Hi friends,
When I wake up every morning, I have to make a choice: today I will view my circumstance as a blessing, not a curse. This decision enables me to live life out loud! Or I could choose to see the wheelchair as a curse, which leads me down the path of self- pitty and distruction... YUCK, YUCK YUCK! So how do I Live an abundant life with cerebral palsy? The answer is simple, by listening to God's voice and trusting that my life is in hands.
We will always have problems in this life,but together we can enter a life of blessing by choosing to love God; who is the provision in all of our problems. Deuteronomy 30:19-20 "This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live,and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
I don't know what you are going through today, but God does and He will never leave you. Always remember dear friends: I love you, God loves you and you are Formed For His Use!
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Monday, November 29, 2010
an Encouraging Word
"For you, O Lord, have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before the Lord in the land of the living. "
Psalm 116:8&9
Psalm 116:8&9
Saturday, November 27, 2010
God is Faithful
Hi friends,
r u facing a challenge right now? Be encourage with this promise from Romans 8:28,"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. " You are called according to His purpose + he loves you no matter what.
Remember God loves you, I love you & YOU r Formed For HIS Use!
r u facing a challenge right now? Be encourage with this promise from Romans 8:28,"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. " You are called according to His purpose + he loves you no matter what.
Remember God loves you, I love you & YOU r Formed For HIS Use!
Sunday, November 21, 2010
God's Grace is a gift!
Hi friends,
God wants you to know that his grace is not earned, instead it is freely and willingly given to you!
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God- Ephisians 2:8
Always remeber, God LOVES You; I LOVE You and YOU are FORMED FOR HIS USE!
God wants you to know that his grace is not earned, instead it is freely and willingly given to you!
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God- Ephisians 2:8
Always remeber, God LOVES You; I LOVE You and YOU are FORMED FOR HIS USE!
Friday, November 19, 2010
r u Bleeding?- Mark chapter 5
hi Friends,
Somtimes life's circumstances can make us feel like we R bleeding on the inside... we have tried everything this world has to offer, and found that nothing brings Healing. This is because; it is only the unconditional love of God that can heal our pain + take away our shame. Take some time tonight, reach out to the one who bled for our healing and the remission of our sin...God will honor the amount of FAITH YOU HAVE. Always remember,God LOVES you, I LOVE you + YOU are FORMED FOR HIS USE.
Somtimes life's circumstances can make us feel like we R bleeding on the inside... we have tried everything this world has to offer, and found that nothing brings Healing. This is because; it is only the unconditional love of God that can heal our pain + take away our shame. Take some time tonight, reach out to the one who bled for our healing and the remission of our sin...God will honor the amount of FAITH YOU HAVE. Always remember,God LOVES you, I LOVE you + YOU are FORMED FOR HIS USE.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
We are God's Tapestries
I found myself needing some encouragement yesterday. I wondered if I was "cut out" for this job of living with CP...then, after reading this poem, I realized that God didn't "cut" me out, but that I have been woven together by His masterful hands, EVERY day!
The Weaver...
"My life is but a weaving, between the Lord and me. I cannot choose the colors He worketh steadily. Oft times He weaveth sorrow and I in foolish pride forget He sees the "upper", and I the "under" side. Not till the loom is silent and the shuttles cease to fly shall God unroll the canvas and explain the reason why. The dark threads are as needed in the weaver's skillful hand as the threads of gold and silver in the pattern He has planned."For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.
Psa 139:14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
Psa 139:15 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,
Psa 139:16 your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
Always remember, God LOVES You, I Love You & YOU are FORMED FOR HIS USE!
The Weaver...
"My life is but a weaving, between the Lord and me. I cannot choose the colors He worketh steadily. Oft times He weaveth sorrow and I in foolish pride forget He sees the "upper", and I the "under" side. Not till the loom is silent and the shuttles cease to fly shall God unroll the canvas and explain the reason why. The dark threads are as needed in the weaver's skillful hand as the threads of gold and silver in the pattern He has planned."For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.
Psa 139:14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
Psa 139:15 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,
Psa 139:16 your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.
Always remember, God LOVES You, I Love You & YOU are FORMED FOR HIS USE!
Sunday, November 14, 2010
A bit of my life!
Rebekah’s story is far from finished, but this is how God has carried her to the present!
She was born the fourth child into a family already challenged by financial pressures and a paradox of love & violence. Simply put, hurting people, hurt people…even when those people are children. The pregnancy, distraught by a fall, broken bones, DVT(deep vein thrombosis), & multiple hospitalizations, resulted in her premature birth. The emergency C-section delivered a tiny, fragile 2lb 11oz baby girl with her own set of complications. Each day that she survived was a victory, but also brought more issues to be addressed (under developed lungs & heart, digestion, hydration, ventilators, resuscitation, pneumonia, “death” of much of the white matter in her brain…), along with the prayers of many. With every new obstacle, her mother held on to what God had placed in her heart, over & over, since the time of her slip & fall, “My hand is on this child…she will be just fine”, never imagining that “just fine” held a larger definition.
By the time Rebekah was 18 mos. old, she had the diagnosis of “spastic-quadriplegic cerebral palsy”, and was now a child of a single mother (and would have no contact w/ her father for 11yrs). During the next 2 years, it became apparent, that a motorized wheelchair would be a vital part of this happy toddler’s life.
Loved and encouraged by her brothers & sister, mom, extended family, and caring therapists, she grew into her new found “freedom”. Even total strangers, were drawn & amazed by her infectious smile & personality…God’s “hand” was on this child and she already knew in her heart that He loved her and would use her to fulfill His purposes; After all, her grandma had been speaking Jeremiah 29:11 over her life since before she was born.
Entering school brought with it new joys, new friends, new challenges, and the growing sense that she was “different” from the other kids. Most of her class mates were drawn to her cheerful demeanor, but some seemed to be frightened by it and, hurting people, hurt people…even if they are little people. And even if they were only a few, those hurtful comments stayed with Rebekah, and began growing in a deep place in her soul, adding each new layer of hurt to the last, composting her pain and feelings of inadequacy. Words of rejection, whether real or imagined, further laid the ground work for deception and depression.
At the age of 7, her family moved back to her mother’s home town. Now her grandma could visit with her almost every day, and even though she often spoke the same words of encouragement offered by others, grandma’s words went deeper. So deep that Rebekah was able to turn her young eyes to the desperate need of Afghan refugees in 2001, and with the help of her trainer, family and community, raise over $1,500.00 in aid by riding her adaptive trike and taking pledges per pedal rotation. And she began to experience the fruit of yet another of her grandma’s favorite Bible verses to speak into her life.
“Now glory be to God, who by His mighty power, at work within me, is able to do far more than I could ever dare to ask or even dream of, infinitely beyond my highest thoughts, hopes, prayers and desires.”Ephesians 3:20
The recognition she received for her efforts didn’t make sense to her…she was only doing what God had placed in her heart to do. But that was the very reason He honored her, and with each interview, each speaking opportunity that would come, she would continue to honor Him.
Only a few months after this, her grandma was diagnosed with cancer. And the next few years would test, strengthen and even shake Rebekah’s faith in God and His goodness. She would begin to doubt God’s sovereignty, His purpose, even His love for her.
In May of that year, a healing evangelist was coming to Portland, OR. Rebekah, after years of praying for the healing of others, decided this was HER time. She prayed and read scriptures pertaining to healing, and asked her mom to fast with her for a week before the meeting. Certain that she would be walking out of the arena that evening, she left her power chair at home, opting for a folding manual chair. Before the speaker came to the stage, she felt a trip to the “powder room” was in order. She didn’t want to miss a thing! On her way back to the seating area, she noticed a man in a wheelchair, outside of the doors, and struck up a conversation (something she is known for!). Within moments, they were praying together for his needs and the needs of the throng gathered inside the Coliseum. As they left the meeting that night, in her wheelchair, but with a renewed sense of God’s power and purpose she exclaimed joyfully to her mother, “There must be something God has left for me to do in this chair, or I wouldn’t still be in it!”
13…a real teenager! And a tender heart towards God, Rebekah heard a woman talk about her salvation experience and realized that even though she loved God and asked Jesus to come into her heart as a small child, she had never asked Him to forgive her of her sins and accept His free gift of salvation. She prayed with that lady on TV, and began to understand just what was at stake. Eternal life!
During the next 14months, the deaths of 10 deeply loved family members, mentors & friends (including first her “Nana” & then her grandma, too), overwhelmed her with grief. The bitter tears flooded her soul right down to the layers of hurt. Those voices had been kept at bay by grandma’s constant encouragement and prayers for years, and now it was up to Rebekah.
She studied her Bible & prayed. She spoke to youth groups & at Summer Camps. With great conviction she shared, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Phil. 4:13) She knew in her head about God’s love and power and truth. The value He places on each and every person; every person, except her. Why hadn’t He healed, or kept safe, the people she cared for so deeply? Why had He not delivered her from the prison of her wheelchair? Her prayers became something she performed out of a sense of duty. Reading God’s living word was reduced to a religious act. As she abandoned her prayer language, she began listening to the language of self pity, and hung on every word. Depression crept in. The enemy of her soul had gained a foothold.
There were moments when she would find encouragement and truth. Like when she saw a man, born without arms or legs, on TV share his testimony. He spoke of God’s love and of hope. There was the joy of forgiveness and restoration of her relationship with her father, his wife, and another grandma! There were further disappointments as well. She would not be graduating with her class. She would not be allowed to address them as a group. She would not be allowed to officially participate in the commencement (despite the best efforts of several school board members). By her 18th birthday, she had perfected in her mind just how she would end her pain. She was able to open the knife drawer, and if she insisted, mom would leave her home alone, while she went shopping.
That next week, everyday seemed darker than the one before, the voices louder. “You are such a burden. Nobody really cares about you. They all just pity the poor little crippled girl”. The depression deepened and by the time Sunday came, the desire for sleep and self loathing made the task of getting Rebekah ready for church next to impossible. But her mother was determined that God’s hand was still on Rebekah, and that being in God’s house, among His people, worshiping together was where she needed to be (even if she was 18!). As they entered the sanctuary that morning, something fell out of the bulletin. There were tears in her mother’s eyes when she laid the insert on the wheelchair tray, and asked if Rebekah still thought God had forgotten her. Nick Vujicic was coming as the 2009 Baccalaureate speaker, the man who had talked of hope on TV, and the whole community was invited! A peace and sense of expectancy flooded over her. Maybe she could exchange her self pity and depression for a life filled with power, love and a sound mind.
She began to recognize what was true again and asked the Holy Spirit to prepare her heart for the message that would be shared. Again, God’s word became alive in her heart, and she asked Him to do a mighty work in her school, fasting and praying for the breaking of strongholds in the lives of those who would hear Nick speak. Eph. 3:20 was about to find a new reality in Rebekah’s life also! Not only was she set free by the power of God in Nick’s testimony of hope and love, she was privileged to share her heart in a special time of prayer with him, and found courage to face the challenge of taking her eyes off of her disability and trusting in God’s ability, getting her focus back on Jesus and bringing Him glory.
In June of 2010, Rebekah was asked to pray the prayer of dedication for her senior class Baccalaureate, 2 years before the “projected” date of her graduation! She continues to speak at camps, to business groups, and in each new venue God provides, following her heart to reach a hurting world with the love of Christ and a message of hope & God’s transforming power, as He enables her to view her wheelchair, not as a prison, but as a pulpit with wheels. To God be the glory, great things He has done, is doing and will continue to do!
She was born the fourth child into a family already challenged by financial pressures and a paradox of love & violence. Simply put, hurting people, hurt people…even when those people are children. The pregnancy, distraught by a fall, broken bones, DVT(deep vein thrombosis), & multiple hospitalizations, resulted in her premature birth. The emergency C-section delivered a tiny, fragile 2lb 11oz baby girl with her own set of complications. Each day that she survived was a victory, but also brought more issues to be addressed (under developed lungs & heart, digestion, hydration, ventilators, resuscitation, pneumonia, “death” of much of the white matter in her brain…), along with the prayers of many. With every new obstacle, her mother held on to what God had placed in her heart, over & over, since the time of her slip & fall, “My hand is on this child…she will be just fine”, never imagining that “just fine” held a larger definition.
By the time Rebekah was 18 mos. old, she had the diagnosis of “spastic-quadriplegic cerebral palsy”, and was now a child of a single mother (and would have no contact w/ her father for 11yrs). During the next 2 years, it became apparent, that a motorized wheelchair would be a vital part of this happy toddler’s life.
Loved and encouraged by her brothers & sister, mom, extended family, and caring therapists, she grew into her new found “freedom”. Even total strangers, were drawn & amazed by her infectious smile & personality…God’s “hand” was on this child and she already knew in her heart that He loved her and would use her to fulfill His purposes; After all, her grandma had been speaking Jeremiah 29:11 over her life since before she was born.
Entering school brought with it new joys, new friends, new challenges, and the growing sense that she was “different” from the other kids. Most of her class mates were drawn to her cheerful demeanor, but some seemed to be frightened by it and, hurting people, hurt people…even if they are little people. And even if they were only a few, those hurtful comments stayed with Rebekah, and began growing in a deep place in her soul, adding each new layer of hurt to the last, composting her pain and feelings of inadequacy. Words of rejection, whether real or imagined, further laid the ground work for deception and depression.
At the age of 7, her family moved back to her mother’s home town. Now her grandma could visit with her almost every day, and even though she often spoke the same words of encouragement offered by others, grandma’s words went deeper. So deep that Rebekah was able to turn her young eyes to the desperate need of Afghan refugees in 2001, and with the help of her trainer, family and community, raise over $1,500.00 in aid by riding her adaptive trike and taking pledges per pedal rotation. And she began to experience the fruit of yet another of her grandma’s favorite Bible verses to speak into her life.
“Now glory be to God, who by His mighty power, at work within me, is able to do far more than I could ever dare to ask or even dream of, infinitely beyond my highest thoughts, hopes, prayers and desires.”Ephesians 3:20
The recognition she received for her efforts didn’t make sense to her…she was only doing what God had placed in her heart to do. But that was the very reason He honored her, and with each interview, each speaking opportunity that would come, she would continue to honor Him.
Only a few months after this, her grandma was diagnosed with cancer. And the next few years would test, strengthen and even shake Rebekah’s faith in God and His goodness. She would begin to doubt God’s sovereignty, His purpose, even His love for her.
In May of that year, a healing evangelist was coming to Portland, OR. Rebekah, after years of praying for the healing of others, decided this was HER time. She prayed and read scriptures pertaining to healing, and asked her mom to fast with her for a week before the meeting. Certain that she would be walking out of the arena that evening, she left her power chair at home, opting for a folding manual chair. Before the speaker came to the stage, she felt a trip to the “powder room” was in order. She didn’t want to miss a thing! On her way back to the seating area, she noticed a man in a wheelchair, outside of the doors, and struck up a conversation (something she is known for!). Within moments, they were praying together for his needs and the needs of the throng gathered inside the Coliseum. As they left the meeting that night, in her wheelchair, but with a renewed sense of God’s power and purpose she exclaimed joyfully to her mother, “There must be something God has left for me to do in this chair, or I wouldn’t still be in it!”
13…a real teenager! And a tender heart towards God, Rebekah heard a woman talk about her salvation experience and realized that even though she loved God and asked Jesus to come into her heart as a small child, she had never asked Him to forgive her of her sins and accept His free gift of salvation. She prayed with that lady on TV, and began to understand just what was at stake. Eternal life!
During the next 14months, the deaths of 10 deeply loved family members, mentors & friends (including first her “Nana” & then her grandma, too), overwhelmed her with grief. The bitter tears flooded her soul right down to the layers of hurt. Those voices had been kept at bay by grandma’s constant encouragement and prayers for years, and now it was up to Rebekah.
She studied her Bible & prayed. She spoke to youth groups & at Summer Camps. With great conviction she shared, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Phil. 4:13) She knew in her head about God’s love and power and truth. The value He places on each and every person; every person, except her. Why hadn’t He healed, or kept safe, the people she cared for so deeply? Why had He not delivered her from the prison of her wheelchair? Her prayers became something she performed out of a sense of duty. Reading God’s living word was reduced to a religious act. As she abandoned her prayer language, she began listening to the language of self pity, and hung on every word. Depression crept in. The enemy of her soul had gained a foothold.
There were moments when she would find encouragement and truth. Like when she saw a man, born without arms or legs, on TV share his testimony. He spoke of God’s love and of hope. There was the joy of forgiveness and restoration of her relationship with her father, his wife, and another grandma! There were further disappointments as well. She would not be graduating with her class. She would not be allowed to address them as a group. She would not be allowed to officially participate in the commencement (despite the best efforts of several school board members). By her 18th birthday, she had perfected in her mind just how she would end her pain. She was able to open the knife drawer, and if she insisted, mom would leave her home alone, while she went shopping.
That next week, everyday seemed darker than the one before, the voices louder. “You are such a burden. Nobody really cares about you. They all just pity the poor little crippled girl”. The depression deepened and by the time Sunday came, the desire for sleep and self loathing made the task of getting Rebekah ready for church next to impossible. But her mother was determined that God’s hand was still on Rebekah, and that being in God’s house, among His people, worshiping together was where she needed to be (even if she was 18!). As they entered the sanctuary that morning, something fell out of the bulletin. There were tears in her mother’s eyes when she laid the insert on the wheelchair tray, and asked if Rebekah still thought God had forgotten her. Nick Vujicic was coming as the 2009 Baccalaureate speaker, the man who had talked of hope on TV, and the whole community was invited! A peace and sense of expectancy flooded over her. Maybe she could exchange her self pity and depression for a life filled with power, love and a sound mind.
She began to recognize what was true again and asked the Holy Spirit to prepare her heart for the message that would be shared. Again, God’s word became alive in her heart, and she asked Him to do a mighty work in her school, fasting and praying for the breaking of strongholds in the lives of those who would hear Nick speak. Eph. 3:20 was about to find a new reality in Rebekah’s life also! Not only was she set free by the power of God in Nick’s testimony of hope and love, she was privileged to share her heart in a special time of prayer with him, and found courage to face the challenge of taking her eyes off of her disability and trusting in God’s ability, getting her focus back on Jesus and bringing Him glory.
In June of 2010, Rebekah was asked to pray the prayer of dedication for her senior class Baccalaureate, 2 years before the “projected” date of her graduation! She continues to speak at camps, to business groups, and in each new venue God provides, following her heart to reach a hurting world with the love of Christ and a message of hope & God’s transforming power, as He enables her to view her wheelchair, not as a prison, but as a pulpit with wheels. To God be the glory, great things He has done, is doing and will continue to do!
I Have cp; it will NEVER have me- voices
Hey friends;
I WOKE up in frustration today with all the can'ts of life yelling in my ears... YOU CAN'T walk, You can't dress yourself...WHO CARES? r u wondering the same thing?
Then I Attempted to stand up; but i landed Square on my noggin...LOL yOUR forehead is round!!
Imagine for a momment that all us of where able to get past the negative voices in our head. Some shout failure,others paralyze you with defeat,saying u r not good enough... there is a way to drowned them out for the last time... by tuning your ears to a still small voice that calls to each one of us, like a father calls to his child! This voice is Gods voice.
HE has called you by name out of a ok life to an extroidenary life filled with joy.You can call on him today... He will Answer you!
I WOKE up in frustration today with all the can'ts of life yelling in my ears... YOU CAN'T walk, You can't dress yourself...WHO CARES? r u wondering the same thing?
Then I Attempted to stand up; but i landed Square on my noggin...LOL yOUR forehead is round!!
Imagine for a momment that all us of where able to get past the negative voices in our head. Some shout failure,others paralyze you with defeat,saying u r not good enough... there is a way to drowned them out for the last time... by tuning your ears to a still small voice that calls to each one of us, like a father calls to his child! This voice is Gods voice.
HE has called you by name out of a ok life to an extroidenary life filled with joy.You can call on him today... He will Answer you!
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