Two weeks ago a dear friend from High School passed away after a long battle with lukemia. To say that the news shook me would almost be an understatement. It consumed me. My thoughts were back and forth between memories and worries. Lacey had a group of friends that were honestly more like sisters, and I couldn't get what they were going through out of my head. The class of 2003 Cheerleaders were undenyably close. There was one thought in the in between that simply would not leave the depths of my mind. A little background. After her death, all of the sudden my next step was to look through old year books. Senior year, right before graduation, she wrote, "Ebert, I really want to get in touch with "the man upstairs" (jk) I need to though. Jena and I have given you a hard time, but we've never meant it. And I'm so glad after your crash that you are okay. I truly <3 you (as a friend) Don't get fresh. God bless and good luck in all that you do. Lacey." As a Christain in North America its difficult to talk about persuction with perspective. However, it is faced daily in the lives of teenagers walking through the doors of their schools. There I experienced the closest thing I have ever experienced to real persuction. The truth is, Lacey really did give me a hard time about my faith in God. We were able to maintain many good times, and put our differences aside. Days would still come where the teasing would begin. Arguements would flare up over issues that I was too niave at the time to understand were not what Christ was about. Those times were tough, but I loved Lacey and her friends with all of my heart and consistantly reached out in any way possible to share the love of God. When she passed, fear struck. She may have accepted Christ beforehand, but for me to know for sure simply wasn't going to happen. A message that I pushed in all the wrong ways may not have made it into her heart. That fact broke mine. As the doubts of me making any difference plagued me, I read on. Others wrote things about my faith in ink on those pages. Someone even said they always admired my faith. Even if Lacey never accepted Him, He was still faithful. Every seed planted, and every arguement I messed up, He could still use. The only thing getting me through the unknown was the constant faithfulness of a God who loves Lacey as much as he loves me. Luckly, I was able to attend the visitation for my dear friend. While there, I ran into a few old buddies. One of which has undoubtly accepted Christ into her life since graduation. She is a light that continues to shine into that world. It makes me so pround to see my sister in Christ living everyday for Him alone. Every seed, every word. God is faithful.
Fast forward to a week later. My heath has not been the best. After a long process of trying to find answers, I came home for an appointment that I believed would be the end all be all. To my surprise, the doctor came back with news I was not prepared to hear. What they had found was unlike anything she had ever seen. She didn't want to touch it. A whirlwind of events ended in surgery to get a mass out of my left side as soon as possible. Doctors with much acclaim were telling me that they weren't very optimistic. Geez. Was this happening? Fear struck me again. Thoughts of my own death were looming over me now. Honestly, it was the most terrifying few days of my life. Emotionally, I shut down. Mentally, it was a jungle in there. It took me a while to share with anyone what was going on, but the inevitable came. First I made a few important calls. Then I sent out the dreaded group message to those I felt needed to know at that stage in the process. It was a plea for prayer. When I say plea, what it really was may have been boarderline begging. Still, my hopes were very downtrotten. Never had I been this discouraged. All of these feelings after just been smacked in the face with God's enduring faithfulness 7 days prior. Sad. It didn't take long for me to loose track. The good news is, God never looses patience, and will do anything to keep teaching me. Surgery was Friday. The report: whatever it was; was. It is gone. No longer there. Doctor couldn't find it. I had been healed. This time being punched in the face with Faithfulness may have taught me a lesson that will linger. A little longer at least.
With all that said, Tuesday's Tip has been long. The simple lesson to it all. (If you have even made it this far through my bore.)
"Though the mountians be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed," says the LORD who has compassion for you." Isaiah 54:10 Believe Him. He is Faithful always. He doesn't know how to be any other way.
Disclaimer: The back of this is flat. It is great for setting against a door, wall, staircase, bookcase, ect. Just know that it shouldn't be sat somewhere that it can be seen from behind.
