National Invisible Illness Week is coming up!

Check it out. September 9th-15th:

"Illness Awareness Week is held annually in September and is a worldwide effort to bring together people who live with invisible chronic illness and those who love them."

Founder Lisa Copen (also the founder of Rest Ministries) encourages us that while we can't choose our illness, we CAN choose how to respond. It's so easy to focus on what we can't do, on the things that aren't fair, on the limitations, on unfulfilled dreams.  It's work to focus on doing what we CAN do. My husband is so inspiring in this. He does get down at times about what he can't do, but he sets a goal every day, and he's always looking for ways he can serve our family or encourage. He's a blessing to me!

Check out Founder and Author Lisa Copen's video, and consider uploading a photo about what YOU would like to choose (there's also a contest to win a free kindle!)

There are so many things we can choose! I can't wait to blog about some in the upcoming weeks.

How Powerful?

As the kids and I were looking at verses about God's power the other day (and it was amazing how many of them talked about God's care for us at the same time), we re-read parts of the creation story and marveled at how God spoke the world into existence. Then I held up the Bible and said, "What is this?"

"God's Word."

It struck me then, and I asked the kids, "Do we treat this as something amazing and powerful? Do we marvel, and listen with awe and reverence? This has the power to change us in ways we haven't even conceived, for God to work miracles in us."

Do we take it for granted? Do we treat the Word with less than awe?  Sometimes I'm in awe, but sometimes, yeah, if I'm honest, I can get complacent about the Word. I want to have a humble heart for God to work in and change me, in whatever way he wants.

Praying God's Word works mightily in you!

Radio Interview Link

If you missed my inteview on Katherine Albrecht's show, here's a direct link. Katherine has lived through breast cancer and really understands what it means to rely on God through a chronic illness. I'm so thankful to be on her show, we really had a great talk about trusting God, countering lies with the truth in scripture, and learning to be a living sacrifice. God is so good and has carried us through all these years (13 plus so far!). Praying others will be encouraged.

Radio Interview...Take 2!

My interview has been rescheduled! On Monday, August 5th, 5-6 Eastern (4-5 Central), you can hear me on the Dr. Katherine Albrecht show. We'll be discussing issues of faith in tough circumstances and specifically the journey Dave and I have been on, and my recent book, Invisible Illness, Visbile God.

Katherine is a believer who has also suffered with cancer, so she understands what it's like to live with chronic illness.

"Katherine Albrecht is a dynamic radio personality, privacy campaigner, technology expert, and the author of several books and videos. Her nationally syndicated, daily radio talk show combines knowledge, eloquence, and a touch of irreverence with a passion for truth and freedom, earning her a devoted listener following worldwide."

I'm excited for this opportunity! This is a call-in show, so if you're able to call while I'm on, that would be wonderful! Here's information so you can tune in or listen later:

HOW TO HEAR THE SHOW
* "On demand" 24-hour listen line: 605-562-7703
    Show can be heard live, then looping until it is replaced by the next show

* Live and delayed broadcast to national radio affiliates 
   Saturday show is broadcast on-air to over 20 radio stations across the USA
   
* Streamed live on the web at:
     www.KatherineAlbrecht.com (From the "Radio Show" menu, click "Listen Live")
     www.GCNLive.com (click the Katherine Albrecht show from the rotating lineup)

* On-demand web link:
   http://www.gcnlive.com/mediaPlayers/odPlayer.php?program=drKatherine
   (show is available until replaced by the next show)  

*  Available as an MP3 audio file
    Archive descriptions and MP3 audio are posted on my website each evening
    www.KatherineAlbrecht.com
    (Click the "Archives and Guests" menu, then go to the show date)

*  Listener Call-In

855-KMA-RADIO  (855-660-4261) or Direct: 612-465-7369

Radio Interview

Sorry everyone--equipment failure, the interview will be rescheduled. Stay tuned!

Catch me on the radio!

Friday afternoon, from 5-6 Eastern time (4-5 Central), you can hear me on the Dr. Katherine Albrecht show for her "Good News Friday" segment. We'll be discussing issues of faith in tough circumstances and specifically the journey Dave and I have been on, and my recent book, Invisible Illness, Visbile God.

Katherine is a believer who has also suffered with cancer, so she understands what it's like to live with chronic illness. Her radio show focuses on freedom and privacy issues, and her "Good News Friday" segments can cover a variety of topics.

"Katherine Albrecht is a dynamic radio personality, privacy campaigner, technology expert, and the author of several books and videos. Her nationally syndicated, daily radio talk show combines knowledge, eloquence, and a touch of irreverence with a passion for truth and freedom, earning her a devoted listener following worldwide."

I'm excited for this opportunity! This is a call-in show, so if you're able to call while I'm on, that would be wonderful! Here's information so you can tune in or listen later:

HOW TO HEAR THE SHOW
* "On demand" 24-hour listen line: 605-562-7703
    Show can be heard live, then looping until it is replaced by the next show

* Live and delayed broadcast to national radio affiliates 
   Saturday show is broadcast on-air to over 20 radio stations across the USA
  
* Streamed live on the web at:
     www.KatherineAlbrecht.com (From the "Radio Show" menu, click "Listen Live")
     www.GCNLive.com (click the Katherine Albrecht show from the rotating lineup)

* On-demand web link:
   http://www.gcnlive.com/mediaPlayers/odPlayer.php?program=drKatherine
   (show is available until replaced by the next show)  

*  Available as an MP3 audio file
    Archive descriptions and MP3 audio are posted on my website each evening
    www.KatherineAlbrecht.com
    (Click the "Archives and Guests" menu, then go to the show date)

*  Listener Call-In

855-KMA-RADIO  (855-660-4261) or Direct: 612-465-7369

My Portion

Is God truly all I need? Is he my hope, my refuge?

The realities of this world seem to continually tell me otherwise. The world beats on our souls, and it's exhausting.

Sometimes, I want more. More than the presence of God? Yes, I confess. Sometimes I want some of that life that has been apportioned to others. The life I expected to live. The life where I have small struggles but not big ones; the life where my husband is not in pain every day.

But part of why I sometimes heretically think that God doesn't seem like enough is because our experience of God's presence in this life is sometimes so paltry, so devoid of sustenance and nutrition, we barely have strength to stumble forward a few more steps.

I know in my head, he is all. He is Provider, Sustainer, the One who knows and loves us intimately, the One who went to unfathomable extremes to make us his.

For the LORD's portion is his people, Jacob his allotted inheritance. In a desert land he found him, in a barren and howling waste. He shielded him and cared for him; he guarded him as the apple of his eye…

~ Deuteronomy 32:9-10

We are his portion, his inheritance.  And he is ours.

“I am to be the only inheritance the priests have. You are to give them no possession in Israel; I will be their possession.”

~ Ezekiel 44:28

When God gave the Promised Land over to the Israelites, he apportioned the land to eleven of the twelve tribes. The Levitical tribe received no land; the Lord was to be their inheritance, their portion. They served in the tabernacle, later the temple, and from them the priests were chosen. Now, the believer carries on the priesthood (1 Peter 2:9), and we are his temple, and God is our portion.

The Bread of Life...

Have you ever dreamed that maybe somewhere out there you have a secret inheritance? A little nest-egg that some long-lost benevolent uncle set aside for you? Imagine you learn about this treasure that's waiting for you, but instead of going to claim it and start enjoying it, you put off filling out the necessary paperwork. Sure, you could use the money now, but hey, it'll be there tomorrow and next week, what's the rush?  Today you're too busy...

Sounds ludicrous, doesn't it? But we have an inheritance of infinitely higher value that we sometimes mistakenly treat much the same.

In the past, I assumed that if God didn't seem very real, if he didn't seem to be helping me, if he didn't seem to be providing--then he must not really care. I turned a blind eye to his Word, my very sustenance, to his immense demonstration of his love for us in Christ. How can I seriously think that God went to all that effort to save us, only to not care now? Only to have "wandering eyes," looking for someone else to love?  

It's a lie.

And it's a battleground. And we need to engage in the battle. If we are starving for God, for his love, for his presence to carry us through a time that we can't see any way of making it through--then it's a mercy that we see this. God is not only all I need--he is what I need more than I recognize. But he gives me glimpses through the trials in my life, that I need him more. And when I know that and start to rely on him, start to lean hard into his shoulder and loving embrace--he shows me I need him more. He is the Bread of Life, the Vine we draw our life-blood from, the Shepherd who continues to pursue us every time we wander off and wonder, where is there food? He is our food.