Oh, satan... you can't hold ME down!

In the years that I've struggled with chronic illness, I've learned a couple of things.

First, this is satan. All satan and nothing but satan. Amen.

Second, I have a choice in this matter. I can choose to allow satan to hold me in captivity or I can break free and allow Christ to deliver me from this. Does this mean I'm healed? I believe I am, it just hasn't shown itself in a physical manner yet. The healing, thus far, has been spiritual and I trust that, one day, God will heal my body. In the meantime, it's up to me how to proceed. I can wallow in my self pity or I can put myself aside and live the life God has for me.

I've been writing this post, in my head, all morning, while scrubbing toilets. It isn't a glamorous job, but it's the one that God has called me to do each morning before I do my other job. As I lay in bed this morning, half crippled by, yet another bad day, I had to make a choice. I could allow satan to win, keep me in bed, and not perform the work God has called me to do or I could get up and go face the day that the Lord made for me. I'm tired of satan winning. I'm tired of him trying to steal joy from me and some of my closest friends who struggle with pain or illness on a daily basis. Today, I choose Christ. Today, I choose joy. Today, I choose to live for whatever God has for me - even if it's just clean toilets for my co-workers. This is MY calling for today and I'm owning it.

I want to encourage my friends who are struggling today - I am praying for you, each of you. I pray for your strength, for your peace, for your comfort, for your faith in healing, and for your courage to face the day that the Lord hath made. I know your struggle. I live your struggle. Let's kick satan's butt today! Today will be BETTER! 

Home sharing

As I write this, I am preparing my heart for a big change and a huge adjustment. In about a month, I will be moving. After a lot of prayer and consideration, I've decided that things have just GOT to get better (remember, that's my ONE WORD for this year). I went to my dear friends, whom we've often teased with together about this very thing, with the topic of sharing their home with me and my kidlet. Amazingly, they talked about it that afternoon before I even got there.

Some of the advantages for both of us are the lightened financial burdens, lessened demand on each of us in meal preparation and house cleaning, and help with our kids in various ways.

Some of the disadvantages for both of us include a lessened sense of privacy, possible disagreements in household duties, and learning each others quirks in a whole new way.

I would ask anyone who reads this (the whole ONE of you who might! haha) to be in prayer WITH us as we make this transition.

One word - Better

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What's your word for 2012 going to be?

This is something I will be challenging myself with through the year, but I am also going to present the challenge to our ladies ministry and to anyone who happens to stumble across my blog.

My word is better. I wanted my word to be love. I really did. But with me, it's always love, love, love... I love to love. That isn't going to challenge me the way I need it to. I need to be challenged.

If I could pick a word for our church lately, it's been more. Which is sorta like better, but different. I do want more, but I also want better. I want better relationship with Christ, I want better relationship with people, I want better for myself. I could go on and on... so while it's kind of like more and along the lines of love - it's just different enough that I can claim it! =]