I wasn’t going to post something right away this morning…I really was going to wait to get through my devotions before I chose to write something.

I listened to a Proverbs 31 Ministry podcast and identified with one of the woman. She said she frequently found herself spending her quiet time with the Lord in the morning inspired to share her thoughts/a quote/a verse with her Bloggers or on social media…when she realized in that moment she would lose connection with the purpose she was doing the quiet time with the Lord.

It’s like having your best friend over for coffee…you clear your time and table for her (or him) and the two of you settle down to talk…really talk.

When suddenly you reach for your phone to tweet what piece of marvelous wisdom she just shared with you to the meager <100 followers you have on Twitter.

The aha moment between you and friend is lost….and now you have to recapture the connection to move on.

GULP.

GUILTY.

So, I thought to myself, I need a new way to do this…I need to flag my quote/passage or jot a note down of the thought I had so I can stay in communion with my BEST FRIEND.

I decided to change up the order of my devotions- read my Bible Passages first and then go to the books (Jesus Calling, Jesus Always, etc…).

I thought spending time in the Word, praying about it first, and meditating through it sounds more important than being inspired by someone else who wrote their thoughts on a Bible passage.

Then, hopefully, I will have time to write a Blog later about whatever may have been revealed to me…

Sounds good,right?

Well…I opened my Bible today to begin my morning reading in the Psalms. I prayed a fast prayer that my eyes would be open to see what the Lord has in store for me…

And immediately I read Psalm 56…

The thoughts come flooding through me…

I figure…maybe I am wrong, I don’t know- I am new to trying to find a writing discipline- MAYBE if I write my thoughts for you on this first passage then I will not be distracted for whatever it is the Lord will reveal to me and for me next…

As you know, especially if you read my Blog from the other day, I am in a valley.

Thankfully, when I wrote that the Lord’s mercies are new every morning, I was given a blessing at 2 am by being released from the heavy grip of fatigue that Crohn’s plagues me with intermittently.

This morning, I feel more like my “normal” (I use the term loosely!) self.

But, I am still in the valley…the shadow may be more behind me than over me, but I am in the valley nonetheless.

In this time of waiting, I remember the dark days and cling to the memory of the brighter days around them.

Where there has been one, there most certainly has been the other…

That being said~ the tears on my cheeks may be dried and wiped off, my eyes may no longer be swollen, and my heart may not feel as weary or worn…I have not forgotten my suffering one iota.

I also do not think that the cycle of whatever that is is gone forever…in fact, I am fairly certain it will return to me again fairly soon as the need for my medication that treats my Crohn’s grows…(I receive infusions very 8 weeks- I am about 3 weeks away from my next treatment).

This is my reality right now…Like I said before, I am hopeful for continued improvement and (my wise friend told me to claim this next thought) I believe I am getting better…

…but I am still in the valley in the meantime.

Here is where Psalm 56 comes into play~

It started in vs 3 where I near said vehemently aloud as I read it- YES!

When I am afraid, I will put my trust in and faith in You.

In God, whose word I praise;

In God I have put my trust;

I SHALL NOT FEAR.

Bam!

See why I had to write before moving on?! I KNOW someone else needs to hear this other than just me!

But wait, it gets better…

Vs 8

You have taken account of my wanderings;

Put my tears in Your bottle.

ARE THEY NOT RECORDED IN YOUR BOOK??

Here is the TRUTH from that reading as given to me by the Amplified Bible:

Nothing that happens to us escapes God’s notice and care;

[Let that sink in, OK? NOTHING escapes His notice…]

Not a tear falls to the ground that He does not remember.

When we suffer, it is a GREAT comfort to know that God is for us.

[Maybe that should be repeated a few times with different inflections: GOD IS FOR US. GOD IS FOR US. GOD IS FOR US. GOD IS FOR US. GOD IS FOR US.]

Everything that we live through will be put to use for our good.

Folks, I needed that reminder. I needed to share that reminder.

Now, leave me alone so I can dive back into the Word! 😀😉