The Blessing of a Corn Dog!

Yes, the title is true.  A corn dog started me on the most amazing journey on August 26, 2011.  It had been a typical day at Inman Intermediate School which meant I didn't slow down for lunch until about 1:00 pm.  I didn't bring anything for lunch so I dashed to the cafeteria to see if they had anything left for me to eat.  The only selection was a corn dog and some steamed vegetables.  I grabbed a tray and scooped up the corn dog and headed back to my office to do some paperwork while I ate.  The first bite tasted pretty.  As I swallowed the second bite, pain like I have never experienced in my life, gripped my chest.  I immediately began sweating and there was sharp pain running down my arm.  I was in my office with the door closed, so I picked up the phone and dialed our nurse.  I very calmly asked her if she could come in and see me about something.  When she opened the door and I saw terror in her eyes it shook me to the core!  She picked up the phone to call EMS and I wouldn't let her.  I work in a school with 330 children and I really didn't want them to see me being driven away in an ambulance.  She was so mad at me!!  I told her I would go to the ER but in a car.  I soon learned our nurse could handle a car!  When we arrived at the ER she told the lady at the desk I was having severe chest pain.  Before I knew what was happening, I was in a wheelchair and flying down the hall to a room.  In a flash, there were things attached to me and a nurse was taking my blood pressure and another was drawing blood.  In the midst of all this, I am still feeling like someone has my chest in a vice grip that will not let go.  I could not find a position even remotely comfortable.  I was literally writhing in pain on the bed and scared out of my mind.  Am I having a heart attack or is this the revenge of the dreaded corn dog.  I remember quoting Scripture in my head and singing worship songs trying to get my mind off of the pain.  God quietly reminded me of the importance of transforming my mind daily for times such as this!  They start an IV of morphine and I am thinking "sweet relief", but nope, still hurting just as much as before.  After about 2 hours of this intense pain, I am really struggling!  After lots of tests and a few hours, they determined this attack was not heart related.  (Praise You and thank You, Lord.) So in the wheelchair I go to the ultrasound tech who looks at my gall bladder.  She sees some gall stones!  Yes, I think, we have an answer!  Ok, doc, let's get a surgeon and take this sickly gall bladder out!  I go back to the room and wait and wait...(you know the drill).  While I wait, they put the sweet nectar of dilaudid in my veins and the pain begins to ease.  Finally the dr. comes in and says he is certain this attack was not caused by my gall bladder....Hmmmm, back to square one.  He refers me to a gastroenterologist and sends me on my way with a prescription for the merciful drug!  This is the first day of what would be a six month journey in which the Lord has truly transformed my life.  More to come about this journey later!

Anne Graham Lotz

He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God.  John 1:11-12, NKJV

God left His throne at the center of the universe. He set aside His glory, and He humbled Himself as He took on human flesh.

He came to His own - those whom He had created for Himself - but they didn't receive Him.

They contradicted His Word.

They challenged His authority.

They denied His claims.

They questioned His motives.

They mocked His power.

They rejected His Person.

And God in Christ submitted Himself to their slapping, spitting, mocking, taunting, flogging, and stripping then allowed them to nail Him to a cross where He gave His own life as a sacrifice for their sin. And mine. And yours. His own death satisfied His own judgment for sin, and we are saved. Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Blessings,

Anne Graham Lotz

I am continually amazed God could love me even when I exhibit the very same behaviors as those who don't believe.  Hallelujah!  What a Savior.

Sovereign God

     It has been a difficult journey since August.  I have continually struggled with discouragement and fear about this journey.  Physically, I had been discouraged for over two years because I have not felt good.  I am so thankful the Lord allowed the dreaded "corn dog" lunch which ultimately led to the discovery of this hernia.  I thought once they discovered the issue it would be an easy journey to get this fixed, but that has not been the case.  Today was a very low point.  Dealing with the insurance company and the hospital about the out of pocket cost pushed me to the point of tears.  I came home and sat down and cried for the hundredth time today. About 30 minutes ago, I picked up my Bible and was looking through the sermon notes from yesterday.  This quote DJ shared has reminded me of the sovereignty of God:

"We must see God as the ultimate Creator.  When we gaze on our Sovereign God we only need glance at our problems."

I went to my favorite Bible search engine and did some study on the sovereignty of God.  These verses particularly ministered to a discouraged, hurting heart.

¹¹Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O LORD, and you are exalted as head above all. ¹²Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might, and in your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all. ¹³ And now we thank you, our God, and praise your glorious name.

I Chronicles 29: 11-13

 ¹² I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, ¹³ though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, ¹⁴ and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. ¹⁵ The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. ¹⁶ But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. ¹⁷ To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

1 Timothy 1:12-17

Lord, I praise You.  I know I will face nothing in this life which has not already been sifted through Your loving hands.  I believe.  Help my unbelief in times of discouragement and disappointment.  I am grateful for the opportunity to place my life in the Creator of all things.  You are immortal, the only God, all knowing and all wise.  Please help me to keep my gaze fixed on You.  I ask You to show me how to bring You honor and glory through the difficulties of this life. 

Anne Graham Lotz

We Are God's Treasure!

"They will be mine," says the Lord Almighty, "in the day when I make up my treasured possession."

Malachi 3:17, NIV

As we totally yield our lives to the control of God's Spirit within us, He uses:

the responsibilities and relationships and ridicule,

the opportunities and obstacles and obligations,

the pressures and pain and problems,

the success and sickness and solitude . . .

He uses all things to work for our ultimate good, which is increasing, progressive, glorious conformity to the image of Jesus Christ. (Rom. 8:28)

We are God's treasure! When God the Father looked throughout the universe for something to give His only Son in reward for what He had accomplished on earth, the Father handpicked you! You are the Father's treasure - His priceless gift of love to the Son!

Blessings,

Anne Graham Lotz

This is a great devotion!  I am so thankful to be one of God's treasures even when I am at my unlovliest!  Praise Him for taking each and every circumstance we face and filtering it through His loving fingers.  NOTHING touches me that has not first been touched by His hands.  

Set My Feet Upon the Rock

Psalm 40

I waited patiently for the LORD;
   he inclined to me and heard my cry.
² He drew me up from the pit of destruction,
   out of the miry bog,
and set my feet upon a rock,
   making my steps secure.
³ He put a new song in my mouth,
   a song of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear,
   and put their trust in the LORD.

Lord, I praise you.  Because of your love, grace and mercy, You have taken my feet out of the miry clay that clings so tightly to my feet and set them upon the Solid Rock of life.  In the greatest times of uncertainty, one thing and one thing only remains secure...YOU.  I thank you for walking with me over the past few months of fear and discouragement.  You have laid out the path for me to walk and directed my steps when I didn't have a clue where to go next. You are faithful.