Well, I've been pondering it over the last couple of days especially because of all the weddings and new and budding relationships. Christian weddings are so lovely because it's real. The couple mean their vows and know exactly what they're going into. They also have God in the centre of it and it is their love for God that keeps them together. But I haven't just been thinking about romantic love, but love in a lot of senses. Love in its wider sense has been on and off my mind for the last few years at uni, but especially since going to the Thursday night Bible study a couple of weeks ago when Matt was talking about 1 Peter 4:7-11. The verse that stuck in my mind was verse 8, "Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers a multitude of sins." I know from all the married ladies I know that deeply as they love their husbands, sometimes it's hard to put this command into practice, but we're to love everyone! Not just our spouses, friends or families. Goodness!
Anyway... It is a difficult and challenging subject, so I looked at what God says, starting of course with 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a: "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails."
Romans 13:8-10: "Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellow man has fulfilled the law. The commandments, 'Do not commit adultery', 'Do not murder', 'Do not steal', 'Do not covet', and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: 'Love your neighbour as yourself'. Love does no harm to its neighbour. Therefore love is the fulfilment of the law."
1 John 4:16-21: "And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. In this way, love is made complete among us so that we may have confidence on the day of judgement, because in this world we are like him. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, 'I love God', yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother."
John 13:35, 36: "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
John 14:15; 21: "If you love me, you will obey what I command.... Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him."
And, in relation to romantic love, this challenges me most as I seek to trust God about my future: Song of Songs 2:7, "Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you by the gazelles and the does of the field: Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires."
Of course, the Bible says TONS more about love, but I haven't looked at all of it and certainly, each passage needs a lot of pondering by itself and would be too much for a blog entry. Goodness! It is all too much! What a gift, but how I abuse it. As the passage in Romans states, it's loving genuinely that enables us to fulfil the law. My conclusion is I should pray and ask God to help me love people because I can't even love those close me the way I'm supposed to. Until then, I have a lot more pondering to do....
July 31, 2006
July 19, 2006
Swimming and Old Men
So, as many of you know, I have a new hobby - swimming. I've really enjoyed it and would like to go everyday, but for some reason or other haven't managed more than 3 days a week, which I know is good in itself. Anyway, I couldn't help remarking to myself that I always seem in some way or another to annoy the old men that almost certainly share the slow lane with me. I'm not entirely sure why. Maybe it's because I swim faster than them? Or maybe they can't work out why a young person is in the same lane as them? And as for the Asian old men, I think they're just bewildered by me, a bald, Asian, young woman. I don't think there are many of us, if any - other than me, of course. I am still amused though that everytime I've gone swimming, I've annoyed or bewildered at least one old man. And to be honest, they're sometimes the ones at fault...
As for the old women that end up in that lane, they are no trouble at all. They don't seem to bat an eyelid about me. But then, there are hardly ever women in my lane. I think I remember 3 that stayed there the whole time. Most of them move. Mainly because of the Asian old men; they tend to hog the lane a little and most of time they don't swim, but rather gather at one end or the other - the deep end is their favourite - and talk. I just stay cos I'm stubborn, and it's also easier to swim multiple lengths when it's continuous - for me, at least.
Anyway, if all is well, I shall go tomorrow morning as well. Who knows who I'll annoy tomorrow?
Oh, I had my first check up since chemo yeaterday. Everything was fine. They did a blood test, but I expect that I won't get any results unless it's bad news. I found out that there's an 80% chance that the cancer will re-occur within the first year after chemo, if it is going to re-occur at all. That's why they want to see me every month, so they can catch it early. After the first year, there's an 85% chance that it won't come back at all. Oh, and I think this is just true for the type of tumour I had - the germ cell tumour. So, there you go. Let's see what this year brings. I suppose chemo won't be as long as before this next time, but it'll be so annoying to put off Japan again and have nothing to do. Ah well... You have to do what God wants. Anyway... I'll cross that bridge if I come to it. :-)
As for the old women that end up in that lane, they are no trouble at all. They don't seem to bat an eyelid about me. But then, there are hardly ever women in my lane. I think I remember 3 that stayed there the whole time. Most of them move. Mainly because of the Asian old men; they tend to hog the lane a little and most of time they don't swim, but rather gather at one end or the other - the deep end is their favourite - and talk. I just stay cos I'm stubborn, and it's also easier to swim multiple lengths when it's continuous - for me, at least.
Anyway, if all is well, I shall go tomorrow morning as well. Who knows who I'll annoy tomorrow?
Oh, I had my first check up since chemo yeaterday. Everything was fine. They did a blood test, but I expect that I won't get any results unless it's bad news. I found out that there's an 80% chance that the cancer will re-occur within the first year after chemo, if it is going to re-occur at all. That's why they want to see me every month, so they can catch it early. After the first year, there's an 85% chance that it won't come back at all. Oh, and I think this is just true for the type of tumour I had - the germ cell tumour. So, there you go. Let's see what this year brings. I suppose chemo won't be as long as before this next time, but it'll be so annoying to put off Japan again and have nothing to do. Ah well... You have to do what God wants. Anyway... I'll cross that bridge if I come to it. :-)
July 17, 2006
God is Not Unobservant
This is something that we all need to remember in times of difficulty:
"I will be still, and I will behold in my dwelling place" (Isa. 18:4, RV).
Assyria was marching against Ethiopia, the people of which are described as tall and smooth. And as the armies advance, God makes no effort to arrest them; it seems as though they will be allowed to work their will. He is still watching them from His dwelling place, the sun still shines on them; but before the harvest, the whole of the proud army of Assyria is smitten as easily as when sprigs are cut off by the pruning hook of the husbandman.
Is not this a marvelous conception of God--being still and watching? His stillness is not acquiescence. His silence is not consent. He is only biding His time, and will arise, in the most opportune moment, and when the designs of the wicked seem on the point of success, to overwhelm them with disaster. As we look out on the evil of the world; as we think of the apparent success of wrong-doing; as we wince beneath the oppression of those that hate us, let us remember these marvelous words about God being still and beholding.
There is another side to this. Jesus beheld His disciples toiling at the oars through the stormy night; and watched though unseen, the successive steps of the anguish of Bethany, when Lazarus slowly passed through the stages of mortal sickness, until he succumbed and was borne to the rocky tomb. But He was only waiting the moment when He could interpose most effectually. Is He still to thee? He is not unobservant; He is beholding all things; He has His finger on thy pulse, keenly sensitive to all its fluctuations. He will come to save thee when the precise moment has arrived. --Daily Devotional Commentary
Whatever His questions or His reticences, we may be absolutely sure of an unperplexed and undismayed Saviour.
"O troubled soul, beneath the rod,
Thy Father speaks, be still, be still;
Learn to be silent unto God,
And let Him mould thee to His will.
"O praying soul, be still, be still,
He cannot break His plighted Word;
Sink down into His blessed will,
And wait in patience on the Lord.
"O waiting soul, be still, be strong,
And though He tarry, trust and wait;
Doubt not, He will not wait too long,
Fear not, He will not come too late."
- Mrs Cowman
"I will be still, and I will behold in my dwelling place" (Isa. 18:4, RV).
Assyria was marching against Ethiopia, the people of which are described as tall and smooth. And as the armies advance, God makes no effort to arrest them; it seems as though they will be allowed to work their will. He is still watching them from His dwelling place, the sun still shines on them; but before the harvest, the whole of the proud army of Assyria is smitten as easily as when sprigs are cut off by the pruning hook of the husbandman.
Is not this a marvelous conception of God--being still and watching? His stillness is not acquiescence. His silence is not consent. He is only biding His time, and will arise, in the most opportune moment, and when the designs of the wicked seem on the point of success, to overwhelm them with disaster. As we look out on the evil of the world; as we think of the apparent success of wrong-doing; as we wince beneath the oppression of those that hate us, let us remember these marvelous words about God being still and beholding.
There is another side to this. Jesus beheld His disciples toiling at the oars through the stormy night; and watched though unseen, the successive steps of the anguish of Bethany, when Lazarus slowly passed through the stages of mortal sickness, until he succumbed and was borne to the rocky tomb. But He was only waiting the moment when He could interpose most effectually. Is He still to thee? He is not unobservant; He is beholding all things; He has His finger on thy pulse, keenly sensitive to all its fluctuations. He will come to save thee when the precise moment has arrived. --Daily Devotional Commentary
Whatever His questions or His reticences, we may be absolutely sure of an unperplexed and undismayed Saviour.
"O troubled soul, beneath the rod,
Thy Father speaks, be still, be still;
Learn to be silent unto God,
And let Him mould thee to His will.
"O praying soul, be still, be still,
He cannot break His plighted Word;
Sink down into His blessed will,
And wait in patience on the Lord.
"O waiting soul, be still, be strong,
And though He tarry, trust and wait;
Doubt not, He will not wait too long,
Fear not, He will not come too late."
- Mrs Cowman
July 15, 2006
April to June
Here endeth the saga:
Ok, I’ve been avoiding writing about chemotherapy because, frankly, I didn’t like it. I didn’t particularly like surgery and recovering from it, but chemotherapy was just awful – especially the first time.
Well, so at the end of March, I went back to Ward 24 to see Dr Davis and Sister Bredin to find out the results from pathology about my tumour/cyst/teratoma. They said it was malignant, but that it was at an early stage just turning into the middle stage and that they were relieved that it hadn’t yet developed brain tissue. This is my favourite part of the whole saga – brain tissue in my teratoma. Beautiful! It is both fascinating and utterly disgusting at the same time. Anyway, Sister Bredin told me which drugs I would have for chemotherapy and said it would just be a day patient at Ward 4C at Gartnavel and I would have 4 treatments spread over 12 weeks. But when I finally met Dr Reed, I found it was not quite the case. Dr Reed said that I’d be going to the Beatson at the Western and be admitted 3-4 days at a time and then have to go to Ward 4C the two following Mondays to get a booster injection of Bleomycin. I was a little disappointed, but when he said that young women around my age "sail through chemotherapy", I was appeased.
So, as you know, chemotherapy started on 10 April and on the 8th, I had shaved my head. It was all ok until the Bleomycin was put in. Yuck! I had really weird diarrhoea. Not nice! And then I had that weird, horrible 24-hour stomach bug the weekend after that made me throw up what smelled like poo. Even better! And then, when I was in Ward 4C, I nearly passed out and threw up again before my injection. Chemotherapy just did not start off very well at all. The second treatment was fine. I don’t really remember much about it. It was the third one that was awful and I won’t talk about it because I’ve already written about it in great detail. I’m very thankful it was my last.
Well, I am amused that throughout my treatment I lived up to the name of Peer, as I filled many a shell of my urine, which they needed to measure to monitor my kidney function, as Cisplatin could have damaged my kidneys. As you may have gathered, my kidneys were absolutely fine. Also, I was amused that nothing at all was private in the ward (not even your bowel function), and once I’d lost my hair, a couple of old ladies mistook me for a man in the ladies’ toilet. Lovely! And, I was amused at my crazy appetite throughout treatment, which gave me the hunger of ten men for three or four days after coming out of the Beatson.
As for God and I, we suffered a bit throughout this time. I always picked up with my Bible study and quiet times by the time I was to be re-admitted into Ward F3, but then it suffered again. Time and again, I’ve heard people tell me not to be too hard on myself since chemotherapy was pretty harsh and tired me out so much. Ok, I accept that and I’m very thankful that people prayed for me when I couldn’t pray for myself. Thank you.
Now, when I look back, I think God was quiet because He wanted me to trust Him. He’d already been so good to me throughout surgery and recovery, but now He was silent and seemed to have drawn away, but as I can see now, He was always there. He just wanted to see if I trusted Him. I think I did most of the time, though sometimes I was moody and grumpy about chemotherapy. The whole thing was a lesson of trust and to show me that when I had Him, I didn’t need to be afraid of anything. Not even cancer! To be honest, I am still learning this lesson as I said a couple of posts ago. It is a difficult one and one I will probably always be learning. But also there are probably a lot of things about these last 6 months that I won’t see till later on as I’m still too close to it all. But like all the difficult times I’ve had, I’ll look back at it and be grateful because it made me a stronger woman and brought me closer to God. So I’ll praise God in advance for bringing me closer to the woman He wants me to be. Amen.
Ok, I’ve been avoiding writing about chemotherapy because, frankly, I didn’t like it. I didn’t particularly like surgery and recovering from it, but chemotherapy was just awful – especially the first time.
Well, so at the end of March, I went back to Ward 24 to see Dr Davis and Sister Bredin to find out the results from pathology about my tumour/cyst/teratoma. They said it was malignant, but that it was at an early stage just turning into the middle stage and that they were relieved that it hadn’t yet developed brain tissue. This is my favourite part of the whole saga – brain tissue in my teratoma. Beautiful! It is both fascinating and utterly disgusting at the same time. Anyway, Sister Bredin told me which drugs I would have for chemotherapy and said it would just be a day patient at Ward 4C at Gartnavel and I would have 4 treatments spread over 12 weeks. But when I finally met Dr Reed, I found it was not quite the case. Dr Reed said that I’d be going to the Beatson at the Western and be admitted 3-4 days at a time and then have to go to Ward 4C the two following Mondays to get a booster injection of Bleomycin. I was a little disappointed, but when he said that young women around my age "sail through chemotherapy", I was appeased.
So, as you know, chemotherapy started on 10 April and on the 8th, I had shaved my head. It was all ok until the Bleomycin was put in. Yuck! I had really weird diarrhoea. Not nice! And then I had that weird, horrible 24-hour stomach bug the weekend after that made me throw up what smelled like poo. Even better! And then, when I was in Ward 4C, I nearly passed out and threw up again before my injection. Chemotherapy just did not start off very well at all. The second treatment was fine. I don’t really remember much about it. It was the third one that was awful and I won’t talk about it because I’ve already written about it in great detail. I’m very thankful it was my last.
Well, I am amused that throughout my treatment I lived up to the name of Peer, as I filled many a shell of my urine, which they needed to measure to monitor my kidney function, as Cisplatin could have damaged my kidneys. As you may have gathered, my kidneys were absolutely fine. Also, I was amused that nothing at all was private in the ward (not even your bowel function), and once I’d lost my hair, a couple of old ladies mistook me for a man in the ladies’ toilet. Lovely! And, I was amused at my crazy appetite throughout treatment, which gave me the hunger of ten men for three or four days after coming out of the Beatson.
As for God and I, we suffered a bit throughout this time. I always picked up with my Bible study and quiet times by the time I was to be re-admitted into Ward F3, but then it suffered again. Time and again, I’ve heard people tell me not to be too hard on myself since chemotherapy was pretty harsh and tired me out so much. Ok, I accept that and I’m very thankful that people prayed for me when I couldn’t pray for myself. Thank you.
Now, when I look back, I think God was quiet because He wanted me to trust Him. He’d already been so good to me throughout surgery and recovery, but now He was silent and seemed to have drawn away, but as I can see now, He was always there. He just wanted to see if I trusted Him. I think I did most of the time, though sometimes I was moody and grumpy about chemotherapy. The whole thing was a lesson of trust and to show me that when I had Him, I didn’t need to be afraid of anything. Not even cancer! To be honest, I am still learning this lesson as I said a couple of posts ago. It is a difficult one and one I will probably always be learning. But also there are probably a lot of things about these last 6 months that I won’t see till later on as I’m still too close to it all. But like all the difficult times I’ve had, I’ll look back at it and be grateful because it made me a stronger woman and brought me closer to God. So I’ll praise God in advance for bringing me closer to the woman He wants me to be. Amen.
July 14, 2006
Hair update
Woohoo! I have hair! It's really fine and soft like a baby's and it's not really all that long, but it's there. Yey!
July 12, 2006
Elijah Watched and Waited
Woo! This is exactly what I was on about a couple of days ago! Well, not 'exactly', but of the same line of thought...
"It came to pass after a while, that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land" (1 Kings 17:7).
Week after week, with unfaltering and steadfast spirit, Elijah watched that dwindling brook; often tempted to stagger through unbelief, but refusing to allow his circumstances to come between himself and God. Unbelief sees God through circumstances, as we sometimes see the sun shorn of his rays through smoky air; but faith puts God between itself and circumstances, and looks at them through Him. And so the dwindling brook became a silver thread; and the silver thread stood presently in pools at the foot of the largest boulders; and the pools shrank. The birds fled; the wild creatures of field and forest came no more to drink; the brook was dry. Only then to his patient and unwavering spirit, "the word of the Lord came, saying, Arise, get thee to Zarephath."
Most of us would have gotten anxious and worn with planning long before that. We should have ceased our songs as soon as the streamlet caroled less musically over its rocky bed; and with harps swinging on the willows, we should have paced to and fro upon the withering grass, lost in pensive thought. And probably, long ere the brook was dry, we should have devised some plan, and asking God's blessing on it, would have started off elsewhere.
God often does extricate us, because His mercy endureth forever; but if we had only waited first to see the unfolding of His plans, we should never have found ourselves landed in such an inextricable labyrinth; and we should never have been compelled to retrace our steps with so many tears of shame. Wait, patiently wait! --F. B. Meyer
"It came to pass after a while, that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land" (1 Kings 17:7).
Week after week, with unfaltering and steadfast spirit, Elijah watched that dwindling brook; often tempted to stagger through unbelief, but refusing to allow his circumstances to come between himself and God. Unbelief sees God through circumstances, as we sometimes see the sun shorn of his rays through smoky air; but faith puts God between itself and circumstances, and looks at them through Him. And so the dwindling brook became a silver thread; and the silver thread stood presently in pools at the foot of the largest boulders; and the pools shrank. The birds fled; the wild creatures of field and forest came no more to drink; the brook was dry. Only then to his patient and unwavering spirit, "the word of the Lord came, saying, Arise, get thee to Zarephath."
Most of us would have gotten anxious and worn with planning long before that. We should have ceased our songs as soon as the streamlet caroled less musically over its rocky bed; and with harps swinging on the willows, we should have paced to and fro upon the withering grass, lost in pensive thought. And probably, long ere the brook was dry, we should have devised some plan, and asking God's blessing on it, would have started off elsewhere.
God often does extricate us, because His mercy endureth forever; but if we had only waited first to see the unfolding of His plans, we should never have found ourselves landed in such an inextricable labyrinth; and we should never have been compelled to retrace our steps with so many tears of shame. Wait, patiently wait! --F. B. Meyer
July 09, 2006
Fear, Lack of Trust and Impatience
3 statements that describe me very well just at this moment in time. Actually, to be honest, more like the last few weeks. Yup, it's just like me to be scared now that I'm cured of cancer, but during that whole saga, I was fine. Typical!
I used to get so annoyed at the Israelites for forgetting what God had done for them and going back to their old habits. God's just been so absolutely brilliant to me and cured me of cancer for goodness sake! And I had a surgeon and an oncologist who were at the top of their field to take care of me. God provided the best! And now I'm scared about evangelism, Malaysia, witnessing to my family, Japan, marriage, and losing all my friends. How ridiculous! Am I so stupid and do I know God so little as to presume that that is it? That He is no longer going to be good to me or protect me or watch over me just because he cured me of cancer? "C'mon Steph. You know Him better than that!"
Since the Bible study on Abigail (I did that at the ladies' bible two weeks ago), God has shown me at least one thing I have been either afraid of or anxious about every day. These things are things I haven't given over to God because I must have a part of my brain that forgets that God's plan is perfect and so is His timing. I don't seem to be able to remember 24 hours a day that God is good and He only has the best for me. He really has been asking me to fear only Him, to trust wholly and wholeheartedly in Him alone and to be patient for His timing.
What I don't understand is that it's difficult to trust God and be patient. Intellectually, knowing what I know about God, I know it is best. I should consider all things a loss in comparison to knowing Jesus as Paul says in Philippians, but I don't. It's utterly ridiculous! But I'm praying about it and it's something I will have to give over to God every day. You'd think that leaving something in the Lord's hands would be easy, but somehow I'd rather keep it and work it out for myself. I'd save myself so much heartache if only I'd just trust Him and be patient.
I used to get so annoyed at the Israelites for forgetting what God had done for them and going back to their old habits. God's just been so absolutely brilliant to me and cured me of cancer for goodness sake! And I had a surgeon and an oncologist who were at the top of their field to take care of me. God provided the best! And now I'm scared about evangelism, Malaysia, witnessing to my family, Japan, marriage, and losing all my friends. How ridiculous! Am I so stupid and do I know God so little as to presume that that is it? That He is no longer going to be good to me or protect me or watch over me just because he cured me of cancer? "C'mon Steph. You know Him better than that!"
Since the Bible study on Abigail (I did that at the ladies' bible two weeks ago), God has shown me at least one thing I have been either afraid of or anxious about every day. These things are things I haven't given over to God because I must have a part of my brain that forgets that God's plan is perfect and so is His timing. I don't seem to be able to remember 24 hours a day that God is good and He only has the best for me. He really has been asking me to fear only Him, to trust wholly and wholeheartedly in Him alone and to be patient for His timing.
What I don't understand is that it's difficult to trust God and be patient. Intellectually, knowing what I know about God, I know it is best. I should consider all things a loss in comparison to knowing Jesus as Paul says in Philippians, but I don't. It's utterly ridiculous! But I'm praying about it and it's something I will have to give over to God every day. You'd think that leaving something in the Lord's hands would be easy, but somehow I'd rather keep it and work it out for myself. I'd save myself so much heartache if only I'd just trust Him and be patient.
July 07, 2006
Polish Comes Through Trouble
Something my devotional to encourage you:
"He hath made me a polished shaft" (Isa. 49:2).
There is a very famous "Pebble Beach" at Pescadero, on the California coast. The long line of white surf comes up with its everlasting roar, and rattles and thunders among the stones on the shore. They are caught in the arms of the pitiless waves, and tossed and rolled, and rubbed together, and ground against the sharp-grained cliffs. Day and night forever the ceaseless attrition goes on--never any rest. And the result?
Tourists from all the world flock thither to gather the round and beautiful stones. They are laid up in cabinets; they ornament the parlor mantels. But go yonder, around the point of the cliff that breaks off the force of the sea; and up in that quiet cove, sheltered from the storms, and lying ever in the sun, you shall find abundance of pebbles that have never been chosen by the traveler.
Why are these left all the years through unsought? For the simple reason that they have escaped all the turmoil and attrition of the waves, and the quiet and peace have left them as they found them, rough and angular and devoid of beauty. Polish comes through trouble.
Since God knows what niche we are to fill, let us trust Him to shape us to it. Since He knows what work we are to do, let us trust Him to drill us to the proper preparation.
"O blows that smite! O hurts that pierce
This shrinking heart of mine!
What are ye but the Master's tools
Forming a work Divine?"
"Nearly all God's jewels are crystallized tears."
"He hath made me a polished shaft" (Isa. 49:2).
There is a very famous "Pebble Beach" at Pescadero, on the California coast. The long line of white surf comes up with its everlasting roar, and rattles and thunders among the stones on the shore. They are caught in the arms of the pitiless waves, and tossed and rolled, and rubbed together, and ground against the sharp-grained cliffs. Day and night forever the ceaseless attrition goes on--never any rest. And the result?
Tourists from all the world flock thither to gather the round and beautiful stones. They are laid up in cabinets; they ornament the parlor mantels. But go yonder, around the point of the cliff that breaks off the force of the sea; and up in that quiet cove, sheltered from the storms, and lying ever in the sun, you shall find abundance of pebbles that have never been chosen by the traveler.
Why are these left all the years through unsought? For the simple reason that they have escaped all the turmoil and attrition of the waves, and the quiet and peace have left them as they found them, rough and angular and devoid of beauty. Polish comes through trouble.
Since God knows what niche we are to fill, let us trust Him to shape us to it. Since He knows what work we are to do, let us trust Him to drill us to the proper preparation.
"O blows that smite! O hurts that pierce
This shrinking heart of mine!
What are ye but the Master's tools
Forming a work Divine?"
"Nearly all God's jewels are crystallized tears."
July 01, 2006
Some verses
I know, O Lord, that a man's life is not his own; it is not for man to direct his steps. - Jer 10:23
In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps. - Prov 16:9
If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all. - Isa 7:9b
For this God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide even to the end. - Psa 48:14
Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I shall not be shaken. My salvation and my honour depend on my God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge. - Psa 62:5-8
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever. - Psa 73:26
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." - Jer 29:11
I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me? - Jer 32:27
For nothing is impossible with God. - Luke 1:37
Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished. - Luke 1:45
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. - Roms 8:28
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. - 2 Cor 1:3,4
In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps. - Prov 16:9
If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all. - Isa 7:9b
For this God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our guide even to the end. - Psa 48:14
Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I shall not be shaken. My salvation and my honour depend on my God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge. Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge. - Psa 62:5-8
My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever. - Psa 73:26
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." - Jer 29:11
I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me? - Jer 32:27
For nothing is impossible with God. - Luke 1:37
Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished. - Luke 1:45
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. - Roms 8:28
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. - 2 Cor 1:3,4
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