Reasons to Be Thankful, Part Three
This is a late thanks, and one that won't be believed by most.
Don't read if you don't want to do so. This is for me and those who do believe.
I've been in terrible pain for weeks; my back, certainly, but in the last week or so it was also starting to be all my joints, too. I couldn't get the usual 'liquid joint' stuff with glucosamine, chondroitin, MSN, etc. that I usually use, and mere capsules with the same ingredients weren't working as well. Something about it already in liquid form seems to also make it act faster/better in my system. The place I usually buy it was out and I had to hunt around at more than a few places before I found a bottle.
The stuff has to build up in your system. Without it, my joints grind to a halt and swell up, causing lots and lots of pain. I'd been without the stuff for well over a week.
But I believe God is bigger than all of my problems. Even pain. And I pray.
When I was younger, I danced all the time. I danced several times daily.
I haven't danced since 2002. I haven't danced WELL since 2001.
Friday, I danced. The pain all went away--BEFORE I could take the liquid supplements. My BACK stopped hurting. I could MOVE.
I danced! For over an hour! No pain, no misery--just pure movement and my body!
You may not believe in God, or believe in miracles...but I know what I was unable to do or move or even ATTEMPT on Thursday. I know what I did on Friday night was something at LEAST as skilled and good as what I could do pre-2001. It wasn't me at my peak, it wasn't going to thrill onlookers or make men desire me like a 21st Century Salome. But it was GOOD.
I was sitting there, 'alone in my room', when I felt God all around me. I rose up and without thinking about it, I started to dance.
God can do anything, but we often don't see Him moving in the world. It isn't that He is NOT moving in the world, but that we stopped looking for signs of His Hand in the world.
We have to watch. We have to take note. We have to really SEE THINGS FOR WHAT THEY ARE.
Free will still applies, and many things we presume are wrong are really consequences for our actions. Bad things DO happen to good people, and that's one of the greatest 'proofs' there is truly evil out there. In point of fact, you'll notice most evil people don't struggle and good people DO. That's because the Presence of Evil doesn't have to fuck with those who are doing what it's already trying to do.
But there is also GOODNESS. There is FREEDOM. There is LIGHT.
Every day is a struggle, but God is there. If you don't believe He's there, that's okay--but you'll truly be walking alone if you don't.
No one can really prove God to you. GOD can prove God to you. All you have to do is ask Him. Challenge Him.
I did. I told God I'd believe, but He had to PROVE it to me. It was six months later, but God DID, in ways that were overwhelming and powerful and almost 'Paul on the way to Ephesus'. He knew I was a sceptic and He showed me in every way that I needed to see that He was real.
God gave me the power to dance once more! Blessed be the Name of God!
Nechtan :)
Don't read if you don't want to do so. This is for me and those who do believe.
I've been in terrible pain for weeks; my back, certainly, but in the last week or so it was also starting to be all my joints, too. I couldn't get the usual 'liquid joint' stuff with glucosamine, chondroitin, MSN, etc. that I usually use, and mere capsules with the same ingredients weren't working as well. Something about it already in liquid form seems to also make it act faster/better in my system. The place I usually buy it was out and I had to hunt around at more than a few places before I found a bottle.
The stuff has to build up in your system. Without it, my joints grind to a halt and swell up, causing lots and lots of pain. I'd been without the stuff for well over a week.
But I believe God is bigger than all of my problems. Even pain. And I pray.
When I was younger, I danced all the time. I danced several times daily.
I haven't danced since 2002. I haven't danced WELL since 2001.
Friday, I danced. The pain all went away--BEFORE I could take the liquid supplements. My BACK stopped hurting. I could MOVE.
I danced! For over an hour! No pain, no misery--just pure movement and my body!
You may not believe in God, or believe in miracles...but I know what I was unable to do or move or even ATTEMPT on Thursday. I know what I did on Friday night was something at LEAST as skilled and good as what I could do pre-2001. It wasn't me at my peak, it wasn't going to thrill onlookers or make men desire me like a 21st Century Salome. But it was GOOD.
I was sitting there, 'alone in my room', when I felt God all around me. I rose up and without thinking about it, I started to dance.
God can do anything, but we often don't see Him moving in the world. It isn't that He is NOT moving in the world, but that we stopped looking for signs of His Hand in the world.
We have to watch. We have to take note. We have to really SEE THINGS FOR WHAT THEY ARE.
Free will still applies, and many things we presume are wrong are really consequences for our actions. Bad things DO happen to good people, and that's one of the greatest 'proofs' there is truly evil out there. In point of fact, you'll notice most evil people don't struggle and good people DO. That's because the Presence of Evil doesn't have to fuck with those who are doing what it's already trying to do.
But there is also GOODNESS. There is FREEDOM. There is LIGHT.
Every day is a struggle, but God is there. If you don't believe He's there, that's okay--but you'll truly be walking alone if you don't.
No one can really prove God to you. GOD can prove God to you. All you have to do is ask Him. Challenge Him.
I did. I told God I'd believe, but He had to PROVE it to me. It was six months later, but God DID, in ways that were overwhelming and powerful and almost 'Paul on the way to Ephesus'. He knew I was a sceptic and He showed me in every way that I needed to see that He was real.
God gave me the power to dance once more! Blessed be the Name of God!
Nechtan :)