Week 5, Lord! Only one more night after tonight. 😦 Thanks for letting me make it! I’m not quite as rested as last week, but I’m not as quite exhausted as I have been either. Truth Five (aka Week 5): Her Gain Is Not Your Loss
Verse for Week: Romans 12:15
“Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep.”

Making it in I got my badge, a prayer card for my request this week
(I asked prayer for my doctor who will be referring me to a new neurologist),
and my door prize ticket.
No prize this week, but I’m still BLESSED You allowed me to find my ticket for a picture. I have such a tendency of losing it within seconds, even if I just go straight to the table. By the time I get my camera (or phone this time), I lose it. More often, without ever finding! Praise Your Holy name I found I was sitting on it, and got the pic! 🙂 Thank you!

Here’s a picture of the BLESSED Rae Dunn cup You allowed me to win last week since my frequency of winning is extremely low. It honestly doesn’t bother me. Of course I love surprises like anyone else, but I love seeing others win too and celebrating with them!
(hey… Lord, That goes with our message and verse this week! 🙂 I also love saving the ticket to get my blogger friends a pic too! 🙂

We had a blessed time in fellowship, even if our numbers are dwindling. Maybe that’s why I was more comfortable talking so much this week. I was so open and honest about my health comparison so much more that after I got in the car I kept telling myself “You shouldn’t have talked so much!” But, Lord, I am just trusting Your leading, and the dear friends You have given me in these precious ladies in the study with me. They share so much with me too.

It’s hard to put your heart out there about things that have already hurt you just to have happened or be happening. It makes it so much harder when that pain is treated like whining or a waste of breath.

We had snacks while we discussed how our week and gone from Truth Five: Her Gain Is Not Your Loss We had so much laughter in discussing different details regarding Jacob, Leah, Rachel, Zilpah, Bilhah, and Laban. Of course we have been discussing Your word with reverence and sincerity, Lord. But it was such a blessing to laugh about those questions and thoughts we are all asking, but usually cannot when around the guys, the children, and those who would take it as gossiping. It was actually the laughter and sharing those questions that shed a better light of understanding, and compassion… in them… and ourselves. Thank You for allowing me to take part.

Keitha let us know her church is having a
Good Friday Walk Thru…Front of card (top photo), back of card (bottom of photo)

and Easter Egg Hunt.We each took some business cards and fliers to share with others.

 We then went into the auditorium and watched Nikki’s video. We then discussed a little bit on the last theme we will have next week Let The Success of Others Encourage You Not Discourage You, and how it was comparison that led to an obsession  for both sisters to think that any gain for one was a loss for the other, and that a loss was actually a victory. Laban made this same comparison with Jacob, and was afraid to let Jacob leave with all he had gained. These sisters could not rejoice for one another because of the same greed and manipulation they had learned from the father. We too can do the same thing. We need to Rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep.” – Romans 12:15

Keitha then said a prayer out loud for all of us, and then we broke up into smaller groups to exchange our prayer cards and take turns praying quietly aloud in our group.
(Did anyone catch that cool oxymoron, Lord? 😉 )Sadly, the card I received has 2 more ladies (Caitlyn and Tara) with breast cancer. Some may or may not remember (or have not read) that our class is praying for one of our own ladies (39 yr old Nikki, not the author of the study) fighting a pretty rough battle with metastatic breast cancer. According to this card Caitlin is in her late 20s.

It was such a blessing to fellowship with the ladies… to laugh… to pray… to participate in the answers for the leader You gave us (Me and God love you, Keitha! ❤ ), and to actually share a little of me with them, as they have shared so much of themselves with me. It may not be the answers that first come to mind, nor those things that must stay between me and You to the grave, but my health is a genuine comparison issue for me. And as I know these ladies and each person who may read this knows in their own secrets that will go with them to the grave, when You, my dear Lord and Savior, bring them out… it will surely be time to deal with them then and You will show us how. There will be no more hiding those secrets.

Oh and thank You, Lord, for helping me to answer another prayer given to You during this study. I was able to stop by Walmart and get the battery to Anthoni’s Kia key fob changed out. (pic 1 and 2 below). Praise Your Holy name it was as simple as buying a small pack of batteries and changing it myself. Thank You for the girl in the jewelry department for showing me the info and demo. Thank You for not having to go to a dealership or anything expensive. I’m still praying about the Explorer keys.

pic 3– Oh and I got a new puzzle book! Thank YOU!!
pic 4 – Also while checking out, I met a lady who had no shame in sharing You!. She actually turned to me and apologized (with enthusiasm) for holding up the line, but gladly explained that she was giving You glory! Of course I told her she was just fine! And praised You with her! (And I prayed for the rest of the line too). Tameika had a darling little girl with just as much life. Tameika then gave me her number because she is opening a restaurant or something to do with food.  She had a sale the next day. I missed the sale, but will be calling her back to see if she still needs me to pass along word about her business. Maybe even just drop by for a bite some time. 😉 At the least I met a new sister in Christ… make that 2. 🙂