To fill you in…my husband just got a job in August after being out of work since December. He is living in West Virginia and I am living in Western New York until we sell our house. Our house has been on the market since July 29th. I hate to exercise.
It all started on the weekend of September 10th…..It was going to be a very busy weekend; On Saturday, John had Bible study and the Men’s breakfast, we had take the car to be fixed, buy groceries and clean house. Sunday would be church in the morning, open house from 1-3 and Kick off at church for our Women’s Bible studies at 5:30. I knew it was overwhelming but doable.
Friday…. I started cleaning in the morning. My husband came home from North Dakota at dinner time and we ate spaghetti for dinner. I was beginning not to feel well. My arthritis was getting to me. I was achy and my joints in my hands and feet were starting to swell. I kept telling Jesus I needed His help this weekend. We had a lot to do. I never prayed specifically, just said I needed help.
Saturday….. John went to Bible study and the men’s breakfast, we took his car to be fixed, went shopping and we cleaned house for Open House tomorrow. John made hamburgers on the grill for dinner. We were ready!!! That night I had severe pains in my legs and feet, along with a headache and just pains all over. The whole night I cried and kept asking Jesus to help me!
Sunday….. I told John I wasn’t going to church and slept until 9:30. When I got up, it took all I could do to get dressed. I ached all over and my head was pounding. I proceeded to get the house ready for Open House. I just silently kept crying out to Jesus. We sat in my neighbor’s garage for the open house so we could see our visitors. Only one couple came. After that we came home and I started to fix dinner. Feeling sick to my stomach, dizzy and achy, I did not feel well. I just didn’t feel well. I just couldn’t see myself standing for a few hours and talking to ladies about the Buffalo City Mission. I called my friend at 5:00 and told her I could not go to “Kick Off” at church. I was terribly ill. By this time I was walking funny. Somewhere in our conversation one of us said “Satan is attacking”. I don’t remember if anything else was said. I just kept silently asking for help from Jesus. That’s all I could do.
On Monday my husband headed for Canada and I proceeded to have breakfast in the living room. Every morning about 8:30 an Oriental man walks down our cul-de-sac and I watch him. This morning was no exception. He walks slowly and carefully, with his hands behind his back. I always thought he was meditating as he walks. He has grey hair and sometimes wears a suit. I admire him that he gets up and out so early. I hate to exercise and do attempt for a few weeks to walk on my treadmill but once I start aching, I stop. I have a hard time in the morning. My body doesn’t move to well. It takes a lot of stretching to get moving.
Anyway, I went to spend time with Aunt Jay who has Alzheimer’s, as I had done the previous week. I had such a head and body ache! I really wasn’t sure I could get through the two hours with her in the morning. I prayed that God would give me patience for her questions. Somehow I did my four hours that day and I came home. My husband called on the phone that night and I found myself telling him about the Oriental man walking. I wondered if I could walk the cul-de-sac. We had quite a discussion about me and walking the cul-de-sac. Anyway my mind was made up I was going to do it at least until the snow flies here in Western New York. I would see how long it would last but a stopping point was good.
The next morning while I was in the bathroom, I read an article from the Discipleship Journal about “How to spend a day (or more) with Jesus”. It talked about how to prepare for a retreat whether it was a day or an overnight stay. I haven’t gone on a retreat in a long time so I decided my walkabout would be my retreat. I decided I would prepare myself just like Laura Shaffer did. She states “Don’t just sit like a rock and let your mind wander, read scripture or focus on God: who He is, what He is doing in your life”. Well, that’s what I would do. I would ask God what He was trying to show or teach me during this walkabout of mine. I put on my sneakers and headed out the front door by myself to walk. I wasn’t thrilled to walk but I knew I somehow had to get some exercise. Life was tough. It kept getting in the way! Good excuse!
Did you ever walk and feel someone is walking beside you? I clearly felt a presence! I wasn’t thinking about the sky or houses or where I was walking. I was concentrating on who was walking with me. I instantly knew Jesus was walking at my side! It was an easy slow walk. I began having a conversation with Him. I asked him what to do …He told me to walk…..I walked. I asked what should I do….He told me to trust Him …I was quiet….. to focus on Him…I was quiet! I thought I had been…He told me I hadn’t. He told me I trusted Him a little while and then I’d stop. He told me to focus on Him. I felt His hand on my shoulder (at least I think I did). I felt like I was walking with my best friend. I never cried or freaked out, I walked slowly and listened. I guess the part I want you to hear is… I LISTENED! I breathed and I listened. I told Him I was sorry…He knew that…I had not trusted Him FULLY. He knows everything! I didn’t need to tell Him. I called His name and He rescued me. The Holy Spirit interceded on my behalf.
I finally looked up when I got across the street from my house and realized I had not looked at the things around me only straight ahead. I was in deep conversation with Jesus and I had not taken in His beauty. I looked at the puffy white clouds and the blue, blue sky and I remember smiling and thanking Him out loud and then looking around to see if anyone heard me. I chuckled to myself. I somehow felt extremely happy. I needed to focus on Him in my busyness! That’s it! I need to focus and trust more in HIM! I finished my walk completely in peace.
When I came in the front door I ran to get a pen and paper. I felt like I had to write down some stuff but I didn’t know what. I sat down and wrote down scripture verses …none that I had memorized, just ones given to me. I remember being surprised at the scripture I was writing down, only two seemed familiar to me. I looked at the paper and I went outside to sit in the sun and looked up all the scripture I had written down.
Psalm 20:7 “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God”.
Psalm 37: 3 “Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture”.
Psalm 56:4 “in God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me”?
Psalm 119: 42 “then I will answer the one who taunts me, for I trust your word”.
This one I had memorized a long time ago…..Proverbs 3:5 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight”.
When I came into the house and I wrote, Isaiah 30: 15, I also wrote “In repentance and rest is—your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength”. When I looked it up I was in awe…I never memorized this one. I have read it but it was never written on my heart. I will memorize it now.
Each passage has a special meaning to me. I met Jesus today in an awesome place….I will never forget the feeling of peace and happiness. It was just going to be a walk around my cul-de-sac… not an earth-shattering, life-changing revelation.
I do spend time with God everyday but I realize that I have to spend time more quiet time with God. If busyness and the noise of life get in the way I have to try harder to focus on God. I know life happens and gets in our way but we have to say no or push some things aside and just go on a walkabout. I’m glad God put the Oriental man as my inspiration. If it wasn’t for him walking I would never had my talk with Jesus. I would never have heard Jesus tell me He misses me….and our time together. It is so precious to me. I hear from Jesus often but this time I want to share it with everyone.
I hope while sharing this with you, you examine your own walk. Make sure you say “No” to life to hear the Bread of Life. Jesus loves us and wants us as His own….don’t let the devil worm his way in. Reach out to Jesus and just call His name! He hears, He listens!
From My Heart to Yours...
BLESSINGS MY FRIENDS,
