Arise from the depression that has caused you to bow to circumstance and has kept you from shining your light!! “For the glory of the LORD has risen upon you” (Is 60:1)!

 Jesus said; “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Mt 5:14-16).  Praise the Lord!

 We are not to hide the light of Christ within us with fear and shame; allowing the devil to paralyze us because of past sin, insecurity or unworthiness that hinders us to take a step of faith into the unknown. Do not lose heart fellow believer; Jesus is the author and perfecter of our faith (Heb 12:2 NIV)! For those that love Him, He will redeem the things that are seemingly against them, so that they are all for their sakes that the life of Christ may be glorified. Jesus endured the cross, despising the shame for the joy that was set before Him. What seemed like defeat was actually the greatest victory ever won! Yes, the Lord had JOY set before Him. JOY that overcame shame, humiliation, pain and suffering! JOY; that the eternal purpose was being fulfilled. Jesus paid the price for our redemption so that sin would not stand in the way of our reconciliation to the Father. He is the light of the world, those that follow Him shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life (John 8:12). Through the same joy in purpose He took away the keys of death and hell from Satan so we would no longer have to fear death. He has conquered the Grave! Praise you Jesus! I am restored to the JOY of my salvation, upheld by His generous Spirit (Ps 51:12)! Yes Lord, your Joy is my strength (Neh 8:10)! Praise you my King!

Many people drift away from Christ when they become weary of life’s struggles, overcome in the battle of life. They are just plain tired of all the trouble; financial, emotional, physical or marital stresses. Pressures are all around, concerns for things out of our control.  These burdens we cannot carry, they are too heavy for us. People are worn out and inwardly know that they don’t have all the answers within themselves for a lifetime of trials. Many just want to give up or sublimate in temporal fulfillment. The more they pray, the more trouble they see, with no end in sight. The great unanswered question “what is the purpose?”

Paul said, “But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel, so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ; and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear” (Phil 1:12-14).

Paul wrote this from a Roman jail, while being chained between two guards. He was chained to a circumstance beyond his control. He could have lost sight of his future because everything had changed for him. Paul’s tomorrows were taken away. He had two options; he could ask “why me? I do not deserve this” and begin to complain and murmur which would lead him into bitterness and a hardening of his heart or he could think with God and consider how he should react to the circumstance that had now come into his life. He could decide that he would let it count for Christ by letting it preach to others in the way he reacts. He chose to be a testimony and ministry for others. His afflictions had become a cause for his rejoicing. He did not say he was happy he was in prison. I’m sure he cried out for God to deliver him; praying for God to give him the grace to get through each day. Paul did not need people to pity him saying; “Poor Paul, he was dealt a bad hand in life” Paul did not just resign and give up by only saying “this is Gods will for me”. But rather he said, “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!” Phil 4:4. He was able to see that God was turning his sufferings around and working something good for others, so he could joyfully say that his sufferings were for the Philippians and other Christians.(1) What is your reaction when affliction comes your way? Does your life preach Christ?

I have some dear friends from South Africa and Texas who having been faced with terrible tragedy and suffering. They have chosen to allow Christ to be preached in the midst of their trial. As a result, thousands and thousands of lives have been saved and touched for the kingdom of God!

Retha McPherson of RethaMcPhersonMinistries.com recounts from her book; A MESSAGE FROM GOD:

“The entire McPherson family was involved in a terrible motor car accident. Retha, her husband Tinus and her youngest son Josh walked away with little or no injuries, but her eldest son Aldo felt the full brunt of the impact. He was thrown from the vehicle and found unconscious on the other side of the highway…Aldo was on life support for a long time after the accident, and during that time Retha was lifted into a new level of walking by faith and not by sight. Although Aldo sustained severe brain injuries as a result of the accident, Retha testifies: “God is good! He has awakened my Sprit to Him and I have come to know Him as a holy God who wants my life, not only my heart.” After a few weeks in a coma, Aldo finally woke up. While he was in a coma, he had a supernatural experience where he went to heaven, saw God, the angels, Moses and Abraham. Aldo came back with one message: “Jesus is alive!” Due to the seriousness of his injuries to his head Aldo was not able to speak for a long time and related his miraculous journey by writing letters lead by the Holy Spirit – which he is still doing today”.

Natalie Nichols shares from her website ShadesofGraceMinistries.com.

“In 1991, at 20 years old, Natalie was a senior honor student at Baylor University, a talented musician, and a gifted motivational speaker. In a matter of weeks, an undiagnosed illness suddenly progressed, taking her on a downward spiral. Finally in 1996, a correct diagnosis was made – late-stage Lyme disease. By this time there was little left that resembled the teenager who had begun the journey. What began with a flu, fatigue, stiffness, and pain had progressed until she was confined for over seven years in a wheelchair, a bed, and then within her mind, as the infectious disease caused severe cognitive destruction. It was only God’s grace that carried Natalie through this ultimate test of her faith. His Word literally became her sustenance from day to day. As with Job, the Lord brought her through her trial with His love and grace”

Natalie, Retha and Aldo are precious examples to me of people who, because of pure joy in serving their King, took up their cross, despised their shame and allowed Christ to be preached to others. One day soon we will all have to stand before Christ and give an account for our lives. Our eyes will be open, we will see His glory, we will see all the Angels that encamped around us. The Holy Spirit will reveal to us how He was always there in comfort and power; we will see our Father; the Great “I AM” in all His glory and majesty!! We don’t want to miss this because we allowed the devil to blind our eyes and ruin our testimony by his deception! NO! NO! Instead, we want the light of God’s countenance to rest on us in our lifetime having all joy and peace in believing, abounding in hope for the coming day. We will stand in heaven REJOICING!!! Knowing that we did not waste our sorrows in vain, but our affliction became the message of Christ’s faithfulness (Rm 14:10-12, 2Cor 5:10).

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(1)Thoughts from “Trusting God for all your Tomorrows” David Wilkerson 2006

Our Little Star 

Have you ever come to the place where you set your heart to seek God? You say “I want to go deeper and further in the Lord” “I don’t want to be lukewarm anymore” God begins to answer your prayers and move in your life. Suddenly in the midst of it you find yourself spiritually dry in a wilderness or desert place. Your thoughts are full of more questions “Why am I here?”, “Does anyone really care?” “Is God displeased with me?” “Is my life used by God to be a blessing to anyone to make a difference?”

These types of questions usually come when we feel alone in the wilderness. The things we had hoped for or expected seem empty. We begin to evaluate our lives and ask how we have failed God. I have also been contending with some of these nagging questions “Where is God in this time of trouble?”  My body and mind have been fatigued from repeated emergency room trips, hospital/nursing home stays, supportive equipment, supplies, medications, appointments, therapies and procedures. Notwithstanding the persistent humiliation of a life of dependence with an inability to give back. My mind continually fights a barrage of accusations urging me to give in. To quit trying to survive this recluse life, tube fed on formula with rounds of lung infections that compromise my ability to breathe. My physical body alone is seemingly powerless to survive several near death experiences. Truly, it has been the spirit that has sustained me on my bed of affliction.

“The spirit of a man will sustain him in sickness, but who can bear a broken spirit?” Proverbs 18:14

A voice came to me during these days of weakness and suggested to me, “if you want to go to heaven, you can go there now!” This sounded good to me. I could finally find rest from all the struggles of life.  I reasoned that God’s promise to me of healing must have been a spiritual promise only to be fulfilled in heaven and not on earth. I was so captivated with an escape to heaven that I told my wife I would be going very soon. She discerned the deceiving spirit immediately and asked me a question, “did God tell you something different about your promise?” I mused on that question for a moment trying to recollect why I had come to this conclusion. Had God really given me consoling grace and dying mercies? Had the Holy Spirit spoke anything different into my soul than what I have clung to for more than 13 years? With decisive revelation, I replied to my wife, “NO!” God had not changed his mind! I had been lied to by the enemy who had worn me down (Dan 7:25 KJV).

One night not too long ago, as my wife was getting me ready for bed, I was tired of the daily battle of my will in this weakened state. I broke down weeping and said to her “I just want God to hug me”. I had become so overwhelmed by the inability to communicate my struggles with anyone having walked this path in faith. I knew only God in His Word could help. I knew I hadn’t been forsaken by God and He would still fulfill His promises to me, but I needed a hug of reassurance! Despite years of service to the Lord, many church services and conferences, momentous times of faith, theology and scripture I thought I understood, devotions and prayers; even the scriptures that I confessed were not reaching me at this time. It was as if it were all a distant tale and wishful thinking. With my plea and need for the comfort of God, my wife with her eyes brimming with tears, bent over as I sat on the side of the bed, wrapped her arms around my frail body and gave me a big, confirming hug. As she withdrew she tenderly and confidently said “That was from God”. My Father had kept her with me throughout all these years and He used her again to express His loving care.

God wants us all to know and be assured that His everlasting love will never leave us; we are the object of His love. The confidence of love is where we must begin to face any trial placing our trust on the rock of our salvation, Jesus. He has paid the penalty for sin, we can come to His throne of grace to find help in the time of need (Heb 4:16)….Oh yes, we have many needs! “Many are the afflictions of the righteous but the Lord delivers him out of them all” (Ps 34:19). Through His faith impartation, we can rise above our trial and be at rest in the midst of our storm. He will give us His grace and mercy to overcome. God will strengthen us for the battles we are in, showing us the way to victory. As we cry out to Him we magnify His Name above any situation. David said in Psalm 40:16 “Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; Let such as love Your salvation say continually, The LORD be magnified!” Each time we depend on our Savior to help us; we exalt His Lordship in the earth. Paul said in Philippians 1:20 “according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death”.

The wilderness experience is an impossible place for our fleshly nature because this is where we must die to the way of natural thinking. Only our spirit man can survive in such a harsh desert place being tested and humbled by the devil. God loves us unconditionally and uses the wilderness to strengthen and perfect us, causing us to depend on Him. Desert places are dry paths that lead us to new revelations and victory in Christ. These dry paths lead us through the Jordan River into the Promised Land. Jesus, our example, was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness to be tested by the devil (Luke 4:1-2). When he returned, he revealed Himself  full of the power of the Holy Spirit (vs.14).

“The poor and needy are seeking water when there is none; their tongues are parched with thirst. I the Lord will answer them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them. I will open rivers on the bare heights, and fountains in the midst of the valleys; I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water. I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, the acacia, the myrtle, and the wild olive; I will set the cypress in the desert, the plane [tree] and the pine [tree] together, that men may see and know and consider and understand together that the hand of the Lord has done this, that the Holy One of Israel has created it.” Is 41:17-20 NKJV

What do we make of someone who has been given a dream or promise by God but experiences no evidence of that promise? When in the midst of trial or affliction with no end in sight, we can still have a testimony of God’s love and faithfulness although we may be mocked by the god of this world.

I wonder what Abraham was thinking when God told him at the age of 75 he would have the promised son and 25 years later Isaac was born. I wonder what Joseph thought 13 years after his dream while he sat in an Egyptian prison? Or Paul when he was stoned and left for dead at Lystra? How about the woman who had the issue of blood for 12 years or the paralytic man at the pool of Bethesda, who for 38 years waited for his chance to have a changed life. We meet many throughout the Bible who had earnest needs and were looking for deliverance and fulfilled promises to them, even in their lifetime.

I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Psalm 27:13

These individuals hoped in the miraculous with an expectation of the faithfulness and mercy of God, despite the long periods of silence. I am sure that at times they grew weary or exhausted, losing heart and fainting in their minds. Even in the despondency of the psalmist of Psalm 88 knows to petition and cry out to the Lord although the psalm itself does not reveal his deliverance.

“My eye wastes away because of affliction. LORD, I have called daily upon You; I have stretched out my hands to You. Will you work wonders for the dead? Shall the dead arise and praise you?  Selah. Shall your lovingkindness be declared in the grave? Or your faithfulness in the place of destruction? Shall your wonders be known in the dark? And your righteousness in the land of forgetfulness? But to You I have cried out, O LORD, and in the morning my prayer comes before You.” Psalm 88:9-13

Despite despondency in my own life, my spirit has been encouraged considering Hebrews 12:1 “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us”.  This cloud of witnesses is a metaphor referring a great amphitheatre with tiers upon tiers of seats rising up like a cloud surrounding an arena full of runners that are in a race.[1] In heaven, these witnesses are in the bandstands cheering us on as in the spectators of an athletic competition. We as the contenders of life make every effort to overcome present discouragement while making strides to run the course set before us. The witnesses refer directly to those just spoken of in Hebrews 11 having gone before us testifying  from their own experience to God’s fulfilling His promises. Great men and women of faith like Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph. Multitudes of believers throughout the ages have followed their example. Our relatives and loved ones are among them; moms, dads, grandparents, brothers, sisters, sons, daughters and untold number of friends and acquaintances who have finished their race trusting God and are now filling  the heavenly amphitheatre seats cheering us on.

Hebrews 12:1b continues to exhort us to lay aside every weight and sin that so easily ensnares (or clings to us) to slow us down in our race. What we need is endurance; to finish what we have begun in Jesus Christ – a race that is set before us. Our race is before us and we must run it!  In Acts 20:24, Paul pictures himself as a runner who had a race to finish and nothing would keep him from finishing his race with joy. In that passage, Paul speaks of my race – he had his race to run, we have our own – but God calls us to finish it with joy; and that only happens when we look unto Jesus. The NAS Bible version translates this: fixing our eyes on Jesus. We run this race of faith as we look to Jesus the author and finisher of our faith. He is our focus, our inspiration, our example and our prize.

Take encouragement, do not lose heart. Your race is not hidden from the Lord. Isaiah declares in Is 40:28-31:

“Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the LORD, The Creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength.  Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall, but those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.”

  Glennis and I  just celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary! We were married in Steilacoom, Washington on September 1st, 1984. We  made our wedding vows at this time “in sickness and in health.”

My devoted wife has kept her vows to me and before God as being sacred. Glennis has sacrificed many of her own needs so that she could attend to mine as well as to our families, home and business needs. She is a beautiful illustration of the “bride of Christ” who has set her affections on the things of God. I am very humbled by her willingness to go beyond her own strength and to allow “Christ in her” to minister supernatural love and life to me and anyone else that she touches. Through our faith and love for each other, we have been strengthened in our marriage. As one, we have overcome discouragement and despair, with hope and opportunity. We see each day as a new beginning and a blessing from God. Together we know that through the power of love anything is possible.

                                                           Sept 1st, 2009

I’M ABLE TO TALK AGAIN! The ability of speech opens up so much more expression than I what I have been restricted to. For the last two months, I haven’t been able to speak but have instead been painstakingly spelling letters in the air or on the floor with my foot. This method is difficult for the listener (reader) to discern and understand. It takes a lot of energy from me and a lot of focus from the one I am trying to communicate with. Mostly, my communication has been limited to necessity.

 I have had to keep the cuff on my trach inflated to allow the air volume and support to go directly to my lungs not allowing air to escape through my nose & mouth.  My 25% lung capacity has been compromised with three infections from the colonization of the pseudomonas bacteria during June and most of July.

On July 28^th, my wife prayed before bed that we would be able to lower the cuff that was inflated in my trachea so I could begin speaking again. By lowering the cuff, air can pass from my lungs up through my larynx and upper respiratory so I can talk, smell, sneeze & cough (w/sound), blow my nose, etc. These things I haven’t been able to do while the cuff has been inflated day & night protecting my lungs from aspiration and further infections. During the night, I got an air leak in the cuff resulting in involuntary lowering of the cuff by it deflating itself. This was a fear provoking episode because of all the sputtering and coughing. I was out of breath (on the vent) and didn’t know if I could manage without full support of my lungs which is the primary purpose of keeping the cuff inflated. It was alarming as I gasped for air and tried to work through the adjustments. It took over an hour for my breaths to become regular with the aid of suctioning, use of my cough assist machine, an anxiety pill and the changing of the settings on my vent before things finally settled down so I could have some semblance of sleep. I’m so thankful to God for the way He continually sustains me when my body falters. He lives in me and through me and I depend on Him to keep me going for the work has for me to do. I’m always amazed how He brings me through trials and things are better than I ever thought they could be.

Wow! God answered prayer but not in the way we thought. Our plan would be to slowly work to deflate the cuff but instead within a few hours of going to bed, it involuntarily deflated. The next morning, my wife was able to get me in for an appointment with my ENT Doctor for a replacement trache.  We were ready to try a new Bivona® trache instead of the disposable Shiley® that I had been using (which had caused many problems). I noticed considerable benefits and comfort with the new fit. Since that day I have been talking and can enjoy smelling the flowers on the jasmine vine in our backyard among other things. My heart swells with thanksgiving to have been set free from condition of being ‘mute’. I had been limited to observations but with a deep longing to be engaged with dialogue. Now, let me “speak boldly as I ought to speak” (Eph 6:20b) sharing the Gospel of Good News to those of my generation. David exclaims in Psalm 139:14 that we have been fearfully and wonderfully made, our tongues are part of that design, may my tongue confess the goodness of God and the fruit of my lips give thanks.

“O Lord, open my lips, And my mouth shall show forth Your praise” (Psalm 51:15).

A particular song ministers to me as it replays within my mind… “Amazing Love…how could this be…that you would die for me?”  I wish to glorify the Lord as I lift up my praise in a prayer…

Jesus, thank you!! You are my King!! I am alive and well because your Spirit lives within me. Your amazing love died and rose again for me so that I could be forgiven and live!! You were despised and rejected so that I could be accepted. You bore my sin and sickness; you carried away my sorrow so I would not have to bear the burden of my sin. You were wounded for my transgressions and bruised for my iniquities so that I could be redeemed. By your stripes I have been healed (Is 53:3-5).

As I meditate on the struggles and victories of this life I am becoming more and more convinced that no affliction that I have experienced in this world either came sooner or fell heavier or continued longer than was needful. My hopes are not disappointed, but God is using all things to prepare me for a better eternal reward. Heaven will reveal the benefit and favor of our trials that extend to more people to glorify God. This is not only true for me but is absolutely true for you dear friend as well!

 “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.” 2 Cor 4:17

Praise the Lord! God gave me the strength to walk up our sidewalk on the steep hill in front of our house! This literal ‘walk of faith’ was possible because of Christ who strengthens me (Phil 4:13). At the end of May I was asked what my goals were by one of the several nurses/therapist’s who were working with me for the weeks following my ‘trach’ operation. I told her I wanted to walk up the hill in front of my house by the end of summer. At this time I was pretty weak and not that stable as she watched me walk 10 feet across my bedroom floor. This therapist was so shocked I would make such a statement that she laughed. When she regained her composure she began at square one to remind me that I had “ALS” and that it is a muscle wasting disease. She went on to explain the different muscle involvement in ascending and descending a hill and that it would not be possible for me to walk up a hill.  I just looked at her and smiled, she had no idea were I place my confidence and that with Christ nothing is impossible (Rom 8:11).

 I think when people see me; they are confronted with the physical manifestations of this disease. They do not see my spirit that is hid in Christ. I always tell my wife that my brace and atrophied body is a disguise or costume I wear but who I really am is underneath the costume and are in my spirit. The Spirit of Christ that lives within me gives my body life and imparts to me the eternal truth of the Word of God. This is how I can be strengthened in the “inner man” affecting my will and what I can believe for. My soul not only expresses my personality but is continually being transformed as I grow in the things of God.

 “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 2:12).

 Even our Savior was not who he appeared to be. Isaiah 53:2b says that “He (Jesus) had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.” I always imagined myself following Him if I lived 2000 years ago but according to this verse I probably would have been like everyone else that was not attracted to him because of His appearance. Jesus didn’t want people following him because of the way he looked, nor for his power or influence; he desired that we would be attracted to His Spirit through the Words that He spoke (Jn 6:63). On one occasion, Jesus took three of his disciples up a mountain where he was transformed before them. Jesus wanted to show them who he really was in his Spirit, the part of Him that was veiled or hidden from natural eyes. When Peter, James and John saw Jesus’ Spirit they were terrified! Their human eyes could not handle being in God’s presence because of the intensity of light Jesus was revealing to them (Mk 9:2-6). In the Garden of Gethsemane, when the a band of men and officers from the chief priests came to apprehend Jesus, they said they were looking for Jesus the Nazarene, when Jesus said “I AM” and they all fell backward (Jn 18:6). At that moment they experienced the power and authority of God’s  revealed nature in His  name. If we only knew that the same power of the Spirit of Christ dwells in us, we would be turning the world upside down and doing great exploits for the Gospel of Good News; just as the 1^st century believers did in Acts 17:6!!

 Every believer has the same opportunity today as Peter, James and John did on the Mount of Transfiguration.  Jesus, who is The WORD, is illuminated in our spirit although hidden from our natural eyes eventually becoming evident in the fruit of our spirit which is manifested in our character. We can begin to know that we are alive for a purpose, uniquely designed by a loving God for a relationship with Him. As we grow in our understanding of Who He is and who we are in His plan, we can have confidence before God and man.

 “Who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began” (2 Tim 1:9).

Where is my God, when by sight the things I hoped and believed for by faith seems to have been taken away? The accuser of the brethren whispers to me “God never said you would be healed! God really said you will have a spiritual healing in heaven. You want to go there anyway, so you might as well go now!!” These thoughts are what the enemy of my soul keeps whispering in my ear as I tried to reconcile with the Word of God what has happened to me in the last few months; indeed the last several years! His subtle temptation is to not believe that I heard correctly; to distort the message of God’s personal promise spoken to me for healing. Truth is, God has not changed, and I can believe His promise. Eve heard similar lying words of the devil in the Garden of Eden. “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?” Genesis 3:1-5. What Eve heard God say to her was now being challenged. Satan wanted her to believe that God was withholding or taking away something that would make her feel more fulfilled or happy. Eve started feeling insecure about God and his words and replaced Gods words with a different interpretation.

 Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians 6:4-10 that in everything we are going through we can rejoice as ministers of God. Jesus tells his disciples the night before His crucifixion in John 16:33 that in the world they will have trials and tribulations but not to worry and to be of good cheer because He has overcome the world. Revelation 12:11 tells us how we overcome the real enemy, Satan, who tries to steal our testimony by destroying our hope and faith.  “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death”. We can rejoice in our tribulations because the Blood of the Lamb of God was shed for our redemption.  We can access His supernatural enabling and equipping power in our trials. Praising the Lord in the face of adversity relates to our trusting in the Lord. A secret place of victory God wants us to find during times of anguish and suffering. This is the place God led me to when I was full of discouragement. Have you ever been in that place? The spot where you know God is your only hope?!

Ps 91:1-4a reads “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.’ Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence. He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge”

The words in this Psalm came alive for me and renewed my hope from the enemy of pestilence, a colonizing bacterial infection that has been plaguing me in my weakened condition. I found encouragement in this Psalm. God had comfort and protection already prepared; a secret hiding place for me, under His shadow of His wings where I take refuge and find faith rest.

“…knowing that you have a better and an enduring possession for yourselves in heaven. Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise” Heb 10:34a-36