“No,  the Lord’s delight is in those who fear him, those who put their hope in his unfailing love.” Psalms 147:11

Goodness it’s been a great day.  It’s like Christmas… only better.  I love to hear from people and share life with them and just be with them.  I am beyond humbled and thankful for every person who who has called, emailed, responded to these blogs, texted, come to visit, sent cards, unexpected gifts…. Listen – HOW DO I KNOW THE LORD HAS ME?  Because I am surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses cheering me on and encouraging me to battle hard.  Blessed….blessed….blessed. And I smile 🙂

Day 8 on my treatment.  Finished a whole week!  Yeah.  I have been blessed with a great team that cares for me and loves me and takes care of my for my 18 1/2 minute adventure everyday.  By the end of this, it will feel like visiting family…honestly already does.  They blessed me today to tell me that another patient listened to my CD during her treatment.  Love that.  Pray that they have the exact wisdom to zap these tumors away!

I need to brag a little bit.  I know I have mentioned a lot of people on here… mostly new people.  But, my hubby has been the best through all of this.  He has been my physical rock and has allowed me to just soak in the Word and Be.  He has taken care of every detail for me, prayed with me and over me and has been everything I have needed.  When we talk about, “for better or worse – sickness and in health…” we’ve lived a pretty easy life up to this point.  Nothing to really talk about or be surprised by.  Then this.  He was the one who had to call 9-1-1, really it was 9-1-0 and he couldn’t figure out what was going on… but made sure that I was ok until the ambulance got me.  He hasn’t slept great, he’s been on the phone with doctors around the country and has researched beyond what I know.  He only shares what he thinks I need to know and has just been ALL I ever needed from my husband.  Scott I am beyond thankful for you and I am thankful that you trust in Jesus as much as I do.  You know He has a plan and you have allowed Him to teach you and strengthen you through this.  Our kids are watching you and seeing Jesus.  I love you more and more each day of this journey.  Feel so blessed. Continue to pray that he has everything he needs and is strengthened each and every day.

After treatment today, I came home and was blessed by a couple of young ladies.  I have never met these girls but, goodness if they don’t blow me away.  I opened up a couple of cards from them.  Hayley Holtz and Elizabeth Palmer.  Elizabeth was a Bryant graduate I have never met but they are spending their summer at KALEO camp in Orlando Florida.  They sent me cards saying they were praying for me and they ministered to my heart today through their words.  Hayley was a soccer player…so bam instant connection there and they love Jesus – so even a better!  Girls if you are reading this…thank you.  Keep praying and keep ministering at that camp!  Would give you a hug if I could.  I cheated and looked up Elizabeth’s pic. 🙂 . Her mom has been so sweet to me as well making sure I get veggies to juice which has been so awesome and a super blessing as well.  God’s people are amazing! Pray that God uses them just how he has designed this summer and that their faith grows with each moment!  Praying great things for them.

I had a special text this morning from a special girl and her mom.  Caroline Campbell and her mom Heidi came by to bless me with a special visit.  They were sort of the ones to rope me into thinking about helping at Bryant High School and then obviously the next step was me getting the coaching job and all that’s come with it.  Caroline plays at the University of Arkansas and is a super smart funny future chemical engineer.  Love them so much.  I wasn’t thinking when they left so I made them take a selfie as they headed back up to Fayetteville, ha!  I would ask you to pray for Caroline’s dad who has battled headaches….not just normal ones… severe debilitating…  I am asking for relief for him now…it’s been too long a battle and they need relief.  Thank you

“Whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.” 1 John 2:6

As I was studying today, I was really blown away and focused to the fact that we are people who have a hard time getting rid of what hinders us, sin and moving forward free.  I’ve thought about that a lot lately and mentioned it a bit yesterday and some of the writings….but was really hit by it today.  Am I truly walking with Jesus, in Jesus…. all in with Him or am I holding on to things that will pull me away and eventually bring me down?

In 2 Kings 15:3-4 it says, “He did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight, just as his father, Amaziah, had done.  BUT he did not destroy the pagan shrines, and the people still offered sacrifices and burned incense there.”  So this is talking about King Uzziah who rules over Judah.  He was only 16 years when he became king.  His heart was focused on pleasing the Lord and wanted to follow after Him, BUT.  There’s that word, BUT.  He was in, BUT not ALL in.  As king he would’ve had every right to tear down those shrines and tell the people, nope not going to use those things.  BUT instead he allowed sin to creep at the door and wait to pounce.  And here’s what happens next.

His son, Jotham became king.  2 Kings 15:34-35 “Jotham did what was pleasing in the Lord’s sight.  He did everything his father, Uzziah, had done.  BUT he did not destroy the pagan shrines, and the people still offered sacrifices and burned incense there.  He rebuilt the upper gate of the temple of the Lord.”  So here we are second generation still not ALL in.

After this his son Ahaz begins to rule and after two generations of allowing sin to a part of life we see a dramatic change in the heart of the new king.  “He did not do what was pleasing in the sight of the Lord his God, as his ancestor David had done.  INSTEAD, he followed the example of the kings of Israel, even sacrificing his own son in the fire.  In this way, he followed the detestable practices of the pagan nations the Lord had driven from the land ahead of the Israelites.”  2 Kings 16:2-3

So why did this hit me today?  How often do I claim to love the Lord…my life evens shows it…but I am allowing sin to stick around because “it’s not that bad??” It could be worse.  What’s the big deal?  I go to church on Sunday, listen to Jesus music and I’m a nice person.  And yet I allow gossip, selfishness, love of things and other things going on in our lives… that we shrug off as not a big deal.  That’s what these kings were doing.  They knew these shrines existed…they knew sin was in the camp and they just allowed it because – I love God and what’s the big deal if I have these little things around.  Obviously, three generations later it cost the great grandson his life.  When we choose to step forward and follow Christ we really have to be ALL in and ready to get rid of anything that may hinder us or cause us to stumble.  It’s serious.

As I continued reading in Acts, I thought wow, completely different thing going on here:

Acts 19:18-20  (NIV)

¹⁸ Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed what they had done. ¹⁹ A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas.^{[a] 20} In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power. 

When you look at other versions it says we are talking about 3 million dollars was the value of the scrolls.  Theses people were so committed and confessed their sins that they were willing to give up A LOT.  Their actions caused the Word of the Lord to spread and it spread with power.  These believers could’ve done what the Kings had done.  I believe sure I do, but going to just put these scrolls over here..or better yet I could sell them and make some money!  No they were so committed to the Lord they chose to burn them.  The line in the sand meant something to them.  They stepped across and left everything else behind.

I have to admit, I’ve been those Kings.  I have allowed things to exist in my life because it didn’t seem TOO bad.  Yet those ugly things always reared their head later and burned me and brought me away from the Lord.

The Lord has brought me on this journey in my life.  He has challenged me, prepared me and is now asking me are you willing to give up everything for me?  Will you tear down everything and burn anything that would pull you away from me?  I thought I said yes before…but I am so thankful that the Lord is showing me that I haven’t been honest with Him and through this journey he’s given me, I’m ready.  I want the Lord to completely DELIGHT in me as the verse at the beginning said.  What an honor to give the Lord this gift.  Can you imagine the Lord giddy and just smiling because we are all in?

“No,  the Lord’s delight is in those who fear him, those who put their hope in his unfailing love.” Psalms 147:11

If you are struggling to lay down everything…ask Him to reveal what is holding you back and commit to lay it down and walk away.  Be set free and watch the Lord’s DELIGHT blow you away!

So many blessings to all of you!  Somethings to pray about:

• A great and blessed weekend with my sister and family
• Pray that I get good rest – I’m feeling good but want to stay a head of things lol
• Continue to pray that the chemo medicine and everything flushes out of my body
• Good family time with the kids and Scott this weekend as well