Don't Give Up

 

I know many of you are going thru hard things in your lives.  Big things.  Life changing things.  We are too.  We are in the end times and as I go thru life I see family after family under attack.  We pray, we live, it is hard sometimes, actually it is very hard sometimes, we often feel like giving up.  As time goes on and our situation does not change we feel like God is not listening or moving the mountains we are praying about quickly enough.  It is hard, I know.

But today I feel like I am to share that we are not to give up.  But to keep praying and standing on the promises of God.  The Bible says when we have done all we can do, to stand.  (Ephesians 6:13)  I believe it says that that, so that we don’t go backward. We at least won’t lose ground. 

In Luke 18 Jesus tells us of a parable, so that men continue to pray and not to faint. (So they don’t stop praying and give up)  The parable he then goes on to tell us about, is the judge who didn’t fear God or regarded men.   That a widow woman came to the judge all the time saying, avenge me of my adversary.  The judge grew so tired of seeing and hearing the widow’s request he went ahead and granted it because he grew weary of her coming to him.  Jesus goes on to tell us that God will avenge his own elect, which cry day and night to him thought he bear long with them.

Also look into the Word of God as to how many women prayed their whole life for a child and were granted that either mid life as in Hannah’s case, or when old as in Sarah and Elisabeth’s case.  We know that not only Elisabeth had been praying for a child but Zachariah her husband too, because in Luke 1:13 the angel says to Zachariah “for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.”

There is a certain blind man in the bible in Luke 18:35-43.  The blind man heard a commotion passing by in the street.  When he asked what it was, someone told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by.  Immediately he started crying out, ”Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me.” People tried to hush him but he cried all the more.  Jesus asked he be brought to him and healed him.  If that man had not persisted and cried out all the more.  If he had listen and hushed like the people around him wanted, he would have never been heard and brought before the Lord and healed. 

I know some times we feel like in our hard situation, that we are walking around in the wilderness for 40 years.  But we always don’t know the big picture or plan of God.  We need to find a way to keep at it.  Keep the faith.  To go the course.  To keep on going.  When our strength is gone, God has plenty!  It says in Revelations 4:21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also over came and am set down with my Father in his throne.   It also says in Revelations 21:7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. 

We need to build our faith by rehearsing our passed victories.  Look what the Lord has done.………. Wow! God is amazing.  When you see a fellow believer that is down lift them up and encourage them.

I will share some past victories to encourage you and me today!

Most of you know how hard Elizabeth has been for us to parent.  Yes, her physical care has been amazingly hard at times but believe it or not, the hardest thing has been her behavior.  She is one tough cookie.  She is one tenacious, persistent, hard working girl.  I believe in my heart that God put that in her.  It has served her well.  I know that it is not the greatest to have a child with these qualities using those tools to get into trouble or try to get out of trouble as she sometimes does.  We are trying now, daily, to get her to use her talents and abilities in a good way. 

But Elizabeth is a miracle.  Her life.  When she came to us her heart doctor did not think she would live.  She had/has a serious heart defect that will need repairs every few years her whole life, in order for her to live.  So many open heart surgeries.  Bless her heart.  Because of her Cerebral Palsy they said she would never walk.  Because of her tracheal malasia and paralyzed vocal cords she was trached and it was said she would never have a normal voice or perhaps never talk.  That she was so behind and had went thru so much she could be mentally disabled.  She has lung disease.  Is hearing impaired.  She had a G-tube to take in nutrition.  She self mutilated.  The list goes on and on.  What kind of hope?  What kind of Future for our daughter we adopted and loved so much? 

God is a God of miracles.  Her future was and is wide open!   I have witnessed so many miracles in my life.  He has answered prayer after prayer in this little ones life.  In all my children’s lives.  So many that I know beyond a shadow of a doubt….I KNOW HE IS.  

He is……there…..listening…..helping….leading…..guiding….carrying us….meeting our needs…..answering our prayers when the timing is best.  He is God.  He will be there for us.  God did His work in Elizabeth and Elizabeth struggled, fought, worked hard and grew. Trying to be all she was supposed to be and do. When she was young, she had no understanding of the seriousness of her health, no one ever told her of her diagnosis's so she just kept bulldozing forward!  As only Elizabeth does.  Being carried by the hand of God.  As she got older She started to understand some of it all, but just kept progressing because she was in a home that kept telling her of the miracles of God and reading her the wonderful truths out of His Word.  She has come to a place in life where she knows she is going to be ok.  That God is God and helps us do all things thru Christ, He strengthens us.  And that is childlike faith.  Knowing something is going to happen because God said it would and no one else can tell her any different because she is choosing to believe what God said. Praise God.  All the glory of these miracles and progressions are His and bring Him glory and praise.  They daily bring me hope.

And Miracle of miracles….Elizabeth still has a heart condition that will need so many surgeries.  But she has already needed fewer than they said she would need so far.  She has no trach anymore!  And her voice is strong and LOUD!  She has Cerebral Palsy but can walk, run and takes ballet!  

She is hearing impaired but wears hearing aids and can hear now.  It has been a long haul to teach her and get her to eat by mouth.  But several years ago she was able to have her G-tube removed as she eats normally now!  I actually have to watch her weight and food intake as she loves to eat!  She is my easiest child to teach in home schooling, when she puts her mind to it.  :) 

Only God knows what the future holds for this child He has brought such miraculous healing to.

Don’t give up!  Keep praying!  Keep believing!   Tim and I never gave up even though sometimes it was all just so exhausting.  We have so many children with all different needs and hardships going on all at the same time, we could not have made it thru a single moment of a day with out God.  We worked, cried, prayed, kept at it, stood on Gods promises and never gave up on believing God.  We were and are not perfect.  We are not super Christians, we were fragile and human needing encouragement by believers and God every day along the way.  Needing to be carried by God Himself to keep going.  We never gave up on Elizabeth.  We always prayed and prayed and continue to pray for her and each of our children.  As the bleak news is given or a challenge arises we pray and walk the road hand in hand with God, doing what needs to be done.  Elizabeth never gave up.  She did her part in working as hard as she could to get the goals met that were placed before her.  Our family and friends never gave up and prayed fervently thru surgeries and hard times and diagnosis we were given. 

God was there for us thru it all.  Carried us thru it all and in the end it all worked together for good and Elizabeth is alive and a true testimony to Gods faithfulness.  A miracle.  How can we doubt, with that before our eyes!

 

Psalms 50:14-15 Offer unto God thanksgiving;  and pay thy vows unto the most High: And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will delier thee, and thou shalt glorify me.

May God give you the gift of faith to overcome the mountain in your life.  May you continue to strive to be all you can be for Him.  Amen.

susan