Family Friday:Challenges

Family Friday's are always good posts but that's because we don't always have good things going on in our lives. Right now we have some challenges coming our way and are in the midst of the beginning. 


I find it hard when there are cases of extended family crisis' because I'm never sure what I can do or what I should do. Right now I have cousin lying in a hospital bed in a different state which presents the problem of not knowing what to do except pray. I know praying is powerful but I feel like it's family and I should be doing more. We haven't had much to go on during this time and finally were able to get some good news yesterday but still he has not woken up. He needs more prayers and I'm guessing time. He will wake up when he's ready and his body is able too. Right now I just struggle because I want to be doing more but there isn't much more I can be doing. 


Then I have also been struggling with a possible cancer scare in my family and found out yesterday that it's cancer and it's spreading. Today there are more tests being done to find out if they can locate the source of the cancer and if there is anything they can do to help. This is really scary to think about and really I haven't allowed myself to really let it sink in on what is happening. I'm not quite ready to go there yet. I know I need to accept it but I'm just not ready to accept the most likely outcome of this particular situation. So once again more prayer and more prayer and more prayer is happening from my house and my heart. 


Praying has helped me as far as I feel like I'm doing something. It also helps keep reminding me that everything is in God's hands and that no matter how much I try to help it doesn't mean I'm going to get the outcome I want. I pray every night for healing in my family members bodies but I know that God will make these two situations come out good whether I see it or not. I also ask God,after I pray for what I want, to let His will be done and to help me accept whatever that might be. This is the part of the prayer that I'm a little reluctant to pray about but I know that I need to. I need to have an open heart for what God's will is or when His will happens I'm not going to be ready for it (whether it be good or bad). 


Today I want to send out a special reminder to everyone and that is that life can be very short and that we better enjoy it while we can! Also holding grudges with family members (or anyone else) isn't something that we should do. God tells us we need to forgive in Matthew 18:21-22.

Then Peter came to him and asked, "Lord how often 

should I forgive someone who sins against me? 

Seven times?" "No, not seven times?" 

Jesus replied, "but seventy times seven."

Holding a grudge against someone is not forgiving them. Now I want to make sure you understand I don't mean that you let someone who has hurt you have full reign over your life but I do think you should forgive and set up boundaries that will protect you from getting hurt again. Family is important and even more importantly is that we share the Good News with our families and live differently so they can see what it is like to truly love the Lord and live my his rules and not of this world. 

Trust him in your prayers to heal your loved ones, to help your heart to understand his will, and to help you forgive those who need forgiving. He will guide you through it all. I know because He is doing it for me right now in this season of my life. He knows my every thought, my every move, my every desire and He will help me through any trails of this life because there are going to be seasons of trials but I choose to trust Him fully through it all!