Sunday, February 21, 2016

DEAR GOD...Please help....

                    Not to spoil the ending for you,
             but everything is going to be okay.

*Note: A quick, small but positive update after yesterday's doctor's appointment on 2/24.
Annora Grace's heart beat was strong and she is growing stronger each day. The huge cyst Amy had on her ovary originally, that had the doctors worried, is gone completely. And praise God there was a little movement of her placenta from right over the cervix. She needs more movement of it, but we were thrilled to see so many answered prayers. Please keep praying and thank you for your prayers!!

I am a feeler. I have always been one, even as a little girl.
When I first took the Myers Briggs Inventory the results showed me to be an extrovert, intuitor, feeler and judger (not judgmental but decisive in making decisions). My feeling nature used to drive my dearly beloved Mom, "nuts!" as she used to say. From time to time I would get a small yet loving reminder from my dear Mama that said...

"Just think your way through this, honey, put those big feelings of yours on the back shelf." 

She's end the lesson with some great words of wisdom...

                        "everything is going to be okay."

Luckily she didn't say that it would all turn out just the way I wanted it to. Yet she was clear that even when there were hard
endings, and there certainly would be hard endings, I needed to trust that I would get through things. Even the hardest of things.

Years later, when I gave my heart to Jesus, I could add that I would trust that everything would be okay because God was there, He was in charge. 

He would be there no matter how things turned out.

As I look ahead to this next week, and have a hard time staying in the present, I know that God is here...holding my hand. Whispering that "all is well, even though things are scary and not easy."

Our precious daughter Amy is carrying a miracle baby, Annora Grace. Some weeks ago she was diagnosed with complete placenta previa, a condition that has put her on modified bed rest. This has been a very hard pregnancy and Annora Grace is only 29 weeks along and close to three pounds. 

This week Amy started to have some contractions that concerned us a bit and this Wednesday at 2:00 Amy will have an ultrasound and some decisions will be made about how to proceed from here. The contractions may just be braxton hicks contractions, in preparation for Annora's birth in late April, or that's what we are praying.

I wish I could say that I trust God so much that I am not scared, but that would not be true. 

I know that Jesus was also afraid when things got very hard and asked God to let this cup pass from him. Yet when it didn't pass, He gave his fear over to His Father. I look to Jesus as my Savior and the role model for how to live my life. I have been praying non-stop that this cup would pass and that Amy would be fine and that Annora Grace would not be born prematurely. I have been praying non-stop that the placenta would move from where it is.

Amy has such faith that she reminded me this week that somehow God would use all of this for His good. No matter what, she was trusting Him. Yet I can see in her eyes and hear in her voice so much love and concern for Annora. As a Mama to Amy and a Nana to Annora, it's just plain hard to see them go through this. 

So we are doing what we can do, and what God has asked us to do, and that is surrounding Amy and Annora Grace with prayers, lots of prayers! 

***Would you please pray with us, especially this Wednesday      
                at 2:00 (Pacific Standard Time)

This morning I am giving my fear to Him and thanking Him for His presence and His love and His grace!! 

Yes, Lord, everything will be okay because I am trusting in You.

God Bless!
Love, Linda



Saturday, February 13, 2016

True Romance...

To love and be loved is to feel the sun from both sides!
-David Viscott





          True romance isn't Romeo and Juliet who died together,
               but Grandma and Grandpa who grew old together !

Dearest Bert,
You are the love of my life, my soul mate, my best friend and a reminder to me every day about deep love and kindness. We have
been together for 34 years and married for almost 32. You have loved and cherished me every day of those years, given me loving
feedback that saved my life and reminded me daily that God loves me. Your heart is as big as an ocean! You have kept every wedding vow and your integrity and loyalty are so amazing.
Plain and simple, you have my back. You always have and you always will!

The greatest compliment that anyone could pay to you is when one of our granddaughters says, "When I get married I want to marry someone just like Boppa."

I love going to church with you, holding your hand, praying with you, gardening with you and just plain having fun with you. You will forever and always be my favorite valentine!!

I love being there for you in the tough times and the easy times.
You are there for me during those times as well. As we always say to each other, "We are such a great team!"

I love you with all my heart and I thank God every day that He brought you into my life. This Valentine's Day I am even more grateful to God that you are still here with me to celebrate this
holiday and every day. 

God Bless you, my sweetie, and may you always know how much He loves you and I love you!

Love you forever, my dearest darling...to the moon and back.
Your Linda

Saturday, February 06, 2016

When God Made YOU, He Made A Miracle!



                                                   " When God made YOU,
                                    He made a MIRACLE!"
                                            -Bob Mitchell, Young Life Leader


I remember it as if it was yesterday. I was at Malibu, a Young Life camp in Canada. Young Life is a non-denominational Christian organization that reaches out and shares God's love to young people. I came to Malibu on the recommendation of a life-long friend, Judy Winn. Judy was several years older and almost insisted that I go. She convinced me, and she convinced my parents, that it would be the trip of a life-time, a life-changing trip. I had no idea, and she didn't mention, that Young Life was all about Jesus and His love for me.

When Judy made her case for me to go, I was a fourteen year old girl who was headed into ninth grade knowing full well that
I was very smart academically, but I imagined I would never, ever get married. I had a confident exterior, but only God could see how truly hurt I was on the inside.

I had been born with one "normal" hand and one smaller hand that really had no fingers and only a partial thumb. My grandchildren always tell their friends that I am like Nemo, with one smaller "lucky fin."

It wash't easy for my parents when I was born. They were shocked and hurt that I was so different. They blamed themselves, especially my Mom. My Dad left for three days and left her alone in the hospital to deal with the fact that the perfect baby they had imagined me to be, wasn't the reality they were faced with. They were hurt and scared.

But God knew. He knew even then. He knew that when He created me, and I was born on February 5th, 1947, that He had made a miracle.

He knew the path He had for me. He knew that my small hand would open doors into the hearts of those who were different physically and emotionally. He knew that I would certainly face challenges, but as I did so I would lean on Him for the strength that I didn't have on my own. He knew that He would be the hero in my life story. 

He knew that about me and He knows that about YOU!

I remember that night at Malibu when Bob Mitchell told me about Jesus. I remember how Bob told me that God loved me so much that He sent His son to die for me. He looked right at me, or so it seemed, and said...

          "When God made YOU, He made a miracle."

I was NOT a mistake. I was born as a darling baby who was just a little different. He loved me, no matter what. He would comfort my Mom and Dad and see us through. He would help me to be all He meant for me to be!

Yesterday, on my birthday, I celebrated 69 years on this amazing planet and 55 years knowing that God loves me!
I looked back, as Bert and I had lunch together, at how God has been faithful all of this time. He helped my Mom and Dad to know just what to do in raising me. He brought friends and loves and JOY beyond measure into the life of this grateful Nana. Beyond what I ever could have dreamed or imagined, He has walked this journey with me. And yesterday, as college students sang Happy Birthday, my adored hubby took me to lunch, and text messages and cards came to my door... it reminded me that I mattered. 

I was 69 years old and I was filled with such JOY.
Just like that night at Malibu when I asked Jesus into my heart.

I know for certain, that when God made me, He made a miracle!

Amen and Amen!

Today may you know, in your deepest heart of hearts, that 
when God made YOU, He made a mracle too!!

God Bless!
Love Linda


Wednesday, February 03, 2016

Thank You God for Answering Prayers!


What an AMAZING week it has been! Time after time we have seen God gracing our family with answered prayers. Yesterday was one of those days where I was on my knees in gratitude.

If you read this blog regularly you know that our precious granddaughter, Glory Sihin, has spent the last eight months working toward getting an ACT 6 Scholarship. This amazing scholarship would allow her to attend a small, private Christian University in Spokane and all four years would be paid in full. Applying for the scholarship meant writing lots of essays, going through three in-person experiences, doing a three day on-campus visit with an in-person writing of an essay, group discussions about assigned articles, doing activities with other applicants and being interviewed by Whitworth faculty. Two thousand students applied, then there were semi-finalists and finally 8 finalists. 

The Whitworth envelope and letter arrived yesterday and we were all holding our breath as Glory Sihin opened it. The photograph above shows her grin!!

The letter said that our precious Glory Sihin was one of those 8 finalists and got her scholarship. We have all been crying and celebrating God's love and answered prayers.

So many people have prayed and we are so grateful for your prayers. What a dream come true for our granddaughter, adopted just five years ago from Ethiopia. Glory grew up in an orphanage there and came to live with my daughter after an amazing story of Amy following God's call to say "yes!"

We have also been praying for our daughter, Amy, who has experienced some serious complications in her pregnancy. We are so grateful to God that both Amy and Annora Grace 
are hanging in there and Amy, who is on modified bed rest, is getting so much help from all of us who love her. Thank you all for your continued prayers for Amy and Annora Grace.

I truly believe that prayers are powerful. God asks us to pray for one another and I LOVE to pray for others. It is such an honor to bring their names and needs to the Lord. What a humbling experience to have others pray for us. It means the world to me.

How grateful I am to see God's answered prayers this week.

Sending you loves and hugs and prayers!
God Bless!
Linda 

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