Reaching the bottom.

In the last week I could see the bottom of the Chemotherapy pill container come in sight and last night the last Chemo pill went down with much relief. This is going to give me a very welcome fourteen day break from Chemo treatments. In the last couple of days things have been changing again, my appetite is slowly returning and after losing 10 Lbs it appears that it too has bottomed out. I am not as tired as before and my energy level is better than it was. God is answering prayers.

It is beautiful and amazing when the Lord shows His grace, compassion and care when I reached low points, times when I wondered how I would ever get through it all. It is in those times that God showed to me that I am not walking this path alone. It made me think of the famous poem “Footprints” Through these difficult times God has made my faith grow stronger.

Each day I receive a devotion from Grace Gems and want to share the one from yesterday.
Job 23:10 But he knows the way that I take; when he has tried me, I shall come out as gold.

The Lord puts all of His people into His furnace! Some are long in melting and refining--and with others the work is quick. But long or short, the Lord will keep His people in the fire--until they are purified! A genuine Christian loses nothing in the furnace, but his dross. He comes forth bettered, purified, refined. He is more humble, his faith is more simple, and his life more spiritual. He shines like molten gold, and reflects the image of the great Refiner. (James Smith 1867)

I pray that this will indeed be so for you and for me. I thank the Lord for His great blessings we receive each day. Again I want to thank you for your prayers, cards and tokens of love. God be with you.
John

Footprints.
One night I dreamed a dream.
I was walking along the beach with my Lord. Across the dark sky flashed scenes from my life. For each scene, I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand, one belonging to me and one to my Lord.

When the last scene of my life shot before me I looked back at the footprints in the sand. There was only one set of footprints. I realized that this was at the lowest and saddest times of my life. This always bothered me and I questioned the Lord about my dilemma. 

"Lord, You told me when I decided to follow You, You would walk and talk with me all the way. But I'm aware that during the most troublesome times of my life there is only one set of footprints. I just don't understand why, when I need You most, You leave me."
He whispered, "My precious child, I love you and will never leave you, never, ever, during your trials and testings. When you saw only one set of footprints, It was then that I carried you."                          Author Unknown.