GREETINGS!!! How many of us enjoy SUFFERING?? If we really think about it do we truly KNOW what it is to SUFFER? Is SUFFERING a difficult topic for YOU?? Did you just click off of this posting as YOU don’t want to even engage in the notion of it?? I PRAY NOT!!! WE all need a refresher course on SUFFERING and its’ TRUE and DEEP meaning, as well as how we can allow GOD to use it to move us to greater EMPATHY for OTHERS! I am pretty sure if you dive in, you will be able to grab a hold of some new HEART NUGGETS to fuel your EMPATHY and diminish your own suffering for the good of others!
Suffering can come in many shapes and sizes, and often so do our responses to it! God’s TRUTH about SUFFERING is the most important to me, and I hope you will find healing and hope in knowing HIS TRUTH! Ultimately, if we allow the Holy Spirit to speak to us and teach us, we will learn that suffering will produce in each of us MORE of the CHARACTER of YESHUA; His true compassionate heart that HE walked the earth with, loving, discipling, engaging, leading, healing, and demonstrating to ALL how to live here, and bring HIS KINGDOM to others! But, do we desire to SUFFER? Hmmm…not necessarily! Our preference tends to be anything but SUFFERING, and if we do need to experience a bit of it, we want it to pass quickly! I confess that I have recently been begging God to take away, heal, get rid of, whatever he needs to do to this cray cray SCIATICA which occurred on my long drive to begin our NEW LIFE ADVENTURE! OKAY, cat is out of the bag, so add to that the fall in the creek on my amazing hike, it has been a lot!
Almost one month later, knee is better from the fall, but sciatic nerve still shooting its’ ugly pain! Okay, but if you know me I choose to MOVE forward! I KNOW with ALL my HEART that I can do ALL things through JESUS who strengthens me, and HIS WORD continues on to remind me…1Peter 5:10 “After you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace—who has called you into HIS eternal glory in Messiah—will HIMSELF restore, support, strengthen, and establish you.” TLV. Also, Romans 5:3-5 “And not only that, but we also boast in suffering—knowing that suffering produces perseverance: and perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Ruach ha-Kodesh who was given to us.” TLV. Did you get all of that?? PERSEVERANCE, HOPE, CHARACTER…that GOD will and is restoring us? OH how I desire MORE of HIM, and HIS character traits that can transform other’s lives for HIS GLORY!
So, SUFFER on ?? Well, for now yes…but let’s take another look…I began my new CAREER journey this past week, one of the greatest privileges of being a Care Partner to our Vintage, Classic, Wise, Silver, Golden Community! I love the term “GOLDEN OLDENS,” and hope to be one of them one day!!! I am now caring for “Golden Oldens” at a time in their lives where they need more assistance, and special assistance given with dignity, honor, love, care, loyalty, and FUN! Along with this type of care comes…SUFFERING! YES! Many of them are suffering from a range of aging issues that are often expected as we get ready to depart this earthly address and enter HIS KINGDOM ADDRESS! I LEARNED one of my GREATEST life lessons this week, which is strange because this is not my FIRST RODEO in the “GOLDEN OLDEN” CARE FIELD! While working my 12 hour shifts, I could truly ignore ALL PAIN of my own, and cross over to my deepest heart space of EMPATHY, and I could SEE with the eyes of YESHUA, HEAR with HIS ears, and FEEL with HIS HEART, as I listened to each one of them share their needs, or my eyes saw the need, and most deeply I FELT THEM ALL! This GODLY EMPATHY connected me to them like never before, and as I found myself kneeling on the floor, lifting them up, and being their body for them, I saw the POWER of GOD ! OKAY, I know you all want to know…am I still in PAIN? I am! But my heart is in deeper pain for the suffering of OTHERS…and I will CHOOSE to allow that to MOTIVATE me to CARE for them in ALL ways I can! TODAY I know beyond a shadow of a doubt…Philippians 4:13 ”I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH YESHUA (MY MESSIAH) WHO STRENGTHENS ME” (for others) my addition!!!! WOW!! SO I stop today, on my day off and ask, did I really know that SUFFERING DROVE EMPATHY? I did not…but I sure do now, and I want MORE MORE MORE!!! I want to reach out to each one of you with the BIGGEST and most TRUEST EMPATHIC HEART straight from GOD!!! I also know GOD is HEALING ME and RESTORING ME and that PRAISE REPORT IS COMING!! BUT, I will not cease my praise and worship and singing from the rooftops that I serve an AWESOME GOD and in my SUFFERING, I am receiving some of HIS GREATEST GIFTS TODAY!
So, today I do a few things and REST, WRITE, and do some more….I choose not to play
tug of war with GOD like my gorgeous pups! ENJOY the PICS and SMILE….
I send LOVE, GRACE, and this most valuable lesson of MINE to your heart to process…I pray GOD SPEAKS HIS wisdom to YOU, in HIS amazing ways! THANK YOU for journeying with me!!!
Shalom!
DanaKae
