Defeating Setbacks

 Nothing is worse after fighting this long than to have setback after setback. Then on top of that, having things like the furnace needing upgraded, the garage door breaking, etc etc etc. You know, normal adulting stuff. Thank God there's always been money and right on time to take care of these things. When life is normal, it's not as upsetting and you have far more energy to deal with it. Life on life's terms my friends, but you figure out how to navigate it all. 

The biggest and most stressful thing we've recently had happen is the possibility after all this time of waiting, for surgery to be delayed. Well, I have an inspiring and miraculous story to share with you about that! There was a medication my Urologist put me on that I was very reluctant to take, and lets just say, next time, I'm listening to my gut. I finally agreed and then when it came time last week to get my pre-op blood work done, my liver enzymes were pretty high. So, I had a repeat blood test done today, specifically for that. I've been pressing into my faith on this believing for no delays. I am exhausted after all I have been through in the last ten months to get fixed so I can have my life back and don't need anymore complications!!! 

Having said all of that, I love to be able to get to church when able, and have had to miss the last two weeks. Saturday, I felt prompted to go this past Sunday and was determined to do so come hell or high water. I did not sleep well at all Saturday night and was still able to make it to church yesterday. The teaching yesterday was exactly what I needed [ not surprised ;) ] and then afterwards, I went forward for prayer concerning this mess. It was also exactly what I needed and after the team was done praying for me, one of the gentleman in the group with my husband and I pulled me to the side and said, " I just have to tell you, I keep feeling like there's a supplement or something you are on that's also causing an elevation." I said, " that's funny because I was also getting that same feeling!" So I began praying about it on the way home and looked at everything I have been on aside from the bladder medication. Well, come to find out, the syrup we use in our tea has niacin and is packed with vitamin B. My vitamin B via blood tests has been off the charts the past few months and I wasn't too concerned about it to be honest. Get this....those two things can cause your liver enzymes to be elevated! I must tell you, God can and will show you these things weather it be Him telling you or using others to show you things. Friday I began drinking a gallon of water with lemon. The reason I add lemon is not just to ward off kidney stones, but it also helps to cleanse and flush your liver and kidneys. I was on edge today but also felt pretty confident that everything would be okay, but there's always that underlying fear and the " what-if's" that try to creep in and get us focused on our fears thus taking our eyes off of Jesus. I try really hard not to let myself be consumed by worry and fear. I'm not always successful, but after much practice am way better than I used to be. God doesn't expect perfection from us and for many, the verse in the Bible about having the faith of a mustard seed may come to mind. It's a Bible metaphor that is found in three different verses.......Matthew 17:20, Mark 11:23, and Luke 17:6. In these verses, Jesus says, " If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ' Move from here to there, and it will move.' Nothing will be impossible for you." The metaphor is used to illustrate how even a small amount of genuine faith can have a huge impact. Trust God, do what you can, and He will take care of the rest. We all know that God does things in His timing and the answer isn't always "yes." Sometimes, it's "no," and sometimes it's "wait." Regardless, God has our safety and best interest at heart always wanting the best for us. It will be cool someday to see all that God has saved us from. Sometimes inconveniences are to protect you from things you know nothing about! Well, in my case today, there wasn't a "wait" or "no." I got my results back and everything was absolutely perfect and in range!!! So, there will be no delays and it's a go for surgery! I was so happy and relieved I almost cried! 

Faith isn't always easy but pays dividends. I've had plenty of setbacks in life and no matter what, somehow in the end it always works out. When I have gotten a "no" things worked out better than I'd expected or even initially planned. God is good like that. ;) Hear me out.....faith DOES NOT mean you deny reality, but rather face reality without being discouraged. Faith allows you to face difficult circumstances with optimism and gives you the ability to persist and keep moving forward without even knowing the end result. Faith is also a source of strength and comfort. So, if you want to know one of the big reasons why I have been able to keep persevering regardless of what comes my way, faith is my answer. May sound cliche but it's the truth. My prayer and hope is that through reading about my experiences and how I got through them, it will help you also persevere and have the gumption, motivation, and courage to keep pushing forward defeating one setback after another.