Lasting Peace

Since God commands us to "Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples" (Psalm 96:3), I feel impressed to share what He's been up to in this Listening Heart. My recent medical problems are long and boring, but God has been working quiet miracles in the tedious details.

To make a long story short, for Christmas, instead of coal in my stocking, I got rocks in my kidneys. While in the Emergency Room I had a catscan that showed a mysterious spot that the radiologists or doctors could not identify. And during follow up appointments, I found out that the surgery I had last summer caused scar tissue that could only be corrected by a hysterectomy. I was angry and scared. Angry that I had wasted time having that procudure last summer and scared because of this unknown "spot."

I put my prayer warriors to work and asked everyone I knew to pray for me. Through prayer, Jesus gave me his peace that passes understanding. In John 14:27 Jesus said, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."

I had my marching orders, but Satan tried to break in and steal Jesus' precious gift of peace more than once. Like when my Mom spent a week at St. Joseph's Hospital in heart and rhenal failure and when problems with my brother's alcoholism flared up, yet again. The final clencher occured when I saw the reason for my visit on the receipt from the general surgeon that became involved in my case. It said, "pelvic mass."

Seeing it in writing made this supposed mass seem real even though God had given me his peace throughout the whole ordeal. The waters of the underlying flow of peace I had felt since my E.R. visit were troubled. I had to wait for the ripples from that rock thrown in my direction to settle down. With more heartfelt prayer and surrender to God's plan for my life, they finally did.

I am now almost two weeks post-op and am doing great. There was no sign of any mass anywhere (and they explored everywhere) and my surgery a complete success. I have to share the "marvelous deeds" he did for me, because one of you may get (or have) some weird diagnosis one day soon. I feel strongly about how important it is for you to be reminded that you, too, can hold on to Jesus' gift of peace no matter how rough the water gets. God will never leave nor forsake you and he will work his miracles in your life every day, guaranteed.

Hold on tight!! All my love, Susan