But God!

Earlier today my husband posted on my Facebook timeline and asked me to re-post the link for something I'd written on the blog back in August.  I resisted at first, but have chosen (this time) to do what he has asked me to do.  This post will make more sense after reading the one from August.  Click here to read that post first.  

Since August, much of the specific information has changed.  I have now been in a wheelchair for 6 months.  I have now seen 5 doctors for my foot/ankle. I have had CT, MRI, bone density, and 47 x-rays. I am now in an aircast rather than a hard cast.  I am still totally non-weight bearing. The testing I was going through never stopped but expanded into areas beyond allergies.  Bad test results and yucky diagnoses are still pouring in, it seems. I have more tests, procedures, and surgery every other day (literally) for the next couple of weeks.  It seems that my body just doesn't like me any more.  

While the specifics of my heath have changed, the message hasn't. Yes, I am a little more weary, "BUT GOD" still applies.  Even on the days when I am tired of it all and I don't want to go to one more doctor or look at one more test result, He is still faithful.  

HE is faithful even when I am not!  I'm so thankful that God's love for us isn't as conditional as my love is for those around me.  Does that make it FEEL all better? NO!  Do I wish I was walking?  YES!  Do I wish...?  YES!  I DO wish! Most of all I wish that each of you would know the love of Christ and His comfort and peace. It is perfect even when my imperfect faith wavers.  It is perfect when I don't see His plan or understand.  It is perfect because He is GOD!  

"BUT GOD..."Where is your road rocky leading you today?  Where do you need a "BUT GOD"?  Know right now that I am not good enough or special enough to earn "BUT GOD"  It is just as available to you in your storms as it is to me in mine. Call out to Him today.  Call out to Him right there in the middle of our trials and struggles and imperfections.  Call out to Him right there in your sin and failure.  

"BUT GOD!" 

STILL Because of Christ,

Kara

Missions Mondays

Yes, I know it's Tuesday.  I'm a little behind.  :)  Sorry.

I have a heart for MISSIONS!!!  I LOVE Missions!  I have always prayed that God would call and send us somewhere, ANYWHERE (almost lol) as Missionaries.  He has!  He just hasn't called us to any of the places that I thought He would/should.  For now, it seems that God has called us to the people right here where we live.  I'm praying that He continues to help us to be content.  For those of you who don't know, we are currently living in the Southern US.  We always thought maybe God should send us somewhere with MUCH cooler temperatures and lots more snow!  :)  As of now, we are here and will joyfully serve Him.

Regardless of where we are living, God has called each of us to GO and MAKE DISCIPLES.  For some of us, it will mean going to foreign countries or other states.  For some of us, it will mean working in our own communities to reach out and share the love Jesus and good news of His salvation right where we are.  Regardless of where we live, Christians should view ourselves as Missionaries.

We are blessed to know several full-time Missionaries.  I am going to be rolling out a new feature on the blog called Missions Mondays. Each week I'll be introducing you to a different Missionary Family. Some will be working abroad.  Some will be working with different tribes of Native American Indians.  Others are Missionaries in ways we've never thought of before.  They'll tell us about their location (as long as it's safe), the people they work with, how they came to be on the mission field, and their family.

As I introduce the Missionaries to you, I would love for you to begin praying for their work.  They can go and work and preach, but only God can bring people to repentance and grant forgiveness. Pray that God would meet their financial needs, send friends to combat loneliness, send laborers to join the work, and allow them to see increase so that they do not grow weary.

As I'm preparing the questionnaire, I'd love to hear from you.  If you were meeting a new Missionary Family, what type of questions would you like to ask?  What would you like to know about their people, themselves, or their families?  What would you like to know about the work of a Missionary? I can't wait to see your questions.  Feel free to comment below or share on Facebook.

Only because of Christ,
Kara

Update on Me!

I realized that I haven't updated on me recently so here goes.  I am still mostly flat with foot iced and elevated and in a wheelchair when I'm up.  Monday will be 16 weeks!  FOUR (4) months.  Wow! Time flies. I am able to be up a little more and have actually been able to participate in the ministries of our church a little more.  I'm so thankful.  Our church family is such a blessing to me!

I encountered latex a few weeks ago.  Uh oh!  A week of head to toe hives resulting in spending the night in the ER due to anaphalaxis.  A steroid shot there and another in the Dr. office a few days later got me fixed up.  I now get to carry 2 epipens and 2 types of allergy meds with me all the time.  Yay me!  lol  I'm completely fine but that is never fun. I'm scheduled for full battery allergy testing in a couple of weeks just to make sure that there is nothing else triggering these episodes and that is truly is unintentional latex exposure as opposed to a new allergy.  Fun times.  Happy Birthday to my husband.  Wish I could have gotten scheduled sometime other than your birthday.  :)

Back to my foot/ankle.  I have gotten a second opinion with another surgeon and he doesn't give me hope of walking anytime soon either. He actually found another break.  We are unsure if it is original and the other surgeon missed it or if it is the result of one of my falls. So, I have a shattered sesamoid (floating ball on bottom of foot), a toe that is broken where it connects to my foot, and a hunk of bone broken off and floating around on the outside of my foot.  I also have torn ligaments on both sides of my ankle.  This newly found break and the potential for serious damage if I fall again means that I am now in a hard fiberglass cast. I got a black one on Monday while my foot was very swollen and as the swelling went down, the cast became too big. I had to have it cut off and a new one put on this morning. This time I went with HOT PINK!  I may as well have fun!  We are hoping that when the cast comes off, I will be starting to heal.  If not, we will have to consider CTs, more casting, and possibly surgery(s).  At this rate, it seems like I'm never even going to make it to physical therapy.  So far, I've had an MRI and 20 xrays.  I probably glow in the dark.  The original forecast of me walking in 9-12 (from May) still seems hopeful. Even the new doc couldn't give me anything more hopeful than that. I'm so thankful that my hope is in Christ, rather than in doctors.  He is the only source of TRUE hope.

I share all of that to update you.  Please don't feel sorry for me.  I don't!  Surprisingly, being in bed/wheelchair isn't bad at all.  Of course there are things that I want to do and can't, BUT GOD! That is one of the most amazing phrases ever written!  BUT GOD has seemingly placed me in a bubble of protection from all the self-pity, depression, anger, and all those other things you might expect from me.  If you know me at all, you know that it is not of myself because all of my righteousness is as filthy rags.  You know that it is not of me because I like things MY way.  I like to be in control.  The peace and acceptance that God has given me for the situation is something that I am just not capable of.  That doesn't make it any less real.  It just makes it more special because I know where it comes from.  God is able.  He is able! He IS ABLE!!  He is able to heal my body so that I could walk today. So far he hasn't chosen to do that.  That's ok!  I don't understand, but I trust Him.  As the hymn says, "How I've proved Him o'er and o'er".  He is trustworthy and that truly has been proven over and over in my life.  My accident surprised me, BUT GOD wasn't surprised at all. He is not in Heaven ringing His hands saying "Oh no! Oh no!  Kara hurt her foot!  What if she never walks again?!?!  That would be the worst thing that could happen!"  By His grace, neither will I!  As another hymn says, "What have I to dread, What have I to fear, Leaning on the everlasting arms; I have blessed peace with my Lord so near, Leaning on the everlasting arms."  By His grace alone and for His glory alone, I will continue to live, and love, and serve the God who created me, knows me and loves me anyway, and most importantly paid the price for all of my sin...whatever comes.   

You can trust Him, too, my friend.  For whatever you are going through, He is able and He is trustworthy.  Whatever circumstances are making your Road Rocky today, "BUT GOD" is where you have to place your trust and find your peace.  You can't trust in the doctors, self-help books, or any other person or teaching.  Whatever you are going through, trust in the God who created you and the finished work of Christ who died in your place.  If you don't understand what that means, message me.  I'll be happy to share with you from Scripture so that you can understand the TRUTH from God's word that brings me comfort and peace.  I want you to have that, too, friend.  

Because of Christ,
Kara  

'Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus

’Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,

And to take Him at His Word;

Just to rest upon His promise,

And to know, “Thus says the Lord!”

Refrain

Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him!

How I’ve proved Him o’er and o’er

Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!

O for grace to trust Him more!

O how sweet to trust in Jesus,

Just to trust His cleansing blood;

And in simple faith to plunge me

’Neath the healing, cleansing flood!

Refrain

Yes, ’tis sweet to trust in Jesus,

Just from sin and self to cease;

Just from Jesus simply taking

Life and rest, and joy and peace.

Refrain

I’m so glad I learned to trust Thee,

Precious Jesus, Savior, Friend;

And I know that Thou art with me,

Wilt be with me to the end.

Refrain"