Friday feels

Sitting at the pain management doctor and feeling a bit overwhelmed & frustrated. The back pain is better but sciatic nerve is being pinched by the herniated disc and driving me CRAZY. For 2 weeks I've been standing at work and sitting only minimally. Sitting makes it worse. Driving is rough  and nothing seems to bring relief except standing up or laying flat!  I am over it.

Fast forward... we leave next Thursday for our anniversary trip and I WILL NOT let this hold me back. I am @ the doctor for my consultation and planning to have an epidural shot Monday and praying for immediate results!
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God wants to empower and strengthen you to overcome every obstacle in this life. He wants to give you confidence, wisdom and boldness to pursue the dreams and desires in your heart. He wants to give you supernatural insight so that you can be a witness of His goodness. In the Scripture, Peter and John were supernaturally equipped. Everyone around them marveled at their boldness, at their ability. They knew Peter and John didn’t have any formal training. They knew there wasn’t anything special about them. This power and wisdom could have only come from one place—the presence of Jesus. Friend, when you spend time with Jesus, people will see it. You’ll be energized by His anointing and equipped by His grace. That’s why it’s so important to take time every day to be in His presence. No matter where you are, His presence is only a prayer away. Scripture says He is near to all who call upon His name. It says that He inhabits the praises of His people. Make your relationship with Him your number one priority and be empowered by His presence each and every day!

PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Heavenly Father, I humbly come before You giving You all that I am. I surrender every area of my life to You and invite You to have Your way in my heart. Empower me with Your love as I daily set my focus on You in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Happy Friday, everyone!

Amazing Grace

I have started writing on here 3 or 4 times over the past month but kept putting my phone down thinking .. "I'll do it later"  It takes energy and lately I am lacking much of that.

The communion song at church today was "Amazing Grace." One of my FAVORITE songs. I seriously get tears in my eyes EVERY SINGLE time I hear it. This verse gave me some needed energy:

The Lord hath promised good to me,

His word my hope secures;

He will my shield and portion be

As long as life endures

God promises to bring good out of all the hard areas. Two weeks ago, I woke up on a Monday morning and could barely walk. (No exaggeration) I have never felt so helpless. I was sitting at my chiropractors office @ 7am. (My back had been hurting for 4 weeks but I had been going to the chiropractor and she was adjusting me which gave so much relief.... it was better and the pain had slowly gone away.) She was a bit concerned so she sent me to another doctor for a shot, muscle relaxers and pain meds. We drove home and I literally laid down all day on a heat pad, popping pain meds & muscle relaxers every 6 hours. I was miserable. I have never had so much physical pain in my life. 

Tuesday morning I woke up and the condition had worsened. Nic drove me back to the doctor. 2 hours and an MRI later, I was sitting with an orthopedic neauro spine doctor hearing "you have a herniated disc (L5, S1) & 2 degenerative discs. What?! How? How can HE allow this to happen to me? I have had 2 suregeries already this year and I just want my body to feel normal again. I couldn't even think straight. Nic and i just stared at each other. We didn't even know what questions to ask. 

Do i have to have surgery? He said that first we would try a steroid dose pack, stronger muscle relaxers and stronger pain meds. I was on "bed rest" basically for 4 days. After lots and lots of prayer, I woke up a new woman on Saturday. 

Monday morning I was back at work. I was so excited to be back in a routine!! However, after lunch (2:30 or so), I started feeling sick. I called a good friend/coworker to my office , she brought me a fan, ice packs and called Nic to come get me. I was getting hot quicker than i could shed my clothes. Food poisoning took me out for 2 days.

I remember laying on the bathroom floor (literally begging for Nic to call 911) and asking God "Why? Why? Why?" 

The scariest part (Other than literally getting so hot so quickly I thought I was going to pass out) was the doctor had told me that coughing, sneezing and laughing can literally cause someone to throw a disc (similar to what I was dealing with) and here I am throwing up and dry heaving. I was terrified but I am here today. Another trial that I walked out of.

Lord if this must be necessary then continue to give me eyes to see as I walk.

A beautiful reminder of his faithfulness (this was our backyard last week, no filter used... isn't it amazing?)