Photo: Takras on Flickr
I have many friends. In fact, I count myself blessed to have such a multitude of amazing people in my life. Today, however, there’s one friend I’m thinking about. I can’t get her off my mind. My heart has been aching for her for the last four days.
See, this friend of mine has asked for my help… she asked for a favor:
She asked me to pray.
I am humbled and honored that she would come to me. That she would ask me to lend her my faith in her time of need, I believe, speaks to the power of God in my life and in hers. I have prayed for her several times since I received that email. The bible tells us in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 to “pray continually”. I believe the reason I can’t stop thinking about my friend and her circumstances is the Holy Spirit of God reminding me to pray for her.
My friend is pregnant. And scared. There are complications.
I hear people say all the time, “God never gives you more than you can handle.” That’s not true. I’m convinced that God will give you infinitely more than you can handle on your own in this life. I’m convinced that God will allow you to experience deep hurts or horrifying fears in order to draw your attention to Him. He will absolutely give you more than you can handle.
But He is more than able and willing to carry our burdens for us… to be our strength when we are weak. Jesus said, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” [2 Corinthians 12:19] The truth is, God will never give you more than you can handle WITH HIM.
Jesus tells us, in the book of John, chapter 15 and verse 5, “apart from me, you can do nothing.” But in Matthew 19, verse 26 we read, “with God all things are possible.” Oh how beautiful are those words… He is more than willing to carry you through your fears and your pains and take up all the weight of what is hurting you:
28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” [Matthew 11:28-30]
Through all of life’s trials I think my favorite verses of the entire bible are these:
6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” [Phil 4:6-7]
I have known that peace.
Tonight, my prayer for my friend is that she would come to know that peace as well. I wanted to share this prayer, so that those of you reading it might also join me in faith as she is going for some testing tomorrow:
Heavenly Father, Creator God… tonight I bring you my friend. You know her, Lord. You know everything about her. You created Her just as she is for just this moment. Father, as your Word says, you created her inmost being. You knit her together in her mother’s womb… just as you have this tiny baby in her own. Father, God, I trust in your sovereignty. I trust that you ARE love (1 John 4:8). I trust that you have created my friend and her baby for a specific purpose. I pray, Lord, that you would show her your amazing grace through this trial. I pray, Lord, that you would shower her with your mercy right now. I pray, Lord, that you would make your nearness known to her… that you would reveal yourself to her in a way she has never known. I pray, Father, that you would take her mustard seed of faith and let her see the power of that faith move even this mountain that lies before her. Overwhelm her with your peace and surround her with your joy, Lord, as only you can. Heavenly Father, I pray for your favor on her baby. Father, you are merciful [Luke 6:36]. I pray for your mercy in this pregnancy… that this baby, whom she already loves with an unending love, would be healthy and thriving. I pray that you would bless my friend with the best doctors, nurses and technicians and that your hand would guide every move, every decision that would be made for this new little life. I pray also for her husband and the strength and solidarity in her marriage. I pray for her family also, that they would be united with a holy love and compassion for one another and for this baby. Lord, I pray for a powerful movement of your Holy Spirit to work a miracle that will see you glorified in it. Father, as I pray right now, please heal the broken places. Mend the weaknesses and let your power be known. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
I know, I know, you’re never supposed to blog about not blogging… you’re never supposed to apologize for not writing. But I have been completely unable to think about anything other than what’s been going on in my life for the past two months, so I’m finally spilling the beans.
Regardless, I couldn’t wait any longer to say anything; I’m suddenly beginning to grow out of most of my pants so I was beginning to develop a complex over everyone at work thinking I was just putting on weight. Yeah, I have some issues in that department.
I put on weight from when I was about 8 or 9 years old when I was abused. And while that situation is long dealt with and forgiven, what remained was an insecurity and a compulsion that warped me just a little. I first joined Weight Watchers on the advice of my parents at the age of 12 when I weighed roughly 150 lbs at about 5’0″ to put a little perspective to it. That didn’t do a thing, though. I was 12 for goodness sake.
I kept the weight off until I got pregnant in the summer of 2005. I started gaining weight right from the beginning of my pregnancy. I think (or maybe try and justify it?) it was from being really lean when I got pregnant; my body fat % was about 16-18% and for a woman that’s lean. Even at work people were speculating that at over 150 lbs I was anorexic. But by the time I was 3 months pregnant I’d already put on about 15 lbs. Then I had to quit kickboxing when I was 5 months because of the anaerobic nature of it – my doctor was concerned baby wasn’t getting enough oxygen.