was also an incredible time of experiencing God's provision in our lives. I was bubbling over with joy at how the Lord was working things out for our good and His glory. There was a bit of uncertainty as we did not know what to fully expect in the coming weeks, but we continued to cling to the Lord for hope. . .
November 7, 2010
Finally, after a couple weeks of waiting, more appointments, a procedure, another scan, and a couple of date and time changes, Dennis is scheduled to begin his radiation/ chemotherapy treatment tomorrow, November 8. We were given a time late morning that will allow us to miss traffic and still be home in time to pick up Ellie from school. Although we are both glad that he will be getting what he needs to begin treating the cancer, we are both unsure of what the next six weeks will bring. There are many possible side effects, so we are doing our best to help prepare Dennis’ body and have all we need to meet any of the side effects he might have.
The days ahead will be busy and I am grateful that God has been teaching me in the last year to let things go. Although there are activities that we would all like to participate in during the coming months, Dennis and I know that we simply have to say “no” to them for the benefit of our family. There have already been some disappointments, but I know that in the end the kids will come out stronger and better for having sacrificed these things for the benefit of their dad and our family as a whole. I have always felt that there are different seasons of life; and sometimes the season we are in, whether due to financial, health or family dynamics means that we have to turn things down.
My study in Daniel chapter 9 was titled “Unexpected answers to prayer”. God has given us some wonderful answers to prayer in the past couple of weeks. We received a medical bill that we knew put us well over our deductible and were concerned that perhaps some things weren’t going to be covered. On my way to the dentist this past week I spent time on my drive praying about the situation. When I arrived home, Dennis put in a call to the insurance company. Each thing I prayed for was answered: he got through quickly, got someone who was patient, knowledgeable and took the time to explain our coverage. She found that the bill we received had been submitted wrong and said it would be resubmitted correctly. We were informed that our deductible had been met and we would no longer have to pay for bills incurred after a date a month or so back through the end of the year. Funds were provided to cover the remaining bills owed under the deductible. Amen! And while we had the nerve to complain that we didn’t have the greatest insurance, we then received the summary bill for Dennis’ trip to the ER. Wow! Our insurance may not be rated the best in the state, but we are so thankful we do in fact have insurance. There is no way we could ever afford to cover all these expenses. It’s all about perspective! Dennis changing jobs four years ago meant changing insurance, which meant finding a new primary doctor. What a blessing he has been. Another “unexpected answer to prayer.”
Last Sunday our pastor spoke about the importance of the church body. We began attending Calvary Chapel Chino Valley ten years ago. Because it is a large church, we knew the only way we were going to meet people was to get involved. I first signed up for a morning women’s Bible study and then the Crosstrainer study for moms. Dennis soon followed by joining the Gideon’s men study. Through these studies we have both met great friends. We have been able to share in the joys and sorrows of life, encourage and admonish one another, lift one another up in prayer, serve next to one another and enjoy the blessings of friends who are also our brothers and sisters in the Lord.
As we have been planning for the weeks to come and praying for God’s provision, He has used my dear, sweet sisters in the Lord to bless us in a mighty way in the coming weeks. One of these sisters let me know that she and some others wanted to bless us with meals when we needed them. As Dennis’ treatment will be Monday through Friday for five pluse weeks, I could see that this would be helpful. I worried that it would be burdensome to cover that amount of time. However, in God’s “unexpected answer to prayer’, she let me know this week that were 16 ladies who wanted to help us with meals! I was so overcome with this news that I cried when I told Dennis. Where else, but in the body of Christ, would you find 16 women who would be willing to make a meal for another family? I am still just overcome by this outpouring of love for our family. These women have become my dearest friends, and I am so grateful to have them in my life now and to know that we will be spending eternity together as well. I know that God is present with us during this time, but it sure is wonderful to experience “Jesus with skin on”. Another Amen!
I know I am so long winded with these updates, but I get so excited about what the Lord is teaching and showing us, that I just have to share! Last night Dennis and I were reading another devotion by Oswald Chambers titled “Are You Obsessed by Something?” This devotion might explain this need I have to share about the Lord with you.
Oswald Chambers wrote, “All of us are obsessed by something – usually by ourselves, or, if we are Christians, by our own experience of the Christian life. But the psalmist says that we are to be obsessed by God. The abiding awareness of the Christian life is to be God Himself, not just thoughts about Him. The total being of our life inside and out is to be absolutely obsessed by the presence of God. A child’s awareness is so absorbed in his mother that although he is not consciously thinking of her, when a problem arises, the abiding relationship is that with the mother. In the same way, we are to ‘live and move and have our being’ in God (Acts 17:28), looking at everything in relation to Him, because our abiding awareness of Him continually pushes itself to the forefront of our lives.
If we are obsessed by God, nothing else can get into our lives – not concerns, nor tribulation, nor worries. And now we understand why our Lord so emphasized the sin of worrying. How can we dare to be so absolutely unbelieving when God totally surrounds us? To be obsessed by God is to have an effective barricade against all the assaults of the enemy.
‘He himself shall dwell in prosperity. . . ‘ (Psalm 25:13). God will cause us to ‘dwell in prosperity,’ keeping us at ease, even in the midst of tribulation, misunderstanding, and slander, if our ‘life is hidden with Christ in God’ (Colossians 3:3). We rob ourselves of the miraculous, revealed truth of this abiding companionship with God. ‘God is our refuge. . .’ (Psalm 46:1). Nothing can break through His shelter of protection.”
I am obsessed by God! A Jesus freak if you will! I can’t help but look at “everything in relation to Him.” It is only by this obsession that we have been able to experience a “peace that passes all understanding” in the midst of a very heavy trial. Our awareness of Him and what He is doing in our lives is continually being pushed “to the forefront of our lives.” And it is through this trial that our companionship with God is deepening. He “is our refuge.” May He also be yours!
Grateful to be hidden with Christ
Carolyn
November 7, 2010
Finally, after a couple weeks of waiting, more appointments, a procedure, another scan, and a couple of date and time changes, Dennis is scheduled to begin his radiation/ chemotherapy treatment tomorrow, November 8. We were given a time late morning that will allow us to miss traffic and still be home in time to pick up Ellie from school. Although we are both glad that he will be getting what he needs to begin treating the cancer, we are both unsure of what the next six weeks will bring. There are many possible side effects, so we are doing our best to help prepare Dennis’ body and have all we need to meet any of the side effects he might have.
The days ahead will be busy and I am grateful that God has been teaching me in the last year to let things go. Although there are activities that we would all like to participate in during the coming months, Dennis and I know that we simply have to say “no” to them for the benefit of our family. There have already been some disappointments, but I know that in the end the kids will come out stronger and better for having sacrificed these things for the benefit of their dad and our family as a whole. I have always felt that there are different seasons of life; and sometimes the season we are in, whether due to financial, health or family dynamics means that we have to turn things down.
My study in Daniel chapter 9 was titled “Unexpected answers to prayer”. God has given us some wonderful answers to prayer in the past couple of weeks. We received a medical bill that we knew put us well over our deductible and were concerned that perhaps some things weren’t going to be covered. On my way to the dentist this past week I spent time on my drive praying about the situation. When I arrived home, Dennis put in a call to the insurance company. Each thing I prayed for was answered: he got through quickly, got someone who was patient, knowledgeable and took the time to explain our coverage. She found that the bill we received had been submitted wrong and said it would be resubmitted correctly. We were informed that our deductible had been met and we would no longer have to pay for bills incurred after a date a month or so back through the end of the year. Funds were provided to cover the remaining bills owed under the deductible. Amen! And while we had the nerve to complain that we didn’t have the greatest insurance, we then received the summary bill for Dennis’ trip to the ER. Wow! Our insurance may not be rated the best in the state, but we are so thankful we do in fact have insurance. There is no way we could ever afford to cover all these expenses. It’s all about perspective! Dennis changing jobs four years ago meant changing insurance, which meant finding a new primary doctor. What a blessing he has been. Another “unexpected answer to prayer.”
Last Sunday our pastor spoke about the importance of the church body. We began attending Calvary Chapel Chino Valley ten years ago. Because it is a large church, we knew the only way we were going to meet people was to get involved. I first signed up for a morning women’s Bible study and then the Crosstrainer study for moms. Dennis soon followed by joining the Gideon’s men study. Through these studies we have both met great friends. We have been able to share in the joys and sorrows of life, encourage and admonish one another, lift one another up in prayer, serve next to one another and enjoy the blessings of friends who are also our brothers and sisters in the Lord.
As we have been planning for the weeks to come and praying for God’s provision, He has used my dear, sweet sisters in the Lord to bless us in a mighty way in the coming weeks. One of these sisters let me know that she and some others wanted to bless us with meals when we needed them. As Dennis’ treatment will be Monday through Friday for five pluse weeks, I could see that this would be helpful. I worried that it would be burdensome to cover that amount of time. However, in God’s “unexpected answer to prayer’, she let me know this week that were 16 ladies who wanted to help us with meals! I was so overcome with this news that I cried when I told Dennis. Where else, but in the body of Christ, would you find 16 women who would be willing to make a meal for another family? I am still just overcome by this outpouring of love for our family. These women have become my dearest friends, and I am so grateful to have them in my life now and to know that we will be spending eternity together as well. I know that God is present with us during this time, but it sure is wonderful to experience “Jesus with skin on”. Another Amen!
I know I am so long winded with these updates, but I get so excited about what the Lord is teaching and showing us, that I just have to share! Last night Dennis and I were reading another devotion by Oswald Chambers titled “Are You Obsessed by Something?” This devotion might explain this need I have to share about the Lord with you.
Oswald Chambers wrote, “All of us are obsessed by something – usually by ourselves, or, if we are Christians, by our own experience of the Christian life. But the psalmist says that we are to be obsessed by God. The abiding awareness of the Christian life is to be God Himself, not just thoughts about Him. The total being of our life inside and out is to be absolutely obsessed by the presence of God. A child’s awareness is so absorbed in his mother that although he is not consciously thinking of her, when a problem arises, the abiding relationship is that with the mother. In the same way, we are to ‘live and move and have our being’ in God (Acts 17:28), looking at everything in relation to Him, because our abiding awareness of Him continually pushes itself to the forefront of our lives.
If we are obsessed by God, nothing else can get into our lives – not concerns, nor tribulation, nor worries. And now we understand why our Lord so emphasized the sin of worrying. How can we dare to be so absolutely unbelieving when God totally surrounds us? To be obsessed by God is to have an effective barricade against all the assaults of the enemy.
‘He himself shall dwell in prosperity. . . ‘ (Psalm 25:13). God will cause us to ‘dwell in prosperity,’ keeping us at ease, even in the midst of tribulation, misunderstanding, and slander, if our ‘life is hidden with Christ in God’ (Colossians 3:3). We rob ourselves of the miraculous, revealed truth of this abiding companionship with God. ‘God is our refuge. . .’ (Psalm 46:1). Nothing can break through His shelter of protection.”
I am obsessed by God! A Jesus freak if you will! I can’t help but look at “everything in relation to Him.” It is only by this obsession that we have been able to experience a “peace that passes all understanding” in the midst of a very heavy trial. Our awareness of Him and what He is doing in our lives is continually being pushed “to the forefront of our lives.” And it is through this trial that our companionship with God is deepening. He “is our refuge.” May He also be yours!
Grateful to be hidden with Christ
Carolyn
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