To God be the glory...always

I am in there somewhere!

" The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."

John 10:10

Through the study of the book of John with BSF this year, I have been captured by Jesus.  I have come to understand the beauty that comes from clinging to Jesus & enjoying a more deep, intimate relationship with Him.  Through our study, and specifically the example the disciples exemplified in chapter 21 of John, I have "let my nets down" to more closely "follow Jesus."  I am beginning to more fully understand & walk in the ways of having "life to the full" and have been inspired to deepen my "passionate devotion for Jesus" which is all that "qualifies me for service to God."  (our Teaching Leader's words, not mine)

 As I have shared in recent posts, this last year has been quite a challenging one as I have struggled with recovering from adrenal fatigue.  Last summer and into the fall, the symptoms of debilitating physical exhaustion, increased heart palpitations, headaches, abdominal discomfort, loss of hair, difficulty falling or staying asleep, & depression were all very real struggles.  It took a while for doctors to mention anything about adrenal fatigue, & it was only after all other testing had been completed and come back with (praise!) me being in supreme health.

Looking adrenal fatigue in the face takes a great deal of courage...one I knew I could not muster on my own.  Healing & recovery doesn't come from being prescribed medicine.  It comes from taking stock of one's life, digging deep to re-prioritize how one is living in order for the adrenals (& overall body systems, as adrenals are linked closely with effective workings of the thyroid, as well as digestive system) to aptly heal.  It took changing my diet, pulling back from beloved commitments (and making necessary sacrifices), eliminating long-distance running (a passion), giving myself permission to nap, and striving to reduce the stress load in my life.  Needless to say, I also had to come to terms with understanding the ways I managed stress and learn better ways for handling it.  This has been the most difficult of them all, as we never know from one day to the next what stress a 24-hour period can hold.  

Through the study of John, I have truly come to understand how "Jesus is the prescription for heart trouble and the only One who has the right words for troubled hearts."  (once again, a treasured principle from our teaching leader).  In John 14:1-7, we witness Jesus telling His disciples how troube in our hearts is a choice to believe in God.  We have a choice to turn our eyes on the circumstance or turn our eyes on Jesus.

I have chosen to turn my heart and eyes on Jesus, living out the truth of how "comfort in our troubled lives come from knowing Jesus."  He has been a comfort to me every step of the way through this health challenge.  He has never let me go.  Adrenal fatigue has actually been a true blessing in that it has forced me to step back, re-prioritize, and truly put Jesus at the center of my life (in a way that I can honestly share I am guilty of never having done before...pride and self-reliency are brutal sin companions that I daily seek to surrender to Him!)

Day by day, I am striving to live out the "seeking of His kingdom first" (Matthew 6:33)  May these truths be an encouragement to others and reminders to me of how to find life to the full...in Jesus Christ our Savior. 

To God be the glory!