Greetings from Austin Street

Happy Monday!  All is well here at 811. 31 treatments down and 3 treatments to go.  And 12 days until we sail!! (Not that I am counting.) 

Dear God, when I know I have you in my heart, I have peace in my life.  Thank you for loving me, even in the midst of struggle and storm. And thank you for giving me the strength and power to wake up each morning and live each day as a vessel of your love and healing.  Even in the darkest of times and the heartache I have experienced I find hope and healing each day in your presence.  I love you Lord, In Jesus’ name, amen.

As I have spent some time in my own cancer journey there have been times I have felt somewhat powerless. When Casey was battling cancer he felt that he had no control over the circumstances in his life and I am pretty sure he at times felt helpless and alone. There were few times in his cancer journey when one or more of us were not with him, and even then there were those loving souls who loved to visit with him. But like Casey who never felt God very far from him, neither have I.  Even when God is quiet Casey and I always knew that God was always present. This knowledge gave both of us a peaceful calmness of spirit to battle this disease. While the battle was ours to fight it was the power of God who strengthened us for battle. While Casey did not survive the disease he was most assuredly healed and now knows the presence of God in far greater ways that you or I. I am surviving this cancer battle and hope to be one who will help others to find hope in the presence of god in their own lives.

God promises that He will always be with us even when we are angry, grieving or when we lose the sense of his presence. God promises that there is nothing that can separate us from His care and amazing love. (Check Romans 8.) The power that God places within us whether his presence is quiet or voiced allows us to see past our heartache and find the hope of healing in his presence. I think power and peace go hand in hand. Peace comes from knowing God and how much we are loved by our Creator. The power of the peace of God’s presence is found in his sustaining calm we feel during a time of trouble.  We do not have to have trouble in our lives to know the peace of God. We just need to place God in the center of our lives and God’s peace will exceed anything we can understand. (Philippians 4: 7)

“I can lie down and go to sleep, and I will wake up again, because the LORD gives me strength.”

Psalm 3: 5

“The peace that Christ gives is to guide in the decisions you make , for it is to this peace that God has called you together in the one body.”

Colossians 3: 15

Take joy in the journey placing God as the center of your life and peace will be the journey. I do not mean it will be without trouble, but you will have the peace that passes all understanding. Wear comfortable shoes, get some sleep and think pink!! Love you all, Bruce and Gaylene