He may not always give us what we want; but He always gives us what we need.

Many, many thanks to everyone who has prayed for me over the last week. I have felt your prayers and they are making a difference! Today the doctor told me that the hearing tests from today showed improvement in the hearing in my left ear, so that is a big encouragement. I will see him in a couple of weeks to be tested again.

What I am learning through this so far.....
1. I still do not like to be sick. I'm pretty much your typical Type A personality.....very little gets in my way of making lists, working hard, getting stuff done, etc.
2. I am acutely aware (and a wise friend mentioned this today) that the Lord is probably trying to tell me to slow down and rest. I totally agree....I'm just not sure how to do it. I don't know what to cut out...can't cut out being a wife and mom; can't cut out working our business; can't cut out church responsibilities........I will continue to pray for wisdom and direction about this.
3. He is always with me, even when I feel so alone and overwhelmed. Yesterday was a very hard day...and at the exact moment when I felt the enemy pressing in hard, my sweet sister-in-law texted to tell me she was praying for me right then.
---Did she have x-ray vision to see into our vehicle as I drove like a bat out of you-know-where to get home after the indoor track meet?...where I felt totally deaf; a wreck had shutdown the interstate; my head was all stopped up; and we met every red light between exiting the interstate and our house--what should have been a 30 min trip home, turned into a 1hr 15 min trip, that probably really scared my kids because I was acting like a complete idiot.
---Of course not....so I know the Lord spoke to her....and that is so comforting to me. That at a time when I felt so down and defeated, He was there for me and she responded in obedience to let me know.

To be honest, the difficult afternoon caught me off guard because my morning started so well. Our campus pastor, Blake Lindsey, spoke at 21 DOP. He shared from his heart and the Lord spoke to me through him. One of his main points was...."He may not always give us what we want; but He always gives us what we need."

It's no secret, I want my full hearing back. I pray for that. But, I'm also praying for His will to be done.....whatever that may be. I've finally reached a point in my life....and it's been quite the journey over the last 10 years....where I completely believe His plans are best; His ways are best; and He does give me what I need. Those things might be hidden to me at the moment; but my truest desire is to be more like Him; to love more like Him; to really know Him. And I've come to learn that being conformed to His likeness requires some kind of sacrifice.

I'm also extremely hopeful. We have seen it in the past that just prior to some pretty big breakthroughs and answers to prayers, some difficult trials appear. We spent much of 2016 praying for some big things for our family; so I'm wondering if this trial is a precursor to something much greater.  My main prayer is that through this experience, I'll find joy in the small victories and respond from a point of grace when the physical circumstances themselves are extremely difficult.

If you are going through something hard right now, my prayer is that you, too, may experience His true rest as you come to trust that He will truly give you what you need.....because He is enough.