devotions

New Take 5! with Mary Kane – Being Doers and Hearers

by Kimberly on January 3, 2012

Mary Kane of www.onlybyprayer.com

I just love Mary, and her genuine passionate love of God.  As I wrote to Mary, this is not an easy topic, but it’s incredibly important.

Instead of sharing my thoughts with you now (because God laid a lot on my heart as I did this study), I’ve created a follow up post.  I hope that you will be blessed with the freedom and joy that I believe God wants to give you.  Spend some time with Mary, let God speak to your heart, and please come back tomorrow .  We’ll look at how we can be “doers” even during our child’s illness – and how the enemy tries to keep us as hearers only.

To save Mary’s Take 5! onto your computer, just right click the link below.

Take 5! Being Doers and Hearers

In His Love,

Kimberly

kimberly@kimberlyehlers.com

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New Take 5! with Mary Kane – Words to Live By

by Kimberly on August 29, 2011

Mary Kane

Sweet Mary Kane, from www.onlybyprayer.com is back to share some incredibly wise Words to Live By!  Mary has picked out some excellent Scripture that God has given us to guide our lives by.  Through Paul, He tells us how we should think, how we should live and how to treat others.  There’s also a beautiful jewel in the mix that is perfect guidance for you as you face your child’s serious illness.  All in one simple sentence, God gives us His perfect advice on how to weather our storm.  I’m not going to say anymore about it because I don’t want to ruin it for you!  Let me know if you caught it and what you think about it. 

                                       Take 5!  Words to Live By

In His Love,

Kimberly

kimberly@kimberlyehlers.com

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Remembering – My Journal Before Seth’s Surgery Pt.1 by Kimberly Ehlers

by Kimberly on July 19, 2011

   

     As we get closer to Friday, Seth’s big 2nd Healthy Heart Anniversary, I’d like to share with you some of my journal entries from the week before his life-changing surgery.  I remember all the long years of struggling with fear and faith, they seemed to last a life time.  Now, here we are getting ready to celebrate 2 years of Seth being healthy!
     To be clear for those who don’t know Seth’s story, his 2nd Anniversary marks the date of his last open-heart surgery.  It was the surgery that changed his health completely.  By sewing 2 holes closed, Seth’s oxygen level went from the low 80s to normal.  If you listened to his interview, Seth also shared how this changed his overall health. 
     We look back on this day with joy and thanksgiving because God has given him a new lease on life, but it’s also mixed with the hard memories of facing such a scary surgery and the pain he dealt with during recovery.
     Over the next couple of days, I’d like to share with you pieces from my journal of the week before his surgery.  Each entry begins with the Scripture I had read as part of my time with God.  Please keep in mind this is unedited, straight from my journal.
      Let me give you a little background information.  At this time, we were doing “The Faith Challenge” as a family, praying for a miracle.  When Seth was a baby, we witnessed God growing Seth’s right ventricle and tricuspid valve, and that is what I’m referring to in my journal.

Deuteronomy 1:29-33  Wow!  Yes, God did so much for the Israelites, but I can take those same verses and apply them to me and all that He’s done for us.

“Do not be terrified or afraid.  YHWH who goes before you, He will fight for you, according to all He did for you already before your eyes (made Seth’s right ventricle grow – we saw that!), and all these 11 years you’ve seen how YHWH carried you, as a man carries his son.  Yet, for all that, you did not believe the Lord your God YHWH, who went in the way before you to show you the way you should go.”

He fights for us, carries us, and guides us!  He does everything!

Even knowing how much God had done for us, there were so many times I still managed to doubt.  It’s too easy to forget what He’s done .  I think that’s why throughout the Bible there’s a constant theme of remembering.  From the Old Testament to the New, they retell the stories of what God has done over and over again.

What has God done for you that you need to remember?

In His Love,

Kimberly

Did you miss Seth’s interview yesterday?  Oh, make sure you take the time (just 25 minutes!) to listen.  It is going to bless and encourage you moms.  Here’s the link: http://kimberlyehlers.com/?p=2150 .

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Take 5! with Mary Kane – The Weak and Foolish

by Kimberly on May 9, 2011

We have been called to do 2 big tasks:                                     
1.  Parent a child with a serious illness.
2.  Do God’s Kingdom work.

Both tasks will look very different for all of us.  Our child’s illnesses are different.  How God uses us to expand His Kingdom will be different.

God is holistic and sees us as “whole” beings, not people made up of a bunch of separate, individual parts.  He is also the Maker of wise complete, holistic plans.  We see our child’s illness as part of our life.  He sees it as an intricate part of the whole plan for our lives – a plan that is good, gives Him glory, and furthers His Kingdom work (see Jeremiah 29:11).  “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives,” (Genesis 50:20, New International Version, 2011).

Will God use your faith to witness to doctors and nurses?  Will He bring healing and perform a miracle?  How will He use your circumstances in ways that you are unaware of?  What good is He intending to accomplish?

Does God want you to reach out to other parents?  Is He laying on your heart the desire to do something unrelated to your child’s health?

It’s OK if the idea of doing His Kingdom work overwhelms you.  As I said before, God is holistic.  He is caring for your mind and spirit right now.  Our only job at any point in our life is to stay “in Christ”.  Through out our day we strive to stay connected with Him and follow His lead.  He will lead some to rest, some to witness through actions, and others to witness through words.

Mary Kane of www.onlybyprayer.com

Do you feel as though it’s impossible for God to use you?  Feel too weak?  Oh, Mary has the perfect word for you!  Click the link below to be taken to the newest Take 5!  The Weak and Foolish.  This devotion grabbed my heart.  You do not want to miss it.  Please take the time to really think about Mary’s last question.

Take 5! The Weak and Foolish with Mary Kane

Be blessed, my dear friend!

In His Love,
Kimberly

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Fun Week and Newest Take 5! with Mary Kane

by Kimberly on March 21, 2011

Hi, Everyone!

I am so excited about this week!  I opened my e-mail this weekend to find wonderful articles from 2 sweet friends to bless you!  I love it! 

Mary Kane of www.onlybyprayer.com

We’ll kick this fun week off with the precious Mary Kane of www.onlybyprayer.com/ and her newest Take 5!  Words to the Wise.  To make it even more fun and a bigger blessing, why don’t we do this 5 minute devotion together?  It’s easy :) !  When you’re done with the devotion, come back here and share your response to Mary’s 2nd question.  (It’s the second sentence in bold print and not really a question.  If you’re confused, e-mail me – I’m just not going to write it out here.  I want YOU to open this devotion up yourself and do it! ;) ).

Here’s your link:  Take 5! Words to the Wise

(Please let me know if the link doesn’t work.  My computer is being difficult for me today and just not wanting to do certain things!)

Come back tomorrow for the first part of Beth Jones’ article, “Does God Still Heal Today?”  Yes!  It is going to be good!

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