He is jealous for me!

“How He loves us, Oh, how He loves us, Oh…how He loves…” John Mark McMillian.

I recently recorded myself singing this song as an encouragement for my Christian brothers and sisters, due to all the turmoil going on in our world at the moment.

But once again I am reminded of the lyrics as I grieve the loss of my dad, who ended his life on Wednesday.

There is so much complexity to this situation that I am not ready to write about.

Yet I want to continue to connect with all of you who read my blog, (even if it is limited) as you matter to me.

This is a time for me to keep close to The Lord, as always…and to do less well.

I am intentionally taking time out from interactive social media and even blogging…I am needing to use my limited energy for my 3 most important relationships; My Lord, my children and my grieving family.

I am writing this post with intention as I want you to know something…The love of The Lord is unfailing.

Ever since I was born again I have been blessed to see God’s hand in my everyday life ALL THE TIME!

So much so, that sometimes I don’t even make mention of many occurrences, as I think people could think I’m a little crazy, or even impartial to exaggeration…So often I just keep these little and even big treasures to myself, and thank God for them.

However today, even during this difficult time I want to share with you some things which have happened for I am choosing to BLESS THE NAME OF THE LORD – just as the modern Christian song says which I’ve so often sang…

Blessed be Your Name in the land that is plentiful and Your streams of abundance flow, blessed be Your Name; And blessed be Your Name, when I’m found in the desert place, though I walk through the wilderness, blessed be Your Name…You give and take away, You give and take away, my heart will choose to say, Lord Blessed be Your Name…

Even though I am walking through a dark valley with my beloved family right now, I have been so comforted by The Lord through an amazing amount of love and support, being bestowed upon me from so many people…words of love, affirmation and encouragement have been amazing…hugs and even looks which give so much.

I have felt a bit of attack as well, but it has been very limited, and with God’s support I have been able to walk away from it and leave it be in His hands.

Wednesday night was an ordeal (well it was actually the very first hours of Thursday morning) for I was told the news about 1:15am. I was blessed to spend 2am-6am with my sister and her husband at their home.  I returned home to sleep and felt so comforted by The Lord, snuggled in my bed, safe and secure with Him.  

Yet, I was pulled out of bed by a phone call Thursday after lunch time.  It was my boys’ school – they called requesting me to immediately come to the school, as my youngest son had hurt his arm.

My two other sons have broken their arms and when I arrived at the boys’ school the scene was not unfamiliar.  My baby was crying in pain, holding his arm and looking at me in desperation.  He had fell when tripped by the garden bed edging.  So off I went with my 3 sons to the hospital…

I knew I really needed support, so I rang a Christian girlfriend and asked her if she’d accompany me and my youngest son.  I dropped off the other two boys to my sister, grabbed some children’s pain relief off her, (as my son was still very distressed) and headed off to pick up my friend, knowing she’d hold my son while I drove.

While I was driving and my son was distressed, I thought to myself something like, “even though we’ll have to probably go through the routine of the doctors, x-ray and plaster, I will still practice my Christian faith and comfort my son by praying for him”.  So I said him, “Be healed in Jesus’ Name.” followed by something else, maybe, “may you know His peace.”

When we saw the doctor, my youngest son was still in pain while being examined, yet before we were sent off for the x-ray, the thought came to mind that the x-ray would show no broken bones…yet to be honest I dismissed the thought and kept putting one foot in front of the other.

However the x-ray did not show any fractures and ever since then my son’s arm has gotten better.  At first my son was very upset that he wouldn’t be getting a plaster cast! But now he himself says that Jesus healed his arm.  I too believe this, and think that although I did not pray my prayer in fervent faith, The Lord answered, as He knew we needed it!  He is just so good and I am once again amazed.

Earlier during the week, I wasn’t thinking straight when dealing with my finances and chose to pay extra in rent.  I left myself a bit short, especially considering I’ll now have extra fuel expenses with the funeral being quite far away.  Yet I chose to not worry and even had said to my boys, that even though we did not have much money at the moment, one cannot out-give God...while also thinking that I may need to borrow money off my sister.

I basically had no meat left and knew I needed to go shopping.  I was even thinking that maybe we'd just have to have plain 2-minute noodles one night...as they're around a dollar per family packet.  But after church today a friend opened the rear of her car and called me over…she handed me a lot of meat, freshly butchered from a bull calf!  We’ve just ate awesome roast beef for dinner!

May you never forget that the LOVE of The Lord is unfailing, and even if you walk through darkness, He is there with you! Christianity is not just some weak religion, it is the power of Christ and salvation. I am not some super-human, just a woman who knows the awesome love of God through Jesus Christ!

Until next time, peace to you in Jesus’ Name.

Melanie.

How He loves us, song.