So it Continues!

I don't even know where to begin this time. On Monday I took our boys to the doctor for their normal check-ups not expecting a thing out of the ordinary. Well, come to find out our little guy, Stephen, has a testicle that has not descended so he was referred to a pediatric urologist. That appointment is set up for tomorrow where we will find out if we need to just continue to watch it or if it will need surgery to be corrected. It is becoming one thing after another, but God continues to be faithful. When I left the doctor's office Monday all I could do was chuckle at how continuous the attacks have been, you cannot even make this stuff up. But as with Addie, we are holding onto the promises of God and waiting to see how God will use even this to bring about not only our good but also His glory. We are promised in Romans 8:28 "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." I cannot believe in some of His promises and not all of His promises. As I have stated time and time again about believing in this healing for Addie as His word describes I will also believe in it for Stephen. God is at work to do something amazing and we are thankful to be a part of it. It is exhausting and tiresome but still powerful to know that we can turn to the Creator of everything with all our concerns as we are reminded in Ephesians 6:18 "And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests." No issue we face is too big or too small for God. He wants to hear about it. This week God has brought to my mind my marriage vows. We promise our spouses "in better or worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health." When we choose to live a life following God He wants the same commitment. Many times in the Bible Jesus calls the church His bride. He has made these promises and more to us. Matthew 28:18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” As the bride of Christ and, therefore, the children of the One, True God we have been given all that Jesus had. We have been taken into the family through all the ups and downs. And so in our sickness and in our health, in our riches and poorness, in our better times and in our worse times - we will stand as Joshua did. Joshua had just reminded the Israelites of all that God had done for them providing for them and bringing them into the land He had promised them. He called them to make a choice, as we all must do. Joshua 24:14  “Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. ¹⁵ But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” We are too looking back at all God has done and instead of being down and out about where we are now we have decided to continue to choose to serve the Lord because He is worthy of our devotion. I will end with this Psalms of praise because even in the midst of the storms through the rain, hail, and lighting as it seems He is still worthy of praise because nothing that happens takes away from His power or His majesty. 

Psalms 100
1 Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.
² Worship the Lord with gladness;
    come before Him with joyful songs.
³ Know that the Lord is God.
    It is He who made us, and we are His;
    we are His people, the sheep of His pasture.

⁴ Enter His gates with thanksgiving
    and His courts with praise;
    give thanks to Him and praise His name.
⁵ For the Lord is good and His love endures forever;
    His faithfulness continues through all generations.