Dear Friends,
Please pardon my quiet blog and stilled “pen”. We have had an unexpected pause in our lives. My husband is ill at the moment and my days have been spent visiting him in the hospital. It has been a sweet and gentle time of waiting together. The joy of simply being present with one another. Listening to the beeps, whirs and hums of the medical machines. Watching people pass by the door to his room with firm footsteps, some working, some thinking, some conversing in hushed tones. Talking, singing, reading the Bible, praying, watching TV, watching the clock, watching the sun rise and set, holding hands over the bed rails. Enjoying the presence of our children as they come and go. Together.
We are grateful for the medical care he is receiving and for the healing from the procedures, medicines and treatments. Most of all, however, we are grateful to the Lord. The God of the heavens and the earth. The One who created each of us, formed us in His image, breathed His breath of life into us and set our hearts beating. We know that His plans are for the greater good, even if we can’t see it in the present. How do we know this? We look at Jesus. The cross where he hung certainly did not appear like a sound plan in the moment. But what greater good could there ever be?
We pray that God will use this unexpected pause in our small lives for His glory.
Whatever you may be facing today, know this…the God of the universe holds you, loves you, died to save you from your sins and longs to bring you to Himself. That already is the greater good.
John 13:1 – It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.
In Christ’s love, Melissa McLaughlin
Photo ©Melissa McLaughlin
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Praying for you all.
Dear Mimi, Thank you for the prayers. We know the gift of prayer is great. Heaven meets earth when we pray for one another. Bless you!
I am praying for your husband! God bless you all!
Thank you, Ryan. We feel the prayers of our faith family. Holy Spirit strengthening to walk and not grow weary. Bless you!
Good afternoon, Missy, what a beautiful stream of thankfulness and praise from your not-so-stilled pen. I am grateful to the Lord that the two of you can be together through this time. I will remain in prayer. May God bless you both with restorative rest this day.
Thank you, dear Julie. Your kindness and prayers mean so much to both of us. Leaning hard into God for restoration. Praying for you, too!
God bless y’all! Hope this blows over very soon!
Thank you so much, brother. I will be back soon to read your posts and the others, too. Lord bless you!
As you and Tom embrace the Lord and each other at this time, my prayers goes out to you both. May the creator of the universe, who designed and formed our very being, continue to give peace, joy, rest and healing as you feel his loving embrace in the quiet stillness that surrounds you in his presence.
Dear Val, thank you for your kind words. We receive your blessing and prayers. Much love, Missy
What a beautiful testimony. Prayers for your husband, for you and for your whole family. What a witness your strong faith and your loving relationship will be to the medical staff…bringing God such glory! Prayers for healing, peace, comfort and wisdom in the midst of all that is going on.
Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction and faithful in prayer Romans 12:12.
Dear Jackie, thank you for your words of encouragement and for the scripture to strengthen us! I do pray that in the good times and the hard times that I can glorify God. Lord, help us be true to you, come what may! God bless you!
Praying for your husband and you. May Jesus be glorified in all you are going through.
Thank you, Diane! We treasure the prayers of every single person during this difficult time. We have been overwhelmed by the kind support of our faith family. God bless you!
Praying for you all, Missy!
Thank you, Gail! Your prayers are a great gift to sustain us. We feel it! God bless you!
Those of us in the household of faith and under the wing of the Lord know the power of thoughts and, especially, prayers. May the Lord continue to uphold you, guide you and give you comfort. May you see His power at work and feel the peace of His grace.
God’s Blessings
–Pam
Dear Pam, I appreciate your faith-filled words of strength and hope. We do rest our bodies in God’s hands and so we try to rest our hearts there as well. Thank you for your kindness and prayers! Blessings to you!
Dear Melissa,
My thoughts and prayers are with you and hubby at this difficult time. May the Holy Spirit continue to guide and strengthen you both. Please don’t hesitate to call on me if there is anything however small that I may be of service to you.
Love one another, encourage one another! I sought to comfort you but instead I find that your words have encouraged and conforted me.
You are a blessing to me and I ask God’s blessings upon you and family.
Dear Dorinda, your words were a comfort, a sweet comfort! Thank you! The Lord has been faithful in bringing my husband to the right place at the right time. He still has plans for him on this side of heaven. May we use the time well. I will let you know if we need anything. How kind of you! Blessings and love to you and your dear family!
Lifting Tom, you and the kids up in my prayers. Praying that you feel the peace that can only come from faith in God and feel his loving arms embrace your family as He draws you closer together and closer to Him.
Thank you, Pat! We receive your prayer with joy! God has seen us through and drawn us closer. That is the greatest gift He can ever give, even more than the gift of life itself. The gift of Himself.
God bless you!
This was beautifully written and heartfelt! I’ll keep y’all in my prayers and patiently wait for your pen to get moving again. 🙂
Oh, Ginny, you are so kind! Thank you for the encouraging words in the midst of this difficult time. I look fireard to reafing your posts again soon! Bless you!
I should get sick more often! Thank you for your kind reflection on this time in our lives.
Isaiah 40:8
“The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.”
Dear Tom,
I love you now and always, my dear husband! As you have loved me in my times of illness, it’s my chance now. God bless you and keep you close to His heart!