Affliction

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Romans 12:12

Joyful in hope...yes!

   Patient in affliction...ugh!

      Faithful in prayer...ok.

I find it hard to be patient in affliction, especially when everyone in my family is afflicted. Yes, officially every one of us. We all have a condition that needs to be managed and guess who's the manager?

As we draw more blood and send off more biohazardous samples to yet another lab, I lean on God's word and cry. Yes, cry! Jesus wept and I weep a lot because I'm so dang tired of caregiving when I'm sick myself.

You know what else we found out when we were at the doctor's office? It's good to cry. Really, really good. In fact, she prescribed it, because if we don't, our cortisol (stress hormone) levels rise and do terrible things to our bodies. So whenever I feel stressed out by all these trips to the doctor, I cry.

I also have joyful hope because God sent us to the right physician for help. Two weeks ago, my 17-year old daughter, Dania, was diagnosed with Lyme Disease. Her blood count's at a chronic level which means she's probably had it for several years. It is a missing piece of the depression puzzle so for that I'm eternally grateful.

I'd greatly appreciate your prayers...
           especially for patience and perseverance during these trials.

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:2-4