RENEW YOUR STRENGTH

I want to share my experience with you hoping it can be
an encouragement to you.

I have what they call "Aplastic Anemia".   My body just plain
and simple quit making blood a little over a year ago.  God in
his mercy has allowed the medicines to help and my body
seems to be making some blood now.  But  I am still dependent
on frequent transfusions.

But it is "strength" that we want to consider right now.  I lost all
my strength with this sickness.  For a while I was so weak I could
not get out of my chair with out pulling on something or someone
helping me.  Of course any work was out of the question, period.

BUT -

God said,
"...they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength,..."
-(Isaiah 40:31 RSV)

Some versions use the word "trust" instead of "wait".  Take your
choice.  And I would stress that I do not feel God gave me that as
a promise.  Simply, he said it.  And I tried to wait, trust, walk with
God looking for an increase in strength.

Strength was very slow in coming, if any at all.   So slow that I was
complaining to God about it.  But, a short time back I got more serious
with God over the issue.  You know, "God, where is this strength you
promised?"

Shortly after that inside of just a few days I felt like my old self.  Did
not feel sickly at all.  No I have not regained all my strength back - yet.

The image above is a garden bed I am working on.  You cannot see
how deep it is.  But what you see in it is old damp horse manure.  It
was loaded the other night and made my little old truck squat down
like a dog doing something on the lawn.  I had to drive home in only
the lower gears.   It was too heavy to get into one of the high gears.

The point I'm making.  Yesterday morning in about two hours I unloaded
that stuff, a shove full at a time, into that garden bed.  Yes, it pretty much
wore me out for the day.  But even two months ago I could not have
thought about doing that little bit.

It's God I'm thanking.    Have you lost your strength?  Turn to the one who
gives life and strength to start with.  Jesus Christ.  Get real close and know
him personally very well.  You will not be sorry.