“Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.”
– Colossians 3:12-13 KJV

“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
– Romans 5:8 KJV

Lord, boy did I mess up on this bible study. Even back when I was doing it and making notes, and did it know it. Or if I did, I completely forgot and messed up again. I think You finally let me see how. The titles in the book for each day were messed up. I mean I am sure the person prayed for guidance and You led her to write it just the way it was. I did see the playfulness in the wording and how it related, but I do believe it is what messed me up so much that I accidentally started doing the same thing in getting it on the blog.

This one came from a day called Remade To Love In My Family, but there was never a MADE to Love In My Family. So when the titles that did a RE-whatever the title was before HAD a title before, I guess I assumed this one did too. As I look the next several days had a RE to a title that was NOT before. So if You don’t mind I’ll just keep going with personally made titles as You had me doing to try to prevent the confusion.

I’m sorry, Lord, for not doing a better job of paying attention. I try. I really do, and I know You know that. When I did this study, I was telling a friend of mine who knew I was doing it that I had no notes to share because I had not been really noting enough to share any with them or on the blog. As I would later look in my little notebook, You pointed out that I had what You were giving me and that was enough. When I started to pick back up where I left off I did not notice 6 days worth of noting missing. Again when typing them up, I did not notice either. It was being done with a 5 week study in 2 weeks that was throwing the huge red flag. Maybe that is why it felt so short when doing them?? Anyway, I deleted the last 2 I had up, along with the 4 You allowed me to get scheduled, and just took the big TIME OUT You were blowing the whistle on.

It took me the whole week to get a chance to look over just what was going on. Now I see, I DID do the study, but got very confused over the titles, stopped noting, then thought I wasn’t really getting anything to share, and was just enjoying it between You and me. However, later on I realized I had more notes than I thought, it was the book that was confusing. It still is, but with Your help I can still try to get it back on track. That means this one and the 5 to follow will actually be blogged as I am reading them. Being as so many messages You have sent me this week have been clearly dealing with being lost, it seems quite appropriate. Even Sue Mulhare of New Hope Church in Toowoomba, Australia had a message this week…

What To Do When You’re A Little Lost

that fit right in, and actually gave me a little bit of an answer to that nagging question You and I know I deal with. Wouldn’t You know it (and of course You would 😉 ) it’s the same answer You’ve always given me. I loved the song Sue mentioned she stumbled across.

Defender
was another perfectly related piece to the puzzle.

Those favorite lyrics of Sue’s were powerful.

When I thought I lost me
You knew where I left me
You reintroduced me to Your love
You picked up all my pieces
Put me back together
You are the defender of my heart

And how did all of this tie into today’s study and title of being Made to Love My Family? Because that is exactly what I did with my week. You led and I followed. The majority of the week was about Bobby (my 86 yr old stepdad) and his home health care team. All of our family worked together to get through this week when we also had a family crisis happen that we knew nothing about with my brother in law Tim cracking 4 ribs and having an infection. We ran the needed medical errands for Tim because Nathan (my brother who is Tim’s nurse) could not leave him because Tim was a fall risk. It’s what led to the ribs. Tim is a hospice patient dealing with a lot. My sister Sandra was doing these errands with me while wearing her bedroom slippers inside oversized shoes from the Goodwill in a search for shoes that she could get into. Her old shoes came apart. So many stores! For several days! Thank You for allowing the temporary ones You led her to. I pray the ones coming will be the shoes we have both been saying You have waiting for her! My son Anthoni stayed with Bobby one day so the home health care team could talk to him. He does a great job helping us look out for Bobby.

Bobby’s home health care team have been diligently looking out for him. They were sent by his doctor who has not seen him in several months and understands we’re trying to keep him home away from others, especially with both of his lungs already damaged, living with COPD, using a CPAP machine, and a nebulizer machine several times a day, and still struggles with his breathing. Bobby has to do needed bloodwork for the medicine he takes since he had his stroke in 2015, and to see how he is doing over all. Just day before yesterday, we were all in a circle (with masks and gloves) praying with his nurse because she had spent the whole day traveling around to different patients, was now seeing Bobby, all while her own husband and father both had been sick enough during the week that they were believed to have COVID. Praise the Lord they tested negative! But Stephanie had still came to work to look out for others!

So that is how family relates to this week. That time out was needed to focus. You still had me to post… by sending me awards! Anabel of Lebana’s Journey nominated me for The Ideal Inspiration Award, and Stu of Something to Stu Over nominated me for The Outstanding Blogger Award. My WordPress Family sent me so many encouraging messages. That’s how You work! You tell us to be still and know You are God… and You did just that. I took that break and You showered me with encouragement. And along the way allowed me to share that encouragement with the nominees! What do You do when voices of doubt whisper in my ear? You send Sue that message to encourage her! Sue shares it and encourages me! The song is a tender hug that assures You know my heart’s cry and are fighting for me where I don’t even know I have a war going on… a spiritual warfare. Your leading becomes my victory! Because YOU are my victory every single day!

Thank You for leading me through my wilderness. Thank You for leading our family! Thank You for protecting Stephanie’s family! Thank You for being the chain of encouragement for my WordPress family! Thank You for leading Sue all the way over in Australia, and then sharing a glimpse of that precious time You had with her. Thank You for the powerful message in that tender song. Thank You for helping me get this Bible study thing worked out. And thank You most of all for still being the God of Psalm 46:10.

“Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.”

I love You, Father God!
Thank You for making me a part of Your family! ❤

Inspiration: WGWM Study Notes, Week 2 Day 3