Cut the Weeds

Garden season is in full swing and I’ve found myself in my grandparent’s garden more than ever, taking on duties my grandpa can no longer do.  One of those things is hoeing the weeds out of the garden.  Grandpa has taught me this is the most important part of keeping up a garden, because weeds can suffocate the plants and make it more difficult to pick when the plants are ripe and ready to harvest. 

         I absolutely love working in the garden, and it’s a miracle I physically can.  But even though I love it, I have to admit hoeing is back-breaking work.  Just when I’ve hoed all of the weeds out of the green bean plants, the corn plants need to be hoed, and then when those are done, all of the weeds in the tomato plants have grown again and they need to be cut out.  It’s constant work and it’s a must if you want good and plentiful vegetables to can and enjoy throughout the year.

         I got to thinking how keeping a garden up is very much like working to stay strong in our Christian walk.  If we want to be successful, we must always be “hoeing,” the weeds out of our heart that can prevent us from growing spiritually.  Just like garden work is enjoyable, but hard work, the exact same thing can be said about the life of a Christian.  God is so good to us, He gives us amazing gifts, but if we want to reap good and plentiful fruit as a Christian, then those weeds have to be cut out of our hearts or else they will suffocate our spiritual fruit and make it hard to find our love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance. Being a Christian may seem daunting and overwhelming at times, but there are three things I think we can do as new creatures in Christ that will keep our weeds hoed. 

         The first thing I think of to keep my weeds hoed is serving others.  Galatians 5:13 says, “For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.”  The most humble and selfless act of kindness someone can do is to serve someone else.  When you put others first, not thinking of your own wants and needs, love, joy, and peace will flood your heart and soul.  I have gone on six mission trips and I can tell you from experience when you serve someone else, giving or helping them obtain something they never thought they would receive, well I can tell you, will be on  spiritual cloud nine, because you will know that the service you provided to someone was only because God gave you the ability.  The action and knowledge of what serving can do for your Christian walk will help you keep your weeds hoed. 

         Another weed killer I think of is having Godly friends.  I mean friends who will pray for you, friends you can depend on, friends who will bear your burdens, friends who will challenge you—friendships that have depth and meaning.   We serve a relational God and He created us to crave relationships.  I love the saying, “Find Your Tribe,” and the Bible confirms this is something we need to do.  Proverbs 17:17 says, “A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity,” as well as Proverbs 27:17, “As iron sharpens iron, do one person sharpens another.”  I have friends in my life who fit the definition of these verses perfectly.  They have all come in my life at the exact season I needed them.  They have stood by me in adversity and they have sharpen my walk with Christ. I am a stronger Christian because of the impact they have had on my journey.  My friends have helped me cut out any weeds growing in my heart, and if you allow your Christ-minded friends to be your, “iron,” they will help you hoe the weeds out of your spiritual garden as well.

         The third and final way to whack those weeds, and this is the most difficult one— pray for those who have mistreated you.  This is something God has actually been teaching me lately and I have been working hard to do.  Matthew 5:44 says, “But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.”  Ouch!  I think everyone can say this isn’t easy to do.  Why should you pray for someone who despitefully uses you when they are in the wrong? How does this make sense when you were striving to be in God’s will, doing what was right, and yet scripture commands you to bless the one who cursed you?  I truly believe Jesus commanded us to do this because it will help and benefit us.  Jesus knew this action would help prevent the weeds of bitterness and resentment grow in our heart toward that person.  I can honestly say that even though this is a profoundly difficult thing to do, it’s also the most profoundly freeing thing you can do.  Praying for people who have despitefully used my family or myself has lightened my burden and my heart.  This may be something you’re reluctant to do, but I assure you when you pray for the person who has been unfair or unkind to you, those weeds won’t stand a chance! 

         Whether it’s a literal garden or the garden of your heart, weeds are a difficult and tricky thing to get rid of.   But always remember and take heart in the fact that  God gave us the tools we need to cut the weeds.

When Thou Passest Through the Waters

     God has been opening a lot of exciting doors for me lately and my posts have been a little sporadic of late. I hope to be able to share these amazing opportunities with you in the future, but today, I wanted to give everyone a little word of encouragement as we head into our weekend.

 Today, my daily Bible verse was Isaiah 43:2- “When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.”

I don’t know what your situation is or what battle you’re getting ready to face, but I just want to encourage you to cling to this verse.  Whatever your circumstances are, even if the answers aren’t clear, with God’s strength you will make it through.  Sometimes chapters in our story doesn’t make sense, but I truly believe God’s favorite thing to do is take our uncertain trials, where the answers aren’t clear and make beauty from situation. 

So, I urge you to hold on, because we serve a God Who wants to give us better.  Take heart in the fact when your source of strength comes from God, there’s not a mountain you can’t climb, there’s not a river you can’t swim, and there’s not a fire you can’t withstand.

Who Can Be Against Us?

        

Each day my usual habit is to read the daily verse from my Bible app. It renews my spirit especially when I haven’t had the chance to read my Bible yet. It’s the exact pick me up I need to get me through the day.  Today’s Bible verse was Romans 8:31- What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? To me there is no irony that this is in the piece of scripture I read today because a week ago I was being released from the National Institutes of Health, (NIH) after a liver biopsy- a biopsy that was supposed to produce life altering results.

Last September I had one of my many visits to the NIH. At the end of this visit my doctor met me with grave concern. She explained some of my blood counts indicated the disease in my liver was progressing, which could signal my Primary Immunodeficiency, MAGIS Syndrome was becoming more debilitating. I reassured her that I felt great, I was a new person physically from 2011 when I almost lost my life, and even when I was sick with infections, I could still function and maintain a good quality of life.  Despite my assurance, my doctor wasn’t convinced and the worry I saw in her eyes was worry I hadn’t seen since 2011.

The next step was for me to come back in January and undergo a liver biopsy, my liver portal pressures were to be checked, and an endoscopy was to be performed. Before I went to the NIH in January, I felt so strongly I should be anointed, but I didn’t go through with the leading of The Holy Spirit.  Why, you may ask? Honestly, I was worried about what others would think.  You see, most people know that God’s revealed to me He is going to completely heal me and I was afraid people would get confused if I asked to be anointed. Would they think I had doubts or wasn’t sure about God’s promise? And because of that hesitation, I held off on getting anointed until it was too late.

That Sunday night in Bethesda, Maryland I felt terrible.  I knew I had disobeyed God’s leading.  In that moment, I sure didn’t care what people would think of me and I wished I had that boldness when it counted.  My heart clenched with fear— what if there were complications during the procedure because I didn’t heed the Spirit’s leading?  What if the results of the liver biopsy were detrimental because I didn’t do what I was supposed to do? I begged God that night that if this procedure wasn’t supposed to happen for any reason, God would prevent it from happening.

The next day much to my relief, God answered my prayer.  The terrible sinus pressure and headaches I thought I was experiencing because I wasn’t able to take Ibuprofen due to the biopsy was actually because I had a upper respiratory virus. For safety reasons, the procedure couldn’t be done.  I thanked God for protecting me and I determined in my heart, I would mind God the next time I would undergo the liver procedures, not worrying about anyone else’s opinion.

I asked my doctor if this procedure could be done in September because I had such a busy summer schedule and didn’t want to give up anything.  She was adamant that it was critical that it was done in May because she needed to know the state of my liver sooner rather than later. I didn’t share her fear, I knew everything was going to be okay.  I also knew that if God brought to my mind I needed to be anointed this time I would obey.

On a Sunday a few weeks before my May visit to the NIH, my church had an amazing anointing service.  Many people came for healing and answers for impossible situations.  I knew my time had come to obey— something I should have done in January.  When I got to my assistant pastor, I told him that I had to undergo liver procedures at the NIH in the next few weeks, but that I was believing and expecting good results, so my doctors could once again witness a miracle. I wanted to be anointed as an outward step of faith that I was claiming and believing this promise.

After this service, I took this step of faith further— believing not only I would get good results, I would receive the news that the disease was completely gone or the disease was digressing in my liver.  I wrote this statement of faith in my journal and anytime I could share this with people I did.  No more hesitation or worry— I was determined to be bold. 

There were obstacles and hurdles to cross leading up to my liver procedures, but I knew they would all be worth it to receive the news that I had a healthy liver.  And that’s exactly the news I received.  After undergoing a rough procedure, I was told by my parents the pressures in my liver were normal!  My GI doctor, the specialist who manages my liver care, came out with the biggest smile and sense of relief on his face when he gave my parents the news.  It became clear to my parents that this doctor didn’t think my pressures would be normal as well.

When I was taken back to my room, my main doctor at the NIH came to see me.  I asked her if she had heard about the results of the procedure yet.  She told me she hadn’t and I had the privilege of telling her they were normal.  My doctor is every inch of a scientist.  She’ll smile and laugh, but she doesn’t show much emotion beyond that.  This news changed that—she clapped her hands and squealed, “yay!” Then she said the most amazing thing, because the liver pressures were normal, this could be a sign the disease in my liver was reversing itself.

I knew this was what I was going to hear— it’s what I believed and stood on, but to actually hear that it was so, well, it’s the best feeling to see your faith become sight.  It also confirmed the truth of Romans 8:31.  Take heart in this promise!  If you trust God, obey Him, and cling to the fact He is for you, who can truly be against you?