2007/2008 Devotional archives

January/Feb 2007 Devotional


God Created the heavens and the earth and he created me for a PURPOSE.


14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well. Psalm 139:14

1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth – Genesis 1:1


It may seem as though at the moment, life is tough it’s unfair, it may even seem dark at the moment. You see that there is no way out, you have the woe is me syndrome, you say Why God. Where are you God? When will you help me God? Are you there at all God?

Your thoughts may even turn to, well if God created me and he is a loving God, why did I have to lose a part of my feminine identity, be scarred, lose the shape of my body. Am I not this perfect women anymore?

But God says, You are perfect in my sight, I knew what was going to happen before you were born (Psalm 139)
I love you and you are mine (Isaiah 42:1). Whatever arrows have flown your way, I will comfort you, provide for you, direct you and turn the situation around for your good (Genesis 50:20)

--------------(Place your name) You are my Daughter, a child of the king, things of this earth are temporary and momentary. Keep holding on, Come to me, Pour out your heart to me, tell me all your problems and worries. Remember you are perfect, You were chosen by me, I have a unique plan for your life. You will glorify my name and be a powerful witness.

And make sure you remember that I Love you.

Your father
God
X x



Elvina Lee


Copyright 2007 Elvina Lee - All Rights Reserved








March 2007/2008
Why Worry ?
Why Worry?

1 Peter 5:7 (New International Version)
Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

Philippians 4:6
6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.

Philippians 4:7
7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

Matthew 6:31-33 (New Living Translation)
31 “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ 32 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. 33 Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.

Philippians 4:8 (New Living Translation)
8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honourable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.



I once heard someone Describe worry as meditating on the wrong things, we then tend to store the problem in our minds and go over it and over it again. We try to figure out the problem by ourselves. We make ourselves anxious and upset our bodies physically and mentally.

Jesus wants us to look at him and give him all our worries and troubles. Even if you think the problem is too small, give it to him, it may be finding a wig that fits you perfectly, whether you will be able to have children after your treatments. Give it all to him!

We have to meditate on things that are good and pure. The new living translation Bible says we are to fix our thoughts on what is true and honest. If we give God our woes and worries, tell him our needs don't forget to wait for his answer. Then we will have God's peace, which is so wonderful that no human can understand (Philippians 4 verse 6 -7)


Summary
1. Worrying is a waste of time it doesn't change anything. Luke 12:25-26 (TLB) “and besides, what is the use of worrying? What good does it do? Will it add a single day to your life? Of course not! And if worrying can’t even do some little things as that, what's the use of worrying over bigger things?”
2. We must replace worrying with prayer, and one you’ve prayed leave it with God.
3. Remember God has it all in control!!
God has a plan for your life (Jeremiah 29:11) “For I know the plans. I have for you declares the Lord plans to prosper, you and not to harm you plans to give you hope and a future.”
God is working things out for your good. His timing is perfect, trust him. Give your problems to God through prayer and leave it to God.


TO DO
1. Memorise the Scripture featured above and every time a worrying thought pops into your mind. Apply it and say it aloud.

© Elvina Lee 2007


July/Aug 2007 Devotional



As Streams Renew the Desert: A Journey through Breast Cancer
by Mary J. Nelson
Restore our fortunes, LORD, as streams renew the desert. Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy. They weep as they go to plant their seed, but they sing as they return with the harvest. — Psalm 126:5-6



One phone call on August 18, 1999 changed my life forever. One phone call sent me on a journey of spiritual awakening that eventually led to the throne room of God. Here, at the feet of His Son, I came face to face with His holiness and my own brokenness. He was no longer Lord of my Sunday mornings or my current crisis. He was my precious Savior, the Lord of my life. And by His grace and mercy, every tear I planted was transformed into a beautiful harvest of blessing.

Cancer? That’s Impossible…

At 47, my life was rolling along smoothly. I had a good marriage, well-behaved kids, and a successful career. And I had mastered control of it all. A few self-help books and a couple of classes on life balance were all my naturally perfectionist personality needed to keep all the balls in the air at once. With careful planning, I could lead a meeting, write a client proposal, do six loads of clothes, clean the house, pick up a few groceries, entertain guests for dinner, take in my daughter’s dance competition and not miss a beat.

When a new doctor I visited for a routine yearly exam discovered a suspicious area on my left breast, I was stunned. Surely, this was a big mistake. I had a negative mammogram and no family history of breast cancer. Besides, breast cancer was not in my life plan, and certainly not on my busy calendar!

During the next few weeks of testing and waiting, I was determined to research my way out of this mess. But all the scientific information I uncovered and all the perfect doctors I investigated couldn’t change the truth in that phone call. You have invasive breast cancer.

What followed was a blur of phone calls, doctor visits and decisions. I was whisked into surgery for a lumpectomy and sentinel node biopsy. The surgeon confirmed the cancer was Stage 2 and had reached two lymph nodes. Still in a daze, I began to prepare for 24 weeks of chemotherapy, six weeks of radiation, several months of baldness and an uncertain future.

More than a "Drugstore Jesus"

It was during these next several months of treatment that my relationship with Jesus Christ became personal. Oh, I thought I knew Him before. I went to church every Sunday. But God was more like a “drugstore Jesus” to me — a bottle of aspirin sitting on the shelf in my medicine chest. I would think about Him on Sunday mornings or during the occasional crisis, then put Him back on the shelf again until the next ache or pain.

In my pride, I thought I understood everything God had to show me. I didn’t need a small group of believers to hold me accountable, and I certainly didn’t need to bring my Bible to church every Sunday like those “religious” people did!

But our God is full of mercy. His love knows no boundaries. On the day the phone call came, He tenderly reached out His hand and gave me two choices; I could face it on my own or I could trust Him. From the moment I invited Him into the center of my cancer, He covered me with the peace that surpasses all human understanding. From the disappointing pathology report to the day my husband shaved my head, from all the needles, blood tests, and chemo treatments to wig shopping and the challenges of painting my eyebrows on straight, He never left my side. My occasional Bible dabbling turned into a deep hunger for the Word of God. Jesus Christ had won my heart.

A Harvest of Blessing

In 2 Corinthians 1:4, Paul reminds us that God comforts us in our trouble so we can comfort others. As I reached the other side of breast cancer, the Lord placed a burden on my heart to be a blessing. I was eager to share what He had done for me, and what He can do for anyone facing a breast cancer diagnosis.

I started by sharing His Word. For many women, breast cancer can be the spark that ignites her desire to grow spiritually. As I prayed for and mentored women with breast cancer, I soon found myself writing devotional messages to comfort and encourage them with God’s promises.

Eventually, as a five-year survivor, I wrote Grace for Each Hour (Bethany House, 2005), a daily devotional for women traveling through the breast cancer journey from the time cancer is suspected, through the diagnosis and treatment, and then living on the other side of cancer as a survivor. The short devotional readings share the hope of the Gospel and speak the Word of God into the typical emotions and fears a woman experiences, helping her grow, not just cope during this difficult time.

I also wanted cancer sufferers to experience the amazing power of healing prayer. When gifted intercessors in my church laid hands on me early in my cancer, their prayers spoke directly into the deepest unspoken fears in my heart. I stood in His very presence, soaking in His unfailing love.

While many churches don’t offer this type of prayer ministry, its powerful effect should not be surprising. In James 5:14-15, the sick are instructed to call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. We were created to communicate with God through prayer. When we are suffering and our heart is breaking, our inward spirit longs for Him. Prayer is the only way to come into His presence and feel His healing touch.

I was so blessed by the experience that, with the help of our prayer pastor, I started Pray for the Cure, a prayer ministry specifically for people struggling with cancer. Each month, they share their hopes and fears with other cancer sufferers, listen to personal testimonies from cancer survivors, are comforted by God’s Word through a devotional message, and receive love, healing prayer, and anointing in a confidential setting.

The Greatest Challenge

People often ask about the unique challenges women face when suffering from breast cancer. Dealing with hair loss is certainly the most traumatic side effect she encounters through the cancer journey. But the greatest faith challenge is staying focused on God and His Word in the midst of the steady onslaught of information — information that instills fear and doubt throughout treatment and living life as a cancer survivor — information that seems to change everyday. Through the media and well-meaning friends, she will likely hear the latest survival statistics, new drugs, and new treatments; treatments she didn’t receive. News about someone suffering a recurrence or passing away can send a woman into a downward spiral of despair.

Her peace is found in staying focused on God and keeping Him in the center of her life — because in the midst of everything that changes around her, His Word never changes. When she clings to Him, her greatest challenge becomes a powerful testimony to the Gospel. People notice something different about her. When they see His light shining through her, they are drawn to the very heart of Christ.

A Promise of Hope

More than 260,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year. If you are one of them, know that your God is a restoration expert. His ability to restore is beyond our human understanding. He restores broken bodies, broken relationships, broken homes, and broken hearts. Through His Son, He removed your sin and restored you to Himself. He promises our tears can be seed that will grow into a harvest of joy.

Right now, hope may seem beyond your reach. It may even feel like God has abandoned you in the middle of the desert. But you have a choice. You can call out to Him and invite Him into the center of your breast cancer. As streams renew the desert, this devastating diagnosis can become a precious blessing that will transform your life forever.



About the author: Mary J. Nelson is the president and founder of Soterion, a healthcare communications consulting firm, and serves on the vision board at Hosanna! Lutheran Church in Lakeville, Minnesota. She is currently vice president of the 5,000-member congregation, where she also leads the Pray for the Cure cancer care ministry and serves as an intercessor and mentor for women with breast cancer. Mary and her husband have two adult children and make their home in Minnesota.

© Copyright 2007, Christianity.com. All rights reserved.


Sept/ Oct 2007 Devotional



Longing for Healing
Published by TruthMediaat August 13, 2007 in Devotional.

by Yvonne Ortega

Hope Builder: Hebrews 11:32-34

Matthew 9:22: “Jesus turned and saw her. ‘Take heart, daughter,’ he said, ‘your faith has healed you.’ And the woman was healed from that moment.”

What a jolt of reality I had at a breast cancer support meeting tonight. First a lady with short hair walked in, followed by a bald lady, and then a lady with the tiniest bit of hair. One young woman had her first chemotherapy treatment that day and soon made an exit to vomit.

As the women talked and asked questions about the side effects of chemotherapy, such as sores in their mouths, and problems with digestions, diarrhea, and constipation, I felt myself getting sick. My head throbbed, and my knees wobbled like Jell-O. Before long, I sobbed, and someone passed me a box of tissues.

I noticed a table with Valentine’s Day decorations and all kinds of refreshments in the hallway. How could anyone possibly eat Valentine’s Day cookies and have a soft drink during this type of meeting? Why did I eat dinner earlier? I felt sick to my stomach. Stop the merry-go-round. I want to get off.

I wish I weren’t going through this. I wish I could hide under a blanket, wake up, and have this behind me. I wish I were free of cancer or had healing power, but God alone has that power. His healing may be physical, or he may simply help me peacefully accept my circumstances. I’m convinced he knows which is better for me.

We all face similar struggles. We may think we’re hanging on with only a shred of faith. It helps to remember that Gideon, David, Samson, the prophets, and many others were not born with an unshakable faith. Their faith grew day by day. Hebrews 11 says their weakness was turned to strength and they became powerful in battle. It’s okay to admit we are scared, sick, weak, or powerless. God will meet us where we are.

~Father, please tell me, “Daughter, your faith has made you whole.” I also ask for emotional healing from the trauma of cancer. May I join the ranks of those who turned from weakness to strength through faith in You. Amen.

Reprinted from Yvonne Ortega’s book, Hope for the Journey Through Cancer.

Used by permission of Fleming H. Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group, copyright 2007. All rights to this material are reserved. Materials are not to be distributed to other web locations for retrieval, published in other media, or mirrored at other sites without written permission from Baker Publishing Group. http://www.BakerPublishingGroup.com

Questions to ponder: What “cancer” are you struggling with today? How can our weak faith be strengthened at a time when one is hurting so deeply?

About the Author
This devotional was written by Yvonne Ortega. Read more about Yvonne: http://tmdevotionals.com/women/authors/yvonne-ortega/





Nov/December 2007 Devotional


Hannah Whitall Smith, in her classic book A Christian’s
Secret to a Happy Life, said trials are “God’s chariots sent to take
the soul to its high places of triumph.” She encouraged,
“When your trial comes, then, put it right into the will of
God, and climb into that will as a child climbs into its mother’s
arms. The baby carried in the chariot of its mother’s arms
rides triumphantly though the hardest places, and does not
even know they are hard. And how much more we who are
carried in the chariot of the ‘arms of God!’”
I was reminded of this on the morning of my mastectomy.
The entire way to the operating room a tall, strong orderly
sang many of the great Christian hymns as he navigated my
gurney through the hallways. I might have believed him to be
an angel, but everyone seemed to know him as he walked by!
His voice and message were beautiful.
I truly felt I was in God’s chariot all the way to surgery. I
had climbed in, and my loving Father was reminding me of
all His great promises as we rode on our way.
I praise You, heavenly Father. Though sin separated me from You,
You grabbed hold of me and made me Your child. I praise You, Jesus,
for taking my place on the cross and being the bridge to this wonder-
ful, eternal relationship. How awesome it is to be loved so completely.
Thank You for allowing me to climb into Your arms. I can let go
and let You hold me through this ride down a path that is unknown.
Help me to trust You so completely that I don’t even know the rocky
places are hard.
Praise You for Your promise to work all things, even the bad things,
for good for those who love You and are called according to your pur-
pose. All I need to do is give my needs, desires, and wants to You, my
faithful and loving Father, the God in whom I trust!

Susan Sorensen


Taken from the praying through Cancer book.
Monthly Devotional

April/ May 2006

It's OK to Cry

Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book? Psalm 56: 8 KJV


As tears rolled down her face, and she thought of all she had, she placed her hand on where her breast was and realised that it was gone. It was at that moment, she realised she needed the Lord, she cried out to him and asked him for answers, for help, for comfort, for strength to be able to get through this journey.
As she sobbed and sobbed, and screamed out ' God 'Why' , ' Where are you' the scripture entered her mind, 'lo I am with you always,(Matthew 28:20) I will never leave you nor forsake you. (Hebrews 13:5)
She felt at peace at that moment, as though she knew everything was going to be OK

It's so easy to say, but it is important that we give our burdens, sorrows, woes over to God. Let God deal with them and relax knowing he has it all under control.
It is okay to cry, but don't stay too long in your sadness, turn it all over to God.

Remember God loves you and even though it may be painful, tough, and scary right now, know that God has it all worked out in his master plan, he knows exactly what he is doing, he is refining you and once you have been tried and tested, you will come forth as gold (Job 23:10)
I urge you to read the word, pray everyday and spend time with him daily. Hold onto God and never let him go!

Elvina Lee



Prayer

Lord, Thank you for being there for me through the tears, sadness, joy , surgery, chemotherapy.
Help me to remember that even though breast surgery may have changed my body image, I know that I am still beautiful and precious in your sight.
Lord, even though I may not alway feel your presence, I claim the promise in your word that you are always with me. You know the future and what is best for me. Help me to trust you more, guide me, strengthen and comfort me, in this I ask in your sweet name Jesus. Amen

Scripture to memorize

Psalm 56:8 (King James Version)

"Thou tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy book?"





When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze." Isaiah 43:2


And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Matt 28:20 (NIV)




"Never will I leave you;
never will I forsake you

Hebrews 13:5 (NIV)