Greetings from Austin Street

Happy Monday!  All is well here at 811.

God, I thank you for the promise of springtime in my life.  I will wait patiently through the difficult seasons and hope earnestly in your faithfulness. You are faithful and true, my great defender. I praise you for your mighty and gentle hand that helps me today and every day.  I love you Lord Jesus.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

I spent my first night being very uncomfortable due to the surgery. It seems that many of the nerves were cut during the lymph node extraction and they are beginning to knit themselves back together and  heal. This causes tingling and numbness under my arm and down the backside of my arm.  I lost a great deal of sleep last night.  I called the doctor today and found out that this is very normal. This is the good news that the nerves are healing, the not so good news is that there is nothing to do to relieve these sensations and it takes a long time for these nerves to heal and reconnect.  I am not sure exactly what “a long time” means but I know that patience and tolerance will be involved to endure and find ways to sleep.

What I can count on is that God will be faithful. In my breast cancer devotional book there is a chapter where the question is posed to God by the writer, “Are You not the God who…?” …is a mighty warrior and defeats evil…who through his powerful hand worries the enemy and is always tender toward us…who is able to restore sight to the blind and cause the lame to walk can look down from heaven and see each of us in our struggles and aggravations! Jesus is devoted to us and fulfills his promises. We are only asked to trust in the one who gives us reason to be patient and faithfully helps us in all we do. His faithfulness and devotion is enough.

“I waited patiently for the LORD; he inclined to me and heard my cry.”

Psalm 40: 1

“You made me suffer a lot, but you will bring me back from the deep pit and give me new life. You will make me truly great and take my sorrow away.”

Psalm 71: 20-21

Take joy in the journey remembering that God does not zap us with patience. God allows us to go through life events that teach us patience. Wear comfortable shoes, throw an extra blanket on the bed, get some sleep and think pink!  Love you all, Bruce and Gaylene