Back from the Mayo Clinic and...

...we found a little something...a parasitic infection, caused by the Giardia parasite.

I was put on an antibiotic to clear up the infection. It is finished. :-)

Now, I want to write only a short note on my current physical state, only to share with those who have been faithfully praying and have asked for an update. I left the Mayo Clinic a couple of weeks ago, not knowing much more about my declining health, why I was in the hospital this past June and why I have Vitamin B12 and Vitamin D deficiencies. We did find out however, that I will need to continue with testings to discover the underlying causes of all these conditions, but it would take some time...by the process of elimination. :-)

My doctors here will be working with my doctors at the Mayo Clinic since I can do most of the testing here and just have it mailed to the Mayo Clinic. Being able to be with my family is wonderful! And I'm so grateful to God for allowing all (or most...for now) testing to be done here! Our God is so good!

On Wednesday, we discovered that after a 4-week regimen of B12 shots, my B12 level is still low, which is abnormal. Normally, a 4-week regimen brings a person to a normal level and then monthly B12 shots are administered for life. But this did not happen with me. The 4-week regimen only boosted my B12 level by 47 points rather than hundreds, or more hopefully, a thousand. So my doctors are looking at other tests that may need to be performed to figure out why my body will not hold B12. Therefore, I am still feeling sick, weak, tired and still have my abdominal pains, memory & concentration problems, etc. But at the end of the day...I STILL HAVE JESUS! So all is well! ♥

"Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so as to live the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God."
~ 1 Peter 4:1-2

In the passage above, the Apostle Peter is talking about suffering physically for the name of Christ. Whether this physical suffering comes by the hand of evil and wicked people who beat those who trust in the name of Jesus, or whether by Satan who tempts us to curse the name of God (like our enemy did with Job) because of our physical suffering. The Lord has kindly and mercifully allowed me to experience both.

For 13 years of my life, the Lord our God allowed me to suffer violent physical abuse with a 2' x 4', anything out of the tool box, had my head put through walls & bashed repeatedly against doors, whipped with anything in sight, thrown down stairs, punched, kicked, etc. and afterward, thrown outside for hours; in rain, heat, snow or any weather, in order to shame me and display me before the public, half naked, beaten and bleeding, in the hopes that I would obey the commands of man rather than the commands of God. All my beatings lasted for hours; until my abuser no longer had strength to beat me. Why? Mostly, but not entirely, because I was the only Christian in my household and refused to bow down to idols (that is, dead ancestors), lie, deny Christ as my Savior and God as my God. I was the youngest of three and rejected by all.

Through it all, God was so gracious to part the "red sea" before me daily. Although it seemed that I was trapped by my enemy who relentlessly pursued me and the great "sea" of childhood that limited me from providing my own escape from my enemy's wrath; God daily made a way, where there was no way. God constantly provided me protection, both physically (as no bone was ever broken) and spiritually (as He saved my wretched soul when I was four) and mentally (as I have no desire and never had to beat my own children). If God had not intervened, I should now, either be dead in my transgressions and suffering eternally in Hell, or I should be crippled somehow - but I am not; in any way, shape or form. Hallelujah! Glory be to the Lamb!

In God's righteous love, His justice and His mercy prevailed in my life then, still does now, and will forevermore. Because of God's immeasurable kindness and compassion towards me, He has reconciled me to most of my abusers and has sown peace where it was impossible for man...but nothing is impossible for God.

And now, our enemy Satan continues to scheme against me so that I might deny the name of my Savior. Our enemy continues to tempt me to curse the name of our good and great God by once again, attacking my body with various diseases for the past six (6) years. And once again, God does not restrain His mercy from me, instead, He causes His steadfast love and faithfulness to ever preserve me! [Psalm 40:11]

And here is what my all my physical afflictions have accomplished: the strengthening of my faith, trust and dependence of God alone; it has caused me to cling even more tightly to my Savior, ignite my heart to worship Him continually and desire His will, His way and His presence greater than anything in this world. Our enemy, Satan has desired to cause me such physical grief so that I might be overcome with worry, despair and endless study of my body, medicine, etc. so that I might seek out some kind of deliverance for myself. But NO! I still see myself as that poor and needy child. Frail and alone, looking only to the Great One, the Holy One of Israel, the LORD God Almighty to save me and deliver me from all my troubles. For as a child, I am incapable of delivering myself from anything. But my God, my Heavenly Father, who has adopted me into His royal priesthood is able to do all things good to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. And my God has promised that He has already delivered me [Psalm 40:1-2]; therefore, I choose to live in that deliverance and not in my present and temporary circumstances. The promises of God are eternal and what I can presently see and feel are only temporal [2 Corinthians 4:16-18].

May the God of glory bring you His eternal peace and His eternal comfort as you seek Him with a pure heart, so that you might be directed in His love, and in the steadfastness of our Lord Jesus Christ.

To God be the glory alone, forever and ever! Amen and Amen.

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