Good day Ladies, and it is! 

Not long ago I published this article: “When Life Interrupts Your Plans.”   26 days ago life interrupted my plans once again. I write with my left arm in a sling.

It was a wonderful Monday morning, the 22nd of August, it was. I felt great and had already accomplished a number of things. Early afternoon I put my earplugs in to exercise! About ten minutes later I was lying on the floor, aware that I had hurt myself rather seriously. It wasn’t long until I had a team of friends/helpers transporting me to the hospital. I knew the injury was serious.

My left humerus bone was completely broken, more vertically than horizontally. I felt sore elsewhere but my focus was on the trauma in my left arm. I had surgery the next day, when a plate was put in to help me heal. It was a traumatic surgery because I awakened several times and I distinctly recall different part of the surgery, including what I told the surgical team. Creepy.

The important thing now is that nearly 4 weeks have passed and I am healing. Everything is awkward but pain is minimal. I suspect I will be able to begin physical therapy within a week.

Apparently, I bruised my ribs, which made getting up and down more painful, but that has passed. I’ve had other areas checked and everything seems fine, but probably a little more checking will need to be done on my right leg which is giving some problems.

Oh, Ladies, this is also not what I planned. 

My fall was not the only thing! The same week I fell, one of our friends and translators just made it to the hospital in time to have a brain tumor diagnosed and removed. The surgeon felt that he was likely within less than an hour from physical death. Because of the observation of a friend who recognized that our Sudhir was not acting normally, he was taken immediately to the hospital. He is recovering by the grace of God, but if you think of him, please pray for him too. The hospital is preparing to release him in a couple of days. 

The same week, a special friend of mine lost her battle to cancer. Because of her sweet life, my mind was flooded with Scripture verses about her. A gracious woman retaineth honour. Though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.   And the wonder of it all:  I think about the things Shoba is seeing. I can only imagine. 

What has been remarkably evident is how God was manifest in every tragedy. In the audio version above I share some of those remarkable moments. 

What did I learn from my fall? That I should not exercise? Ah, not exactly. We can laugh at that absurdity. To be sure, I have been thinking about this though. Sometimes things just happen and they are called accidents. It rains on the just and unjust. It is frustrating to be sure. Given extra time for meditation I realised that I believe Romans 8:28 in all things. I have beautiful expectation!

The depth of my belief in Romans 8:28 helps to ease my frustration.  I was just getting over nearly 2 months of illness and getting back into my groove. Yes; even 63 year old women can have a groove; right? The morning I fell I was happily moving along, literally and figuratively when BAM!  And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28

As we know: “All” means all and that’s all “all” means. 

Today I dressed myself without any help. Quite a feat. (And it really is just that!) Yes! My 3 old granddaughter did the very same thing! 

I’ve begun teaching again and I noticed this week was easier, more enjoyable than last week! We are looking at character traits in regards to our reputations as Christian women.  Here  I am, once again, endeavouring to return to what is mine to do, even if completing recovery is part of the plan, and indeed, God’s plan. A good character trait for women is fortitude. After the last few weeks, many of us can use the reminder and challenge.

How is this for a starter? But I will sing of thy power; yea, I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning: for thou hast been my defence and refuge in the day of my trouble.  Psalms 59:16 

In Christ, we do have a reason, nay, many reasons to sing. 

I hope you will listen to the audio above; it is longer than usual, but I think you will be encouraged as I was when I made notes. When life is hard, I encourage you to take a moment to look for God’s mercies throughout. Some situations require closer scrutiny but God gives mercies to His children for every trial and He renews them every morning! Great is his faithfulness! 

And I said, My strength and my hope is perished from the LORD: Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall. My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me. This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.  Lamentations 3:18-26

So, my words seemed to come back to bite me. I was getting back into my routine, which was not, in itself, a bad thing, but the past weeks have reminded me how important it is to be mindful of “my routines.” My routine? My schedule? My groove? Whose life is it anyway?  It is not my own for I have been bought with a price.

For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s. (1 Corinthians 6:20)

God’s plans for our lives is exciting and that excitement is found in the truths that He thinks good toward us (Jeremiah 29:11) and that He is able to do exceedingly and abundantly above all that we ask or think! (From Ephesians 3:14-21) Imagine that and be amazed.

As I encouraged the ladies yesterday there is a secret to developing the character traits that bring blessing and it is found in reading and thinking about the Scriptures throughout each day.  There really is no other way.

Men and women may devise plans to satisfy their inner longings, but in the midst of all the religions of the world, God’s way is available in the Bible for all for all who will come to Him on His terms. Billy Graham