Don’t be afraid …

I was SO SICK in the night. I almost called for Fred to have him take me to the hospital … gastrointestinal distress with such an EXTREMELY HIGH level of pain that I thought, “This can’t be good for the baby.”

But thankfully, after an hour or so writhing in pain with the window open in the bathroom (even with the snow! but I was SO nauseas I couldn’t bear it), things calmed down enough for me to get a little more sleep. Until I got up an hour or so again, sick some more, but without the distress.

So why am I telling you all this (icky) stuff?
Two reasons …

Trying to distract myself last night and get through it, I grabbed David Powlison’s Seeing with New Eyes–Counseling and the Human Condition through the Lens of Scripture, and I was reminded again of just how amazing these CCEF guys are.

I read pages & pages–but one quote stayed with me when I woke up this morning:

“Jesus says, ‘Don’t be afraid, little flock.’ It’s the only place in the Bible where that phrase, ‘little flock,’ is used. It’s a vivid picture of a flock of sheep small enough that the shepherd knows all their names, their personalities, and what each one faces. Jesus makes sure we know that God is not reluctant to love us. Do not worry, because, ‘Your Father has gladly chosen to give you the kingdom.'”

WHAT an encouragement!

“Do not be afraid, little flock.”

It’s Tuesday–what will you face today?
“Do not be afraid, little flock.”
God is with you.
God is good.

The second reason I blogged this (I hope NOT TMI) blog?
 Because being in so much physical pain was such a strong reminder to PRAY for my friends who suffer from chronic physical pain.

I just don’t know what it is like to face death through the valley of dying from breast cancer–the suffering, the pain, the horror.

Or to be fighting brain cancer with powerful drugs and invasive surgeries–and facing pain beyond what I could ever imagine!

Friends who have arthritis, colitis, constant back pain, CFS, fibromyalgia …

Even just an hour of extreme pain last night drew me to pray for them all. And I hope you will pray for, and encourage!, and diaconally reach out to!, the people in your life who wake up to pain, and live through pain, and try to go to sleep with pain every single day of their lives.

“Do not be afraid, little flock.”
Your Father is with you–even through this suffering.
Jesus has deprived the world of its power to ultimately harm you.
Though He slay me–I will trust in Him.

Praying for you!

With love,
Tara B.