The Highway Forums General Discussion Open Forum Personal testimony of Thanksgiving

While the "official" day of Thanksgiving is now past, my heart is continually bubbling over with praise and thanksgiving to the One who is more precious than gold to me. If you might allow, I would like to share a bit of my life and proclaim His goodness.

I have been very sick this whole month, battling 2 back to back severe cases of diverticulitis, being flooded with combinations of strong medications leaving me extremely weak and fatigued, as well as enduring other strange and dehibilitating side effects. My husband had to take me to the emergency room on 2 separate occassions this week, while they tried to figure out what is causing these many problems. After much testing, including CT scans again, etc., they are now treating me for a bacteria that is commonly a result of certain combinations of medications and of course, prescribed yet another medication for it. My body has been in such a state of weakness it has been impossible to do anything more than raise my head off my pillow at times. What a terrible shape to be in, with the holdays coming and not being able to perform the normal functions that sometimes only a wife and mother can bring together, you say? What a terrible thing my family was not able to celebrate Thanksgiving as we normally do with all the turkey and related festivities? How awful I can barely rise from my bed of rest on such a holiday?

Well, I say, not terrible in the least, not awful, not depressing, not any of those things most would think. On the contrary, this Thanksgiving season has been the biggest and most blessed occassion for me; it has been my best Thanksgiving ever! For through all these valleys in which the Lord has seen fit to lead me, I have seen a side to Him that is most precious and lovely to my heart, and one which I would not trade for all the gold in the world. I have seen Him as my gentle Shepherd, gently leading me, giving such peace and comfort as is humanly unimagineable. I have seen myself to be his little lamb, feeble, frail, weak, and not able to even hold His word in my hand to read; yet He comes to me in my pain and affliction and whispers sweet peace and unbelievable comfort to my soul. He is bringing me through fires and high waters and deep valleys to rub off my improper heart longings, my misplaced worship, my affection for self, my doubting, my weak faith, my unloyal and wondering heart, my view of the comforts of this life. And may I say with all my heart, the refiner's fire is the most blessed and comforting place to be! From it, praises and utter thanksgiving have been drawn from my wicked heart. How strange, you say, to be in such a sad shape and yet proclaim this to be the best Thanksgiving ever? Yes, it does appear strange and contradictory to human reasoning, but I can now understand a little more of what caused Paul to be able to sing in his chains and to rejoice in his afflictions. The God of all comforts does not fail. He does not leave us alone in the darkness and the deep valley. He gently comes along side, holding us close, pulling our aching and wounded hearts to his bosom, bearing us over the rough and rocky ground that we could never traverse ourselves in our weakness and frailty. He proves Himself to be all that He has promised and more than we have ever known Him to be. He gives us an even closer glimpse of His face, a deeper knowledge of His character, and a stronger faith than we've ever had.

How could that be sorrowful or depressing or sad! No, it is the most wonderful thing, and one I wouldn't trade for all the world. Out of the overflow of praise and thanksgiving to Him, I wanted to share with you all. Let us praise and adore Him, our gentle Shepherd, our Redeemer, our Strength and Salvation! Let us come before His gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise! Let us be thankful unto Him and bless His name, for He is worthy.

Let him who is thirsty come to clear water;
let him who is hungry come by and eat;
for money can't buy this cool living water,
for this milk and honey so sweet.

Praise be to Jesus, the sweet Rose of Sharon,
praise be to Christ the Redeemer of men,
praise to the King who is reigning forever;
the Hope of the ages, my Master and Friend.

Then shall light break forth into morning
bringing beauty for ashes, strength for the days,
and hearts that were heavy shall stand in His presence,
wrapped in a garment of praise.

Praise be to Jesus, the sweet Rose of Sharon,
praise be to Christ the Redeemer of men,
praise to the King who is reigning forever;
the Hope of the ages, my Master and Friend.

What a God honoring testimony. I was moved as i read to praise God for His sweet and tender mercies to you during your trial. How wonderful to know and hear this again that He is our Shepherd who maketh us to lie down in green pastures and restoreth our souls. Thank you for sharing yourself with us. May God continue to hold you in the palm of His hand.

God Bless You

Thank you Jacy,
What a wonderful testimony.He is our shepherd.I have been reading the 23 Psalm to Brenda every night before I have to leave her sometimes stopping because I can't see the words for my tears.She does her best to quote the parts that she can recall.
I do thank and praise Him for his goodness.We don't know what His ultimate plan is through our sicknesses but I had a glimpse of that last night.Someone asked me at the hospital after seeing Brenda,why God allows this kind of thing to happen to a person like her that lives a godly life and does only good for others.I could only respond that this is a sick and sinful world that we live in and christians aren't promised shielding from strokes and cancer any more than non christians.But, there is coming a time,praise Jesus,that she and you Jacy will be in His presence and will suffer no more.
I would like to thank all those who have prayed for Brenda.She is making steady improvement.She can now string sentences together and can recognize everyone that comes in to see her.She still has a feeding tube in her nose and will have to keep it until she can pass the "swallow" test.She has moved her left arm a few times and we are told that PT will restore the use of it.
Like you Jacy,we have had a Thanksgiving that we will never forget.
Psalm 47:8 God sittith on the throne of his holiness.

Thank you for you reply, Muchforgiven. May God be glorified.

Sojourner, how comforting that 23rd Psalm is! I've been reading recently more about the life of David and it has become more clear to me that many of his wonderful psalms of thanksgiving and praise were born out of utter adversity in his life, being hunted down as a target for murder, dwelling in caves, and enduring miserable and uncomfortable conditions. In the midst of loneliness, misery and suffering, came such beautiful, encouraging, strengthening, and memorable words that those of us today, many years and generations later cling to and find comfort in.

I am so glad you posted as I've been wondering how Brenda is doing. God has moved my heart strongly on several occassions to lift up both her and you in prayer. How wonderful that we can comfort others with the comfort God has given us ourselves. And how wonderful that she has a comforting, godly husband to support her during this most difficult time. My husband has also been reading to me when I couldn't read for myself. That is such a blessing to just hear God's words when you're so sick you can't move. I thank God for the improvements Brenda has made and will continue to pray in her behalf. Please do keep us updated.

My mind always goes back to the three Hebrew children, suffering imprisonment and threatened with the fiery furnace. They did not tell each other that "surely a God of love would never allow children to suffer." Nor did I, when the Lord found me as a child, hiding from hideous abuse. After He regenerated me, He walked with me through the flames (so to speak) of several more years of abuse.

He could have stopped the abuse. He could have prevented Brenda's stroke, or Jacy's troubles. Why didn't He?

I don't know all the answers, but I do know, first of all, that we exist for His glory and His pleasure, not the other way around! He owns it all, including us. And I know secondly, that it reveals His power and love so much more that He should accompany us through the fire rather than extinguishing it. How much more amazing is it; and how much more does it reveal about God's character that He would join one of His little creatures, protecting and preserving them, so that at the end of the ordeal there is not even the odor of smoke in their clothing?

I'm sure God prevents countless tragedies every single minute. But we seldom ever notice nor give Him thanks. But these situations - physical maladies, childhood abuse, poverty, homelessness, whatever - force us to call upon Him, to wait for His provision, and then reveal not only God, but us as well: Those who are His can thank Him even in the midst of suffering. Those who are not His do not - indeed cannot - know such comfort and such abiding joy.

We rejoice with you, and weep with you; we who know our Lord, know that His children never suffer unjustly; that they never suffer alone; that their suffering serves a glorious eternal purpose; and that their reward in heaven is great.

-Robin

"I do not know whether my experience is that of all God’s people; but I am afraid that all the grace that I have got out of my comfortable and easy times and happy hours, might almost lie on a penny. But the good that I have received from my sorrows, and pains, and griefs, is altogether incalculable. What do I not owe to the hammer and the anvil, the fire and the file? What do I not owe to the crucible and the furnace, the bellows that have blown up the coals, and the hand which has thrust me into the heat? Affliction is the best bit of furniture in my house. It is the best book in a minister’s library. We may wisely rejoice in tribulation, because it worketh patience, and patience experience, and experience hope; and by that way we are exceedingly enriched, and our faith grows strong."

- C.H.Spurgeon, The Trial of Your Faith

dear Jacy,
I am English Rose living in the south of England, and have just read your testimony of Thanksgiving, and how I can relate to some of your blessings. Thank you for including it.

I, too, have that same problem that you have, and many others too, and been very ill indeed, unable to look at light and not be able to raise my head off the pillow, and was confined to bed for three years, and long periods before that and since, with what I now have discovered was polio-induced through a contaminated polio vaccine given when I was a schoolgirl. Though doctors diagnosed Myalgic Encephalomyelitis - through the coxsackie virus, I believe. They really have not had a clue!

Although the last 25 years have been the worst, its been the best in the Lord, as much cutting and purifying has needed to go on, in His wisdom and grace. I thought that He was going to take me Home in 1987, but am still here, and I received powerfully a verse of scripture which has upheld me since then. My worst disablement is voice loss, as I sometimes can get out in my wheelchair, if its warm enough.

I am greatly blessed as I have the use of the computer, in short bursts, with resting much in between, and my husband is my full-time carer, and he has to do everything.

I am not sure when you wrote your testimony but am trusting that you are still much better and being blessed in the Lord.

Love in Christ from English Rose

dear Sojourner,
I have just been reading your reply to Jacy, and my heart goes out to you with the news that your dear wife has had a stroke.
Sorry I am a little late, but how I feel for her, and the difficulties you both face.

I have not had a stroke, but I do suffer from swallowing and speech difficulties, and TMJ and been ill most of my life, spending most of it in bed. But the Lord came into my life through reading the Word of God back in 1975 when I felt I had lost just about everything, and wanted to take my life. The following years were just amazing!

Last year, I found my husband collapsed on the floor, and could not speak to phone a doctor. Eventually a friend called him for me, knowing my difficulties, and she is ill herself. They suspected epileptic fit, and further night ones followed. It was a very trying and testing time, as my husband is my carer/cum everything else. He was banned from driving for a year, but thanks be to God, his driving has been reinstated now.

I will be adding my prayers for Brenda and your situation.
May God undertake for all your needs.

Love in Christ from English Rose

English Rose,
Thank you for your concern and don't fear , your prayers will never be late.
Brenda is home now and recovering.Physically, she is some 90 percent back to normal.She tires easily but time and exercise will bring back her strength.

Please give my love to your dear wife, Brenda, and I am so very pleased to hear she IS recovering. That is just great that she is 90% better.

Sure you take each day as it comes, as we do, rejoicing in the Lord who bought us, and cleansed us with His precious blood, and imputed His perfect righteousness to us, all sinners.

Love in Christ from English Rose