Sunday, June 24, 2018

Soul Work in the Deep Waters...

              Entrance into another's soul
                 is always a sacred honor.

It is a gorgeous day, here in Spokane, Washington. It's almost 8 am, the sun is shining through the trees and saying..."It's time to come out and play." Bert is still snoozing away and Daisy, our precious puppy, is snuggled into a blanket, one ear raised so she doesn't miss a thing.

It feels just right to sit down this morning and try to put into words what has been going on in my mind and in my heart the past month and a half.

                              It's not easy, but I'll try.

It would be fair to say that I have been busy and that's why I haven't taken the time or energy to post on this blog. That would be true, but not a sufficient answer. It has been the end of an amazing school year filled with graduation and saying good bye to hundreds and hundreds of students. 

It has also been a busy time filled just trying to catch up...on the
work here at home, my classroom at school, with communicating with my dear hearts. 

           Yes, again true, but not sufficient to explain my absence.

If I'm being perfectly honest, and I have always tried to be transparent here, I haven't written because I have been speechless on so many fronts. On one hand, amazed at God's goodness and love for me, for all of us. On the other hand, stunned by the hard times that bring my faith to its knees. I know, more than ever, that He is here and never leaves us, even in our darkest hours.

As I just texted my dear soul sis, Vicky Westra...

       "When you go through deep waters, 
                    I will be be with you."      
                                                            Isaiah 43:2

That's a promise from God Almighty, the maker of Heaven and earth. He says He will never, ever leave us, even when 
it feels like we are drowning and can't imagine how we will get through this (whatever this is). I am resting on that promise. I believe it to be true. I know it is because God has been with me in good times and in the hardest, hard times.

                        This is one of those very hard times. 

Two people I love with all my heart are struggling so hard and going through deep waters.

It feels almost as if the water is rising, just as it does here every spring when the snow in the mountains starts to melt and the rivers are in a near-flooding stage for weeks on end.

First, let me start by talking about my beloved Vicky Westra. My dear "soul sis" is in deep waters. Vicky has stage four breast cancer and has battled this awful disease for seven years. She has been a beacon of strength and courage as she continues to find joy and gratitude, even in the midst of pain. Recently Vicky got some very difficult news, that things were even worse than she had imagined, and she is clinging to her word of the year..

                                        HOPE! 


I am clinging to hope right along with her. Here is a clip to watch so you can meet my sweet friend in person. Please watch this and if you can, pray for my dear friend Vicky...Pray for HOPE. Please pray for peace and pray for healing

www.wday.com/news/4452519-woman-fighting-cancer-seven-years-receives-big-surprise


Second, not only is my sweet Vicky in deep water, so is my beloved husband, Bert. Bert is just the best person I have ever known. His capacity to love and help others always amazes me. Like Vicky, he never complains and always is grateful. As some of you know, Bert suffered a TIA stroke about two and a half years ago. He has had memory problems ever since. In the past few months, those memory problems have become more significant and seeing him go through all of this has been hard and heart-breaking. Yet in the midst of these deep waters, my precious husband leans on Jesus and celebrates God's love. 

I think there are days that my struggle with all of this is even worse than his.  I just keep doing all I can to be a support to him, to love him with my whole heart, no matter what. To be there for him and reassure him that he will never be alone in this struggle. Some days I can only lean on Jesus. He gives me the strength to be fully loving and fully present.

Please pray for Bert and for me that we might go through all of this clinging to God and praising Him, no matter what. He is our strength and our foundation. He holds us up in the good times and hard times. God continues to amaze us at every turn. We listen to this song by Selah, a Christian music group, and it reminds us who God is.

We are all doing soul work,  and learning one day at a time to focus on God's love and strength. We are being stretched by deep waters, but we are not broken. We rely on God and that truly changes everything. Here's a song that gives us HOPE!
Perhaps listening to it will give you hope as well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzfKhKf9Pig

I am so, so grateful to God that both Bert and Vicky are here!
They are here to love and care about! They are here to share life lessons about gratitude that we all desperately need. They are here to remind me, remind us all, to enjoy every day and to be grateful, no matter what we are going through. What a gift they are to me and to so many others!

And as you read this post...may God bless you! May you know, whatever challenges you are facing, that you are NOT alone. He is there with you! He holds you, just like he holds Vicky and Bert and me, in the palm of His almighty hand!

Much Love,
Linda 
                
  


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