Dee2rites Blog

Category: Personal Experiences

  • I Didn’t Plan This Trip – Making Choices

              “I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live”  Deuteronomy 30:9

    In the course of our lives, we have to make many choices. Whether to follow Jesus and choose Him is a major one. Choosing whether to marry, have children, where to live, starting or leaving a job, all important choices most of us have had to make at some point in our lives. Daily decisions like what to eat for lunch, what to wear, whether to get up with the alarm or to push the snooze button are decisions we make almost without thought. But for the person with Alzheimer’s, sometimes even simple decisions can be overwhelming.

              In the past, when Larry and I would go out to eat, I was always the one who couldn’t decide what to order. It was particularly true if it were a new place, or if they had an extensive menu. Larry could scan the menu and know almost immediately what he wanted to eat. But on this part of our journey, he’s the one who can’t decide, not because of the choices, but because he’s overwhelmed with them.

              When we go to our regular places, he’s comfortable ordering because he always asks for the same thing. Now, new places and new menus are overwhelming for him. Ordering our food is easier if I make suggestions for him, after all we’ve been married long enough I usually know what he will like and he goes with what I suggest. But I’ve learned that I need to only suggest one thing at a time; two or more options are too confusing for him. He can’t decide, but he trusts me to guide him to the right choice.

              There are days when I have to make decisions, and trust God for guidance. What do I do about this or that problem at the house, who do I call for repairs? These are all things I’ve always relied on Larry for, and now he’s not able to take care of them. Yes, I was very spoiled being married to a man who could fix anything. So far, I’ve learned how to take the shower head off in our bathroom so I can soak it in vinegar and remove all the lime scale from the shower head. And then put it back on with plumbers putty so it doesn’t leak! Yea me! I learned how to put weather stripping around a door that was leaking air last spring when we had major wind blowing.

    Yes, I have Someone to guide me, so I know when I need to figure something out and take care of it myself, or call a friend for help.  

              “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding;

    In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6

    Peace and blessings in our Lord Jesus Christ,

    Dee

  • I Didn’t Plan This Trip

    I Didn’t Plan This Trip

    “So do not worry or be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will have worries and anxieties of its own. Sufficient for each day is its own trouble.”

    Matt. 6:34 AMPC

    In 2020 my husband and I embarked on a journey we never planned. He was having some problems with his memory, and I had noticed he had difficulty with his thinking occasionally. He was already seeing a VA neurologist for restless legs, so we requested that he be tested. Since this was in the beginning of the Covid shut-down, the VA had cancelled all in-person visits. So, she ordered a brain scan at the local hospital, and a few days later over the phone she confirmed our fears – there were plaque spots on his brain that could indicate dementia. But at that time, she offered no treatment.

              It’s been 5 years now, and so much has changed. The journey we never signed up for. A journey we wouldn’t wish on anyone. Day by day, I’m having to lean on my faith in God and His promises more and more. Some days are better than others. And no two days are the same. That is what this blog is about, our journey. I pray that it will help others who are on the same journey, if nothing else just know you are not alone.

              I have no answers, even his neurologist has no definitive answers. The medications available are limited, and they do not offer a cure, they only offer limited hope that maybe they can slow it down.  The National Institute on Aging says “Alzheimer’s is a progressive disease, where dementia symptoms gradually worsen over a number of years. In its early stages, memory loss is mild, but with late-stage Alzheimer’s, individuals lose the ability to carry on a conversation and respond to their environment.”

              What I know is, Alzheimer’s is a despicable disease. Slowly stealing your loved one from you and your family. If you’re on this journey, you are not alone. I pray that you, and I, find our hope and peace in Jesus Christ.       

    Peace and blessings in our Lord Jesus Christ,

    Dee

  • The Happiest Time of the Year?

    “Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; For I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God.”  Psalm 42:11

    For many people, the holidays are a time of celebration, parties, and happy family gatherings. But for some, that is not always true. Empty chairs are a reminder of loved ones who are not here this year. Memories of sad times are more poignant and a reminder of past loses and failures. Deployed family members are missed more sharply during Christmas celebrations. So how do we cope? Those who are Christians, often experience guilt over not being happy during the season we celebrate the birth of our Lord, adding to our feelings of loneliness, sadness and depression.

              Temporary holiday blues can be due to unrealistic expectations, overplanning, and overspending which adds to stress. These are things which can be corrected by less shopping, and keeping expectations of a good holiday more realistic.

              But what about those who are experiencing real hurt, who are missing loved ones or who suffer from S.A.D. (Seasonal affective disorder, a type of depression that occurs usually during fall or winter.) These feelings are real and cannot just be dismissed.

              Here are just a few things that God has shown me over the years.

    1. Celebrate the life of your loved one who has passed. Enjoy the memories you have of them, and remind yourself, that if they were believers in Jesus Christ, they are celebrating in heaven.
    2. Give yourself permission to cry and call out to God, being honest with your Heavenly Father. Many of the Psalms of David were him calling out to God, reminding himself to praise Him even when times were bad.
    3. Take care of yourself physically. Get plenty of rest, go for walks or do other exercise. Shower and get dressed, even if you don’t feel like it. Sisters, style your hair and put on your make-up. Brothers, shave or trim your beard. Eat healthy meals, and limit carbs and sweets.
    4. Spend time alone with God, meditating on His Word and praying. The Psalms are an excellent place to spend time meditating.
    5. Look for someone else to bless. Take a meal to someone who is also missing a loved one. Call or text someone you haven’t connected with in a while. Give a lonely child, or adult, a hug. Ask God to show you who He  would like for you to reach out to and bless.
    6. Spend time with others, especially other believers. When we’re depressed, our tendency is to shut ourselves out from other people. While that is ok occasionally, we mustn’t allow that to become our norm. Go to church. Go to family events. Go wherever God leads you.
    7. Seek help. If your feelings become overwhelming, there are people ready and able to help you. Counseling with a Christian counselor can help you work through those feeling. But if you start having thoughts of suicide, call for help immediately. In the USA, you can call or text 988 to get help.

    When the Apostle Paul wrote to the Philippian church to “rejoice, and again I say rejoice” he was sitting in a nasty Roman prison, facing certain execution. Here’s just a few of the things he wrote in the 4th chapter of Philippians:

    V. 4 “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!

    V. 6-7 “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

    V.8 “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.”

    God didn’t create us to be down, sad or depressed. Jesus said that He came that we might have LIFE and have it more abundantly. So my prayer for you during this Holiday Season is that regardless of your circumstances, that you will receive the joy of the Lord, and the peace of God to surround you.

    If you don’t know Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, He’s ready to receive you, that is why He came and went to the cross. Pray “Lord Jesus, I acknowledge I am a sinner and need a Savior. I repent of my past sins, and I ask You to come into my heart right now. I believe You died on the cross for my sin, and You were resurrected on the third day. I receive you as my Lord and Savior, and I choose to live for You from this day forward. Amen”  Welcome to the family of God!

    Peace and blessings in our Lord Jesus Christ,

    Dee

  • Move Your Body!

    “You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb.

    Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.”

    Psalm 139:13-14 (New Living Translation)

                One of the beautiful things about how our bodies were created is the way we can move. Our elbows, fingers and knees work like hinges. Our shoulders and hips are like ball and joints. And in coordination with our muscles and our nervous system, these  parts of our body help us to move about throughout our day. God created us so wonderfully and marvelously and He made us to move!

                However, as we age we tend to be more sedentary and we do not move our body as we were created to do. As a result our muscles grow weaker, our joints get stiffer and we blame it all on aging. However, God did not create us to sit around and do nothing just because we have some higher numbers in our years or more gray in our hair.

                Weight bearing exercises such as walking or using handheld weights are essential for keeping our bones strong. Women especially are susceptible to broken bones because after their childbearing years are over estrogen, a hormone in women that protects bones, decreases sharply which can cause bone loss.

                When I was in my 40s and 50s, I was a member of a lady’s gym and regularly attended classes for Pilates. I believe those classes kept my body in much better shape than it had been in when I was younger. Not only did I do Pilates, I also worked with a trainer on weight exercises. I really loved the Pilates classes, but some of the weight exercises I had to do with the trainer, not so much!

                Now that I’m 75, I have all the aches and pains and movement issues too many people my age also have. After carpal tunnel surgery and a slow recovery, and now possibly needing rotator cuff surgery, I’ve decided I’m changing that.

                Not having a gym convenient to my location now is not an acceptable excuse. I have found an excellent Pilates teacher on YouTube. She even has exercise videos for seniors! And yes I even bought myself a pair of 3 LB handheld weights to start working with weights again and I fully expect to work back up to being able to use my 5 LB weights, and then even my 10 LB weights.

                So I want to challenge you to first, hold me accountable. And then second, won’t you join me? Yes our bodies are fearfully and wonderfully made and God fully intended for us to keep moving even in our gray haired years.

    Peace and blessings in our Lord Jesus Christ,

    Dee

    P.S. Don’t laugh at the bronze statue – made it when I was in college! Great art! LOL

  • Delayed but not Stopping

                Ever feel like you’re just spinning your wheels? I have. Ever since I decided to turn my wreath-making hobby into a full-time business and I opened my Etsy shop, it seems like there’s been one thing after another to slow me down. DH had surgery in July, out of town which meant two nights in the hospital for him and three nights in a hotel for me. Not complaining, because I have friends who’re going through much worse and DH’s was relatively minor compared to what they’ve had. But it was time away from work, plus all the follow-up doctor appointments we had to go to in July. Then in August, more doctor appointments.

    Now here comes September, and it starts off with a bang. When I got home last Saturday from grocery shopping, I discovered that our freezer had stopped working and everything in there was defrosting! So I have spent the last two and a half days cooking all the meat that was in our freezer before it could go bad! Thank God I only had to throw out one package of ground sausage and a box of Wagyu Beef patties (insert crying emoji here!). Oh, and forget Home Depot if you need a freezer in a hurry. It takes them 10 days or more to deliver one, depending on the brand and model you want!

    Nevertheless, I am not deterred. Delayed a little at times, but I am not giving up. God had placed a dream in my heart for several years now and I am determined to see it come to pass.  

      “For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome.” Jeremiah 29:11

     “The Lord will command the blessing on you in your storehouses and in all to which you set your hand, and He will bless you in the land which the Lord your God is giving you.”  Deut. 28:8

    Peace and blessings in our Lord Jesus Christ,

    Dee

    https://adorabellahomedecor.etsy.com

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  • God is Faithful, Always

    “O Lord God of hosts, Who is mighty like You, O Lord?   Your faithfulness also surrounds You.”     Psalm 89:8

     

                To say I feel a little overwhelmed would be a major understatement. But not necessarily for the reasons you may think, considering the events of the past week.

    First, I’m overwhelmed at the Greatness and Goodness of our God. In the words of King David, who am I Lord that you would be so gracious to me? God took what could have been a tragic event and showed us His love and His protection over Larry’s life. When he fell and shattered the T9 vertebra, it shattered on three sides but the fourth side stayed intact, protecting his spine.

    Second thing, the peace. Throughout Larry’s hospital stay, during the surgery and recovery, we both had a sense of peace and we know it was from all the prayers being offered on our behalf. Overwhelming peace.

    And third thing, the love.  Not only the love of God covering us, the love of our brothers and sisters in Christ. Phone calls, text messages, hospital visits and gifts, each one reminds us that it is the overwhelming love of Christ through believers that bind us together so we never walk through difficult times alone.

    Larry and I still face some uncertainties, decisions that we’ll have to make that will affect our future. When the doctor tells a contractor that he can no longer climb ladders or lift heavy objects, that’s not what he wants to hear. But we know our God is faithful and He has our future in His hands. As our pastor said this morning, it’s not about how big our faith is, but it is about how big our God is.

    “I have been young, and now am old; Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his descendants begging bread.” Psalm 37:25

     

    Peace and blessings in our Lord Jesus Christ,

    Dee

     

  • Disappointment 101

    “My soul is deeply grieved, even to the point of death. Remain here and stay alert.” Mark 14:34

    How do you handle disappointments? People don’t always behave the way we expect or need them to behave. Even our closest friends or family members let us down. Things happen that we have no control over cause us pain and disappointment. What are we supposed to do with those feelings? Who can we turn to in those times?

    Jesus suffered disappointment in the Garden of Gethsemane. He took Peter, James and John, the inner circle of the twelve men He’d called to follow Him, His closest friends, into the Garden to watch and pray with Him. One of the twelve had already deserted Him and was going to betray Him.

    “Then they went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Sit here while I pray.’ He took Peter, James, and John with him, and became very troubled and distressed. He said to them, ‘My soul is deeply grieved, even to the point of death. Remain here and stay alert.’” Mark 14:32-35

    “Remain here and stay alert” Jesus asked them, but when He returned they had fallen asleep, not once, but three times. When He needed them the most, they were sleeping. (See Mark 14:32-42)

    David wrote in Psalm 31:7 “I will be happy and rejoice in Your faithfulness because You are aware of how distressed I am.”

    God notices our pain, emotional as well as physical. He is aware of our disappointments. But He does more than just notice and be aware. David goes on to say, “But I trust in you, O Lord! I declare, ‘You are my God!’ You determine my destiny!” (31:14, 15a)

    Keep trusting God. He knows what happens in your life, and He has a plan for you. Other people do not have final say in your life – God does!

    Verse 19 says, “How great is your favor, which you store up for your loyal followers! In plain sight of everyone you bestow it on those who take shelter in you.”

    When your friend lets you down, when your spouse disappoints you, when you get passed over at work, pull into Jesus. He knows your hurts and He understands them as no one else can.

    “Therefore since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. For we do not have a high priest incapable of sympathizing with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way just as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and find grace whenever we need help.” Hebrews 4:14-16

    Jesus suffered disappointment without letting it cause Him to sin. He forgave and continued to love those who had let Him down. He held to the plan that after His resurrection, those eleven men would be the leaders and take the gospel to the world. Forgive without being asked, keep loving those who hurt you and hold fast to Jesus.

    David closes Psalm 31 saying, “Be strong and confident, all you who wait on the Lord!”
    Be strong. Be confident. Wait on the Lord.

    Peace and blessings in our Lord Jesus Christ,
    Dee

    References: New English Translation (NET)
    Mark 14:32-42
    Psalm 31
    Hebrews 4:14-16

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  • Learning to Read the Bible

    “Your Word have I hid in my heart that I may not sin against You.”  (Psalm 119:11)

         Last Saturday I decided I had to clean my kitchen. I mean really clean it. Not the daily wash the dishes, wipe off the counter type cleaning but a through floor to ceiling cleaning. I felt a little overwhelmed – like where to start? I think that’s how many people feel about reading their Bible. They want to do it, know they need to do it, but where do they start?

         When I first began to desire to know God more and to know His Word, I thought well, I’ll start at the beginning. I’d never read much of the Bible except for excerpts I’d read in church and Sunday School. I’d certainly never read it through.  So the next morning after I’d taken my son to kindergarten, I sat down with my King James Bible and started reading. Genesis 1:1 – “In the beginning God . . . .” Yep, this was where I needed to start. I decided I could read a couple of chapters every day and then I’d know the Bible. It started off interesting enough, but I didn’t really get any goosebumps or spiritual high from it. But I felt good because I felt like I was doing what I needed to be doing.

          That was wonderful until I got to chapters 10 and 11. I started reading the genealogies, who begat whom,  who was the father of whom and fell asleep trying to get through it. Had not a clue who most of those people were or why it was important all their names be listed.  But I continued. Not really understanding what I was reading, and finding my self frequently skipping ahead, trying to find some point for all this. Thankfully before I just gave up and quit, a dear friend helped me out. What she suggested to me is what I suggest to you now.

         First find a modern translation like the New International or the New Living Bible. The Message is great for anyone who is new to reading the Bible. Before you start reading, pray and ask the Holy Spirit to be your Teacher and to help you receive something from God from His written word.  Jesus said the Holy Spirit would be our teacher and He would teach us all things. (See John 14:26). Start with the Gospel of John and there you will met Jesus, the Son of Man. If  you want to also read something from the Old Testament, start with the Psalms or Proverbs. There you will find comfort and practical thoughts for living. Then read one of the other gospels, Matthew, Mark or Luke.  The book of Ephesians is good to help learn about who we are in Christ.

         Don’t feel like you have to read any set amount. It’s better to spend time reading and meditating on one verse and learn something for your life than to read long passages and not really absorb anything.  When you find  something that starts to speak to you, stop and read it again, several times even. God reveals Himself to us in small steps and He knows what we need to receive and learn from Him.  And He knows our heart. If we desire to know more of Him and His Word, God’s desire is even greater for our fellowship with Him through His Word.

          It’s been over 30 years since I first started on my journey studying God’s Word.  Little did I know then the wonderful treasures God had in store for me or the life-long love relationship I was beginning with Jesus and His written word. Even today, every time I read  a passage and take the time to meditate over it, I learn something new. His Word is as fresh as the most recent on-line news feed. It’s as relevant today as it was the day it was written. There is so much, we will never know it all in this life. 

    “How can a young person stay pure? By obeying your word and following its rules. 
    I have tried my best to find you– don’t let me wander from your commands. 
    I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. 
    Blessed are you, O LORD; teach me your principles. 
    I have recited aloud all the laws you have given us. 
    I have rejoiced in your decrees as much as in riches. 
    I will study your commandments and reflect on your ways. 
    I will delight in your principles and not forget your word. “
    (Psalm 119: 9-16)

    Peace and blessing in our Lord Jesus Christ,
    Dee

  • DEBRIDEMENT OF THE SOUL

    Have you ever been in a bad place emotionally or spiritually and thought it would be that way the rest of your life? The days so dark you believed you’d never feel right again? I have. I’ve been in that place. I understand exactly what the Psalmist was talking about in the 102nd Psalm:

    “By reason of my loud groaning [from suffering and trouble] my flesh cleaves to my bones.

    I am like a melancholy pelican or vulture of the wilderness; I am like a [desolate] owl of the waste places.

    I am sleepless and lie awake [mourning], like a bereaved sparrow alone on the housetop.”

    (Psalm 102:5-7, The Amplified Bible)

    When my mother died in June 2000, it was unexpected. Even though her health had not been good, none of us, except perhaps my dad, had a hint it was as bad as it was. As Christians, we all rejoiced that she was no longer in pain and that she was with her Lord, but that did not mean our pain or our lost was not real.

    Over time, my grief turned to anger and I turned inward. Outwardly, I said and did all the things expected of me. I told my children not to be angry at God because Mamma was gone, but inside I was questioning God. How could He let this happen without preparing me?

    I became angry because I didn’t feel my husband was as supportive as he should have been, but I was too inward to tell him what I needed. Issues arose in our marriage and we became more and more distant. When we did reconcile, it was still not as it should have been because I began substituting my relationship with my husband for the relationship I’d once had with God. I expected more of my husband than God ever intended.

    Except for a couple of friends, most of the people at my church were clueless about what I was going through. Even those who knew I’d lost my mother had no idea that I was struggling. I kept my feeling inside, not letting anyone close enough to see my pain. We stopped going to church for a while because I felt the church had let me down.

    I stopped reading my Bible or praying. I questioned God’s love for me or if I had really ever heard from Him. But even when I was deep in unbelief, there was still a small spark of hope. God’s call to us is “without repentance” – He promised to never leave or forsake us, even when we turn our backs to Him.

    Sometimes God uses things from unexpected sources to reach us. The Creator of the universe creates a way to reach us even at our lowest. For me, it was a song. Not a “Christian” song, but God used it to scratch the scab on my heart.  The same year my mother died, Kathie Lee Gifford put out a CD “Born For You”. I’d listened to it many times, but one night while I was up late writing, one special song touched that small spark in me and something began to break.

    “I’d like to lose all time again

    And look for trees to climb again

    Recite a little rhyme again

    And dream a reckless dream.

    For someone I’ve exiled in me

    Awoke today and smiled in me.

    I need to find the child in me again.”

    (Child in Me Again, written by Annie Dinerman)

    Yes, I needed to find the child in me again – the child who’d trusted God with her whole heart without question or reservation. The child who could laugh at life and who loved without reservation or expectation.  I sat face to face with who I’d become and desperately wanted to go back to the child I had been before. The last line of the chorus goes, “Oh I need to recapture the truths I’ve unlearned.” I needed to recapture The Truth I’d turned from.

    I still was a long way from being spiritually or emotionally healed, or even wanting to do what I needed to do to get there. But it was beginning. Some of the hardness had been removed.

    A few days later I “just happened” to read a verse of scripture from the Message Bible in a magazine.

    “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me – watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” (Matt.11:28-30, The Message Bible)

    It was as though Jesus was speaking directly to me, inviting me to just walk with Him. “Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.” I don’t have to try to please anyone. I don’t have to be a certain way. Religion had burned me out and let me down. He was offering me what I’d needed all along – a relationship with Him alone.

    There is a medical procedure called Debridement which is the medical removal of infected tissue to improve healing of healthy tissue. It can be painful, but sometimes is necessary for the antibiotic treatment to work. Once the infected or dead tissue is removed the healing medicine can be applied.

    Sometimes we need something to remove the dead part of our souls before the healing balm of God’s Word can heal what remains. It can be a painful process, but if we allow it, the Holy Spirit will do a work in us that will start the healing process that comes with the application of the Word.

    “He sends forth His word and heals them and rescues them from the pit and destruction.” (Psalm 107:20, The Amplified Bible)

    Whatever is the cause or source of your pain, whatever the pit is you’ve fallen in, or whatever the sorrow is you’re carrying, you are not alone. Allow the Spirit of God to move in your life and He will heal you. The process may not be easy, it probably won’t be exactly what you expect, but true healing is yours through our Lord Jesus Christ.

    Peace and blessings,
    Dee

  • March 26, 2009

    I’ve been cleaning house and clearing out some clutter. I cleaned out the pantry and threw out some stuff that was stale or expired and probably not that good for us when it was fresh. All this cleaning makes me wonder how many of us are walking around with emotional garbage, that’s expired and bad for us. But like the ignored pudding mixes and stale crackers in my pantry, we’ve hung on to it.

    Many times we hang on to emotional hurts because of fear to let them out; we feel shame about them so instead of seeking help, we hide it and hang on to the hurt. It’s even sadder when those hurts were caused by someone else and we had no control over it. Like sexual assault.

    How many women have been either molested or raped and are like I was for many years, walking around, wounded and fearful. Afraid of being hurt again, afraid of someone finding out.  I was very sure that if I told anyone about what happened, they would say it was my fault. After all I was with someone my parents trusted and was a friend. I only told my husband after we’d been married many years and I felt safe enough to tell him. He was angry, but not at me. Then it happened to someone close to me. She did not have to tell me what had happened; I recognized the signs in her eyes. I knew her pain and tried to talk to her about it, but she was afraid to tell me. Afraid I would judge her. It took her a long time to finally admit to me what had happened. It was not her fault, but she took the blame and the shame.

    As women we do ourselves and other women a great disservice by continuing to carry the shame for something that’s not our fault. Let the men who did it feel the shame. Once we come out into the open and talk about what happened, we take back our power. If we are open about what happened to us, we will begin to heal. Once we’re healed, we will be in a position to help our sisters.

    According to the U.S. Department of Justice’s National Crime Victimization Survey there were 248,300 sexual assaults in 2007.  That means that every 2 minutes, someone in the U.S. is sexually assaulted. Sexual assault is the most under reported crime against individuals. One study shows that only 16% of all assaults are reported to the police. Another university study reported that 1 in 5 college women said they’d been forced to have sexual intercourse.  It happens to someone every 2 minutes.

    Bad things happen to us in this life, but God offers healing and help if we only cry out to Him.

    “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, Because the LORD has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor;
    He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to [those who are] bound;
    To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn,
    To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.”     (Isa 61:1-3, NJKV)

    He wants to heal your broken heart. He wants to free you from the prison of shame. He wants to comfort you from mourning. He will give you beauty in living a joyful life for the ashes of despair. He will take that spirit of heaviness and give you a garment of praise. It will be a beautiful thing and God  will be glorified in you.

    Peace and blessings.

    Dee