Standing on the Promises of God

I remember a sweet friend of mine from Florida. She was in our bible study and boy was she a strong prayer warrior. I recall her telling me that she prayed for her husband's salvation for many years, never giving up hope, but being very discouraged along the way many times. Finally, on his death bed, he accepted Jesus into his heart. The point of the story being, keep praying no matter what happens. You never know when the Lord is going to answer your prayer. Sometimes it comes quickly, and sometimes it can take months and yes, it can even take years.Stay the course, keep lifting up your prayer to the Lord.

We never know how God is going to move in a situation or when. He is the only one with the perfect timing, not us. We want everything right now. That's not how the Lord works. He's on a different time table than us and only He knows how all the pieces fit together in each of our lives. Remember this verse? 2 Peter 3:8.... But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. We are definitely on different timetables! 

It is so hard to wait on the Lord. But the Bible tell us that if we do, we will be strengthened along the way. Isaiah 40:29 tells us "He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak." One of the first verses I learned to memorize from the bible is this powerful one from the book of Isaiah about waiting on Him and His perfect timing. It has served me well over the years as I have learned to wait on the Lord through my diagnosis of MS some 20 years ago. I'm still waiting on my healing from this disease. I'm not sure if and when it will happen while I am still on this earth. Maybe I have to wait until I enter into glory to be healed. Maybe the Lord wants to use me just as I am, sickened from disease. Of course I want it to be right now, but what if God has a different plan? That's just one of my prayers. But no matter the prayer, we have to wait on the Lord to answer it in His perfect time. 

Isaiah 40:31

"But those who wait on the Lord

Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint."

Whatever your prayer and whatever your problem, the Lord hears your cries. He is not deaf to your pain. Just remember that the teacher is always silent during the test. Your situation could be the biggest test of your life. 1 Peter 1:7 reminds us  "These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world."

As you wait on the answer to your heartfelt prayer, you will, no doubt,encounter terrible disappointments and stumbling blocks along the way. Your prayer may be for yourself, or for a loved one who is sick or for a wayward child who is lost. It may be for a friend or co-worker. It could be anything or anyone.

We live in a fallen world. Satan, the great deceiver, is constantly nipping at every one of us, wanting to discourage, confuse, confound, and stir up everything. The Bible is very clear about him and his motives. 1 Peter 5:8 tells us loud and clear: Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. He whispers in your ear telling you that the Lord could care less about your prayer or your situation. Don't believe it friend, That is a lie!!! 

God cares about every detail of his children's lives. He knows what's going on. He sees your pain, he is with you. The Bible tells us that Jesus sticks with us through it all. Proverbs 18:24 "One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother."

So I encourage you to give it all to God. Stand on His Amazing Promises. Believe with all your heart that your prayer will be answered by Him. It's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when. But you must be strong and believe with all your heart that He will do just as He says. Matthew 17:20 tells us.... "Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."

One of my favorite hymns is Standing on the Promises of God. It gives me hope, when I am weary. Be blessed by this beautiful song, remembering that the Lord is there with you through the pain and while you are waiting for His perfect answer to your problem. He loves you so much.

My verses for today are above in red.

My prayer for today:

Heavenly Father:

You know what is on my heart. I am believing in Your Promises and perfect Timing. I am believing that the answer to my prayer is coming because you are a God who delivers. Give us the strength we need to endure the waiting period, because we know you will come through just when we least expect it. 

I love you Lord and I thank you in advance for the answer to this prayer.

I pray, Amen and Amen

Are you ready to meet Jesus?

As I come to terms today with the sudden loss of yet another MS warrior that has rocked the MS online world, I can't help but think of my own morality and the mortality of all those suffering with this awful, unpredictable debilitating disease.

For many of us with MS, we are home bound, or definitely in a slower mode than most in this fact-paced world. When we wake up in the morning or going about our day we turn on the computer and are expecting to connect with all of our friends on Facebook, Instagram or any social media platform.

Suddenly, some sad news spreads like wildfire and we learn about yet another unexpected loss of a sweet soul that we have learned to love, sharing their struggles and their story with MS and, we are taken aback. In the last 6 months or so, we've lost 6 souls with MS, all still in the prime of their lives. What's happening many of us MS'ers are asking? What can we do?

Through social media, many of us have been blessed to be able to share our struggles with this disease and take comfort from their sharing their intimate stories, their words of wisdom, uplifting poems, bible verses, images, devotionals, prayers, funny stories, blogs, and the many online Facebook groups devoted to help those of us living with MS.

It really does help us cope with the day to day ins and outs of living with MS. Many of us have never met each other personally, (although I have had the pleasure of meeting quite a few MS'ers over the years.) But we all still feel very connected to each other. We are a special family, and when one of us leaves, there is a big hole.

Those we have unexpectedly lost this year: Linda Rousay, Barbara Garcia, Barbara Bobbi Wohl Hale, Phil Weihofen, Bob Parisi, Jayne Thomas.

Death is something most people don't ever want to talk about, they say it's morbid, yet, death is certain for all of us. That is just a fact of life and we all know that, but when it happens suddenly and unexpectedly somehow it puts all of us on edge, when in reality it shouldn't, should it?

Today, as I mourn the loss of another one of my MS friends, I'm thinking a lot about my own mortality and am comforted that I know when I leave my earthly body, I know exactly what is going to happen to me. Can you say the same?

2 Corinthians 5:8 says "We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord." I'm not worried at all, I'm actually looking forward to death which might sound strange, but to me it isn't strange at all. I trust in Jesus. I know what is going to happen and am confident that what awaits me is quite glorious! I gotta tell you that to know exactly what is going to happen to you when you breathe your last breath on this earth and to be able to take comfort in that. is really quite something.

So, I ask you friend, do you know Jesus as your personal Savior? Jesus is the only way to get to heaven. You can't earn your way. You can't get to heaven being a good person. It doesn't matter how many nice things you do to help others while living on this earth. Nothing you can ever say or do will help you earn your way into heaven. Salvation is a gift from God, plain and simple. He sacrificed His one and only Son to give you that gift.

The Bible is clear about Salvation. Ephesians 2:8-9 tells us " For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—  not by works, so that no one can boast."

We are all sinners, and have been separated from God. Only by Jesus' incredible sacrifice on the Cross are we reconciled back to God. He took our sins and bore the weight of them when he died on that Cross. When we accept Jesus as our personal Savior by confessing our sins and turning from our evil ways, He saves us and we can then enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus is our intercessor to the Father and today He sits at the right Hand of the Lord, interceding on our behalf. Pretty cool, isn't it?

I want you to have the same assurance that I have about where you will spend eternity. It ways heavy on my heart that not everyone I know and love will be with me in eternity. Everyone wants to think that all good people go to heaven because that is what happens when you die, right? If you are good, you go up, if not, you go down. But that is not what the Bible says. The Bible says you must know Jesus as your personal savior to get the golden ticket into heaven. Being a good person has nothing to do with where you spend eternity.

Most people believe in God. Well, if you believe in God, you must believe in the Bible, the inerrant Word of God. And the Bible is very clear about heaven and how to get there. John 3:16 says, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." Then in John 3:36, Jesus goes on to say, "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them." 

I definitely don't want to be in that last category, do you? Do you want God's wrath on you? Not me, that's for sure. So I urge you friend, you need to get yourself right with God and with his son Jesus Christ, while there is still time. Accept Jesus as your personal Savior, and be absolutely, positively certain that when you leave this earth, you know where you are headed. 

For me, I can't wait. Finally free of my earthly shackles of MS, I can joyfully leap into Jesus' waiting arms.

When you accept Jesus into your heart, you begin a whole new life. Not only are you assured of where you will spend eternity, you immediately have the Savior of the World in your heart and in your life to bring you peace that surpasses all understanding. Suddenly all the problems that you encounter don't quite seem as overwhelming as before because, through prayer and supplication, you have an advocate in your corner. 

Let me close this by saying, please friends, if you don't know Jesus, open your heart to Him. You won't regret it. It will give you peace to face anything life throws at you. And you will begin a whole new glorious life in Jesus name!

My verses are above in red.

My prayer for today

Dearest Heavenly Father,

I pray for everyone that does not know you. Open their hearts Lord Help them turn to you, and give their hearts to Jesus. Have them learn to be certain about their eternity. Give them the courage to make the right choice to start a new life in your Son's precious name, Amen

The Language of Love

Last weekend, the world watched as American actress Meghan Markle married Prince Harry in a spectacle of immense grandeur. It was every girls dream, right? You get whisked away and marry your Prince Charming. It really was quite something to behold. Of course the Royal Family did it up right, and spared no expense in giving Harry and his bride to be every thing their hearts desired. I'm sure it was a dream some true for both of them.

              Prince Harry and his beautiful bride Meghan, May 19, 2018

Yes, it was a fairy tale wedding, but now it's over and the hard part comes, living up to those precious vows they took before millions.

Well. as we approach our 40th Wedding Anniversary tomorrow, May 26, 1978-2018, let me tell you a little about my life and my real life Prince Charming. He is an extraordinarily loyal and faithful man who has lived up to every vow he took all those years ago, even in the midst of extreme pressure, turmoil, sickness and heartache. 

                                                                Steve and I on our wedding day, May 26th, 1978

When you get married you never know what lies ahead and you never know if the person you marry will have the gumption to stay true to their vows. You pray they do, but you just really never know, especially in the world we live in right now. The world is a messy place and Satan is all around, just temping you to go the wrong way and make a wrong, unGodly decision.The Bible is clear in 

1 Peter 15:8 " Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." 

So you enter into a new marriage with love and adoration. You could clearly see it in the faces of Meghan and Harry last weekend as they took their vows. It's so sweet to watch. But will it really last?

In those first years, I think all newly married couples are often overwhelmed with the love and devotion they feel for the person they just joined their lives with.

Everything is usually rosy in those early years, You can' get enough of each other both physically, mentally and emotionally. Often, children are born or adopted and they become another bond between the two of you. You get so much joy watching them grow and learning about the world. Your lives settle into a routine and you just go about things, enjoying the special moments and memories you are creating.  Everything is moving along as planned. You have such a wonderful life, it's hard to believe anything could ever disrupt it.

And then, just like that BAM!!!! One trip to the doctor can turn your world totally upside down. All "your" plans are suddenly thrown out the window and you find out very quickly who is really in charge of your life, and believe me, it ain't you! God is the one with the plan, only He knows the course of our lives.

That happened to me back in January 1998. After a month of every test known to man, and a brain biopsy (they thought I had brain cancer) I was finally diagnosed with a chronic debilitating illness, Multiple Sclerosis, that would change the course of my life and the life of my entire family. Looking back, I was overjoyed to learn I had MS because at one point I thought I had metastasized brain cancer.  I thought MS would be a cake walk. Shows you how much I knew. I had no idea of the challenges that would lie ahead.

I've often wondered why God allowed MS to take over my body. And yes, there have been days when I have even mistakenly thought God allowed this to happen to punish me somehow. But in retrospect, I repented of those thoughts, because I know a loving God wouldn't do that. We all have our cross to bear, that's just life. MS is just my cross.

Through the last 20 years since my diagnosis, thankfully, the Lord has used me to help others through my suffering. And really, after all, Jesus suffered tremendously during his time here on earth, why should any of us be spared?  Romans 5:3-5 reminds us "More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

Now, honestly, I gotta say, many days it's pretty hard to rejoice in my sufferings, but I do try to endure knowing that the Lord is producing strong character in me, and hopefully I am using it for His Glory. Everything the Lord does has a purpose and I know that. And I am confident that one day, I will know the full story of why I was chosen to carry this burden called Multiple Sclerosis. 

I knew nothing about MS or the impact it would have on me or my family when I was diagnosed over 20 years ago. Living with MS hasn't been easy for any of us. It is a progressive, debilitating, insidious disease that mows down everything in it's path. I can see why it has been nicknamed the MonSter. And for me, truth be told, it manifested itself in me becoming a complete control freak. Sad to say, but that is exactly what happened. Looking back, I'm not sure why I became that way, maybe it was because I felt other parts of my body and life were out of my control, and I needed to be in control of something. I wanted to take over the everything: our lives, the kids, my husband and everything else I could get my hands on. I know now that was a profound mistake. Our family is still reeling from my destructive behavior and the devastating effects of it. I will always regret my many mistakes. I thank the Lord we have a forgiving God and I married a forgiving husband. I wouldn't be standing here today without either of them.

But here's the amazing thing. When the pressure got turned up, when the teenager years hit and the house was in constant turmoil, even in the midst of my craziness, it would have been easy for my husband to walk away from all of us, to say, you deal with them and their rebellion, you deal with your illness. You want control of everything..... you've got it baby. I'm sick of it all. I'm out of here.

But, miraculously, and thankfully for me, he didn't. He put his head down and dug deep. He never gave up on them or on me. He has been an unbelievably faithful husband, father, lover, and best friend. 

Believe me, I know I gave him many reasons to walk away, but he never did. He stayed true to his vows. Thank God, he took them very seriously, and through the Grace of God, and with the prayers of many over the years, we are still together 40 years later. Now that is totally a God-Thing! 

That is the real language of love, to have the guts to be able to stay and fight when you want to throw your hands up and walk away. Getting married is the easy part, staying married through all the ups and downs that life throws at you, that is the hard part.

I am blessed to say we were able to stay in the game. It wasn't easy by any stretch of the imagination, but thank the Lord we were able to stay true to the vow that says "What God has brought together, let no man put asunder."

 Thank you Lord for my wonderful, loving, faithful, strong, funny, endearing husband. I thank you that he had the strength to stay with me through sickness and in health, and through all the turmoil of our lives. He is truly a gift from you. I only pray we can enjoy many, many more happy and less turbulent years together. 

Happy 40th Anniversary darling, I love you to the moon and back!

My verse from today is above in red.

My prayer for today:

Heavenly Father, 

Thank you, thank you for my wonderful, loving husband. I am so blessed that you put him in my path all those years ago. Thank you that he had the gumption to stay true to his vows. I am truly blessed.

Amen

It's not about the bunny....

Today I've been thinking about Easter and what is truly means to humanity. Easter, that wonderful time of year when spring occurs and flowers are blooming everywhere has nothing to do with a Easter Lilies, or bunnies or dyed Easter eggs or candy baskets or egg hunts, no matter what the secular world wants you to believe.

Easter has to do with one man, Jesus Christ, dying a brutal death of a cross for the sins of the world. He died, was buried and miraculously rose from the dead on the third day. And there in my friends, lies our hope. If we believe in Jesus, repent of our sins and and turn our lives over to him, we get a free pass into heaven. After we die, we can be sitting at the feet of Jesus. How glorious a thought is that?

God himself became flesh and bones so he could endure the pain and torture for all of us. He took the sins and burdens of mankind upon himself on that Cross and he did it willingly. He knew what his purpose was. It was so brutal and I'm sure he didn't want to do it, but he really never wavered. In the Garden of Gethsemane he prayed " “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” Matthew 26:39.

Garden at Gethesame where Jesus spent many hours in agonizing prayer prior to his Crucifixion

 (photos courtesy of my friend Mary Byerman)

So, why would God send his one and only son Jesus to this earth to die as an atonement for us and our sins? Because God loves us and God is Holy. Holy God cannot exist with sinful man. After the fall of man in the Garden of Eden, a price had to be paid to reconcile us back to our Holy God and that sacrifice was Jesus Christ dying on that Cross. He was made a sacrificial lamb to atone for our sins. His death was foretold in the Book of Isaiah "He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth." Isaiah 53:7

                                                              Jesus died for you and me. 

In deeper reflection today I've been thinking about suffering in general. Why does the Lord allow suffering? You may suffer emotionally, mentally, or physically, or you may suffer through a terribly hard time in some period of your life. It's hard to know anyone who hasn't suffered at one time or another throughout the course of their lives. But often people suffer and then it's over for a while.

But for me and my suffering, it has just increased as time has gone by. Being an MS patient with a chronic debilitating, progressive disease, I can tell you that I have my daily challenges with suffering and it has increased as the disease has progressed. MS is definitely not a disease for the faint of heart.

I often wonder why God allowed this disease to overtake me? I was a healthy, vibrant, happy working woman, wife and mother of two young boys when I was stricken. Understandingly, I was searching for answers. I remember clearly my very wise Godly pastor at the time, Brent, telling me  "Nicki, God didn't bring this sickness on upon you, but if you let Him, he can use you through this illness to touch others and bring Glory to Him." Such a wise man! 

And I have tried to do just that. I have to admit as the years have gone by and my mobility has been severely challenged, it has been increasingly difficult. Not being able to drive for about 6 years now, being homebound is very challenging, but now with the invention of email, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, you can reach people around the world you may not have been able to otherwise. Thank you Lord!!

Honestly I have to tell you that I often wonder why I'm still here. I've had many of my MS friends who have passed on, but still I remain. I am just trusting in God's plan, knowing that He knows what he's doing and he must have more work for me to do. I'll just keep plugging along, praising my Lord at every opportunity.

On really bad days, of which there have been quite a few of late, I just keep my eyes extra focused on the Lord. He is my strength. Any suffering I may endure pales in comparison to the suffering my Savior did on that Cross. One verse I cling to that helps me a lot is from James 1:12 " Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him." So, I just keep on persevering, trusting in Him.

So my friends, Easter is definitely not about the bunny! It's about one man, Jesus Christ, who came here, lived a blameless life and died at the age of 33 from a brutal senseless death. And He did it for us. He came so that we may have what he has, Eternal life with God. 

He died such a horrible death on Good Friday, but oh friends, what a glory awaits on Resurrection Day! Happy Easter Everyone!

My verses for today are above in red.

My prayer for today:

Heavenly Father,

Thank you for your son, Thank you for his sacrifice, Where would we be if not for Jesus? He is our hope and light in this world. I pray that everyone that reads this blog might be touched and turn their lives over to you. Help open their eyes Lord to see Jesus for who he is and what he did for us.

Amen and Amen

Gone but never forgotten.....

This past week the world lost a woman I truly admired, Barbara Garcia. I owe her a lot, as do hundreds of other MS patients in the Tampa Bay area who were searching and searching for a way to improve their daily challenge of living with debilitating symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis.

Barbara with her beloved husband, Robert

Enter CCSVI, Chronic CerebroSpinal Venous Insufficiency. A venous angioplasty procedure discovered by Dr. Paulo Zamboni,whose own wife was suffering with MS. Dr. Zamboni believed that MS was not an auto-immune disease, but instead a problem with blood flow as it was first described when it was discovered in 1868 by French neurologist  Jean-Martin Charcot.

                                                                       Dr. Paulo Zamboni

Dr. Zamboni's discovery, after years of research, CCSVI, was first performed in the U.S. at Stanford University by Dr. Michael Dake. He was approached by a woman, Joan Beal, who was looking to help her own husband suffering with MS. Joan had done her research and she sought and located Dr. Dake

Dr. Dake agreed and did the procedure with some pretty remarkable results. Shortly thereafter Joan began a Facebook Page CCSVI in MS and the word began to spread around the world. Everyone began asking questions about what this new procedure was, how they could get it, and would and could it really help them too? There was HOPE in the MS world, something that is in short supply in the lives of people living with MS.

The social media giant Facebook was back in it's infancy back then, having only been around a few years, but when you have any news of something that can help people who live with this debilitating disease, news travels fast and let me tell you, it began spreading like wildfire.

I was learning about CCSVI on Facebook through Joan and began talking to people, new friends I met on Facebook. Meanwhile my friend Barb was hot on the trail too. She began searching doctors in the Tampa area that could perform this for her. I remember her telling me that she opened the phone book under interventional radiologists, said a prayer and her hand landed on Arslan. So, she contacted Dr. Bulent Arslan, an accomplished interventional radiologist practicing at Moffitt Cancer Center. She approached him and pleaded her case.

Dr. Arslan did his homework and decided to help Barb and in July 2010 she became the first person in the Tampa Bay area to have the CCSVI venous angioplasty procedure done. Others soon followed. I was patient #4 and others from around the country began flocking to him to try improve their lives. There were other interventional radiologists who began to get involved in the area too. It seemed to us MS patients, that this group of doctors seemed to be the most compassionate of professionals. They actually listened to you and empathized with your problems, something that is sometimes in short supply in the neurological community, at least from my perspective.

CCSVI was a hot topic in the MS community, at least in the tech savy MS community. You certainly weren't going to learn of this from your neurologist. They began to see the interventional radiologists as a bunch of cowboys lassoing their MS patients up and stealing them away. After all, MS is an auto-immune disease, as medical science redirected the disease in the 1950's. right? But for me, and for alot of others, MS seemed to be more of a vascular disease. I for one always had terrible circulation and bad varicose veins, so it made sense that proper blood flow was part of the problem.

And after I did months of research myself and learned about Dr. Arslan, when first CCSVI procedure was done in August 2010, I saw some pretty dramatic results as well. Gone were the bone-crushing, my head in a vice headaches that had plagued me for years. My fatigue level was dramatically reduced,. I used to have to lay down every few hours, but now I was able to have a life, being up and alert for 7-8 hrs at a time. My cognitive function was also dramatically improved. And also gone were those terrible burning ears which had also plagued for so many years. I felt exhilarated to say the least, something I hadn't felt in many, many years.

When Dr. Arslan told me that my jugular veins, the main drainage from my brain were both 70% blocked it made sense. While CCSVI never claimed to be a cure for MS, getting my blood flowing properly out of my brain certainly helped many of my worst MS symptoms.

I knew I had to do something to tell others about this remarkable procedure so I reached out to the CCSVI Alliance, a newly formed organization, whose main purpose was to educate others about CCSVI and it's relation to MS.

I began working with others in the Alliance, Joan Beal being one of the founders, along with Michelle Brown, the first one to have it done in NY and Sharon Richardson, another one of Dr. Dake's early patients.

With Dr. Arslan's full encouragesment, we decided to have an educational seminar and the first ever CCSVI Walk to spread the word. Barbara Garcia was one of our speakers at the well attended seminar telling others about her astounding results and how she was enjoying walking unaided for the first time in years.She said one of her biggest joys was being able to hold her granddaughter on her hip just like a normal healthy grandma. She was also able to travel overseas and enjoy her life like never before. What a blessings that was for her.

In conjunction with the educational seminar we held a fundraising walk called the CCSVI Walk n' Roll. It was held at Lettuce Lake Park in Tampa, with hundred of participants and interested parties. We were able to raise a ton of money for the CCSVI Alliance, which I was very happy about. Here are a couple of wonderful pics from the walk.

CCSVI Walk n'Roll, March 5, 2011 Tampa, Fl.

Me with Dr. Bulent Arslan and Barbara Garcia

CCSVI Walk, left to right, 

Susie Ulrey, Janet Grieco, me, Michelle Sciuto, Michelle Brown & Marsha Mays 

Latest Frontiers in hemodynamics,imaging and
treatment of obstructive venous disease by Dr. Paulo Zamboni

Several organizations were born from CCSVI., the ISNVD (International Society for NeuroVascular Diseases) was the most important. It is still very active today. There is still so much to learn about the vascular connection to multiple sclerosis. Actually, Dr. Zamboni has a new book out because he continues to learn more about MS and the venous/vascular system.

Many of us MS/CCSVIers were blessed to be able to attend one of the ISNVD conventions that was held in Orlando FlL back in 2012. I met new friends from around the country that had CCSVI done. We were a growing community and remain pretty close knit through social media. Even though now we are scattered across the country and even around the world, if and when new information becomes available, we all pass it along to help keep ourselves and other MS'ers informed.

Barb, Dr. Arslan and I at the ISNVD 2012

                                          Barb was so happy to meet Dr. Marion Simka from Poland.

Barbara with Dr. Zamboni at ISNVD 2012

The CCSVI craze has now passed. The neurological community fought hard against this simple vascular procedure that helped so many MS sufferers and sadly, in many ways they won this battle, but the research continues. Thousands of people all over the world had the procedure done, many with long lasting positive effects. Unfortunately, many had their MS symptoms return when their veins closed back up, but for those brief months or maybe years, they were free and were able to live life as an able-bodied person. They were able to experience life as a normal person, maybe if only for a brief while, but for me and for many others, it was worth everything.

So our sweet Barb has left this earth, and is now residing in heaven where she is no longer shackled by the MS that racked her earthly body for most of her life. I'm so saddened for her family, I know it is a tremendous loss. She was only 55 years old. She leaves behind a loving husband, her mother and two daughters and grandchildren. I'm also sorry for those of us who love her and were able to share this CCSVI experience with her. We'll miss being in touch with her. She was a fun gal.

A recent picture of Barb with her family

Yes, I am sad, BUT, and this is a big BUT, I am absolutely THRILLED for my friend. She is now dancing in heaven in front of Jesus, her Savior. For the Bible is very clear. In 2 Corinthians 5: it says "We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord."

Barb is now with Jesus! She is no longer in pain or in a wheelchair. All her body parts work perfectly again! She is brand new! I also know she is having the time of her life. Honestly, I have to admit, I'm a little jealous. But I know my time will come to meet my redeemer. Until then, I will carry on spreading the Word of God and trying to help those who are hurting in this world, because I know there are so many.

So farewell my very sweet friend. You may be gone from this earth, but you will never be forgotten.

My verse for today is above in red.

My prayer for today:

Dearest Heavenly Father,

Thank you for the life of my sweet friend, your servant Barbara Garcia. She was such a kind soul and her pioneering spirit helped so many suffering with MS. Thank you for her boldness to forge on and learn about CCSVI so she could share it with the world. Thank you for Dr. Zamboni and his discovery and for Dr. Arslan and so many other doctors who were willing to step out of the box to try something new to help those suffering. I will be forever grateful.

Amen

He's Home at Last....the Ministry of Billy Graham.

Last week, we lost what I would consider the world's pre-imminent ambassador for Jesus Christ. Billy Graham went home to be with the Lord at the age of 99 years. He is now sitting at the feet of his sweet Jesus, after a life well lived.

My memories of Mr. Graham go way back. As a young child our family would watch his worldwide crusades on the television long before TV preachers even thought of coming into existence.

His love of Jesus was so evident. He spoke with such fire, such passion, and such conviction. He spoke the truth about God and His love for humanity. Billy spoke it out so clearly that anyone with a heartbeat could easily comprehend what he was trying to communicate. He told us that we are all sinners and but for the Grace of God we will all face an eternity without Him.

But Jesus changed all that when He died on the cross for our sins. Jesus was sent into this world for that specific purpose: to die for the sins of the world. And I mean any and all sins that we commit. No sin is too small or too great to be washed clean by the blood of Jesus Christ.

No matter what you have done in this life, if you confess your sins, turn from you ways and put your trust in Jesus, the gates of Heaven will be open unto you. Isn't that just an unbelievable promise? Everything you may have done against God's will in this life will be wiped clean if you confess it and accept Jesus into your heart.

Billy's message was simple and oh so easy for anyone to understand. He used Bible scripture to lay it out clearly for us.  Romans 3:23 tells us "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." We are all born with a sin nature, courtesy of our ancestors Adam and Eve who ate the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden. 

God is holy and no one can be in His presence unless they are saved by the His Grace through his son Jesus Christ. John 3:16 says " For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

God loves us so much. He made you and he made me. Your life is not an accident. Psalm 139:13 reminds us "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. Luke 12:7 explains to us..."Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows." The Lord knows all about us. He created us and he wants to live with us in eternity. That is why he sent Jesus. Through Jesus and his incredible sacrifice, we too can have eternal life with the Father. 

Billy Graham knew this important fact and spent his life spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ around the globe. He knew that we are all going to stand before God Almighty in judgement. God wanted us to have a way out so he sent his son to earth to be a sacrifice for our horrible sins. All we have to do is accept this gracious gift and we too, will spend eternity with God. 

Billy Graham's ministry was in a time when there was no internet, yet he spent his life spreading the love of God to everyone he encountered. He truly lived his life through the important verse from Mark 16;15..."He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. And so he did.

This is a clip from one of Billy's crusades from 1986. His sincerity is so evident.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXEFKuNe_Es

Billy Graham traveled all over the world telling anyone who would listen about the love God has for them. He told them about Jesus and how anyone can spend eternity with Him if they just repent of their sins and  accept Jesus into their hearts. 

Mr. Graham's passing has affected me. He touched my heart from a very young age. About 18 years ago, I was blessed to be able to go with my family and members from my church to attend one of his last crusades in Tampa, Fl. Yes, he had aged quite a bit and his son Franklin was leading the details of the crusade but when Billy spoke about Jesus, the passion was still there. He hadn't changed one bit  from the man I used to watch in the living room of my family's home in Virginia. 

I guess it's natural as you get older to this about what your legacy will be. What will the world remember you for? When I look at Billy Graham's legacy it's quite clear where his priorities were during his time on this earth. He always said, "My home in is Heaven, I'm just passing through this life" Billy and his wife Ruth left behind a family dedicated to serving the Lord. He founded a very reputable organization for Jesus in the Billy Graham Evangelical Association, https://billygraham.org/  People will remember the name Billy Graham for years to come and when they think of him, they will undoubtedly think of Jesus.

                                     50th Wedding Anniversary for Billy and Ruth Graham

So what will people remember about me? Thankfully, the invention of the internet and social media sites Facebook and Instagram have aided me in quest to help others know Jesus. I know I'm no Billy Graham but I feel the Lord is still using me in a unique way to reach out to others in His name. We can all do our part. We are all God's children and we can all reach out to others in Jesus name if we will just take the time out of each day to make an effort. 

I hope and pray my children will remember me as a servant of the Lord. We took our children to church and brought them up to know Jesus. I am trying my best to spread the love of Christ to my sweet granddaughter. It's hard when you live long distance, but as she looks back on me long after I'm gone, I hope she will know that I loved the Lord and did what I could to teach her about Jesus and his love.  I hope my life has been an example to everyone in my life of how Jesus can give you strength and peace to face this uncertain world. I honestly don't know how I would get through my days without the love of God. He alone gives me the strength I need to face to challenges of living with a chronic debilitating disease like MS.

As my MS has progressed over these past 20 years, and especially my cognitive function has declined, I find myself more and more having a hard time putting my thoughts down on paper. The thoughts are definitely in my head, but it's hard to get them to come out in a logical manner. But I know that no matter my condition, Jesus would want me to continue to spread the word about His love for us and so I do.

But honestly for me, sometimes it's hard to know if I am are making a difference. Being home bound most days now, almost all my interactions are through social media. It's just little old me, sending devotionals out, or encouraging others through my online prayer group. I've made online friends from all over the world and I am grateful for them. I just slowly but surely keep plugging way in the name of Jesus. I pray He is smiling down on me.

One of the things I saw on the internet recently that made my heart smile was Kathie Lee Gifford when she appeared on the Megan Kelly show days after Billy had passed. The clip below shows her bold love of Jesus. All  can say is WOW! What an incredible testimony for the Lord!

https://www.today.com/video/kathie-lee-gifford-reacts-to-death-of-prominent-pastor-billy-graham-1166462531896

If we could all be so bold as Kathie, think of the souls that could be saved for Jesus. 

I'm so grateful for the life and ministry of Billy Graham. He impacted the world for Jesus in a way that will most likely never be seen again. As a member of the next generation, we must continue on in any way that we can to tell others about Jesus and His love for mankind. Billy would want us to and that's good enough for me.

My verses for today are above in red.

My prayer for today:

Heavenly Father,   

Thank you for the life and ministry of Billy Graham. It's said that he preached the gospel to over 251 million people over the years. Thank you that he had that bold faith to go out into the world to tell others of your love and the love of your son.

Help me to be able to continue to spread the love of Jesus whenever I can. Give me the strength and resolve to lead others to you so they can have the "Peace that surpasses all understanding" 

Amen.