A Heart Exchange

I was a woman of courage a few days ago! I decided to brave the crowds, search endlessly for that perfect parking spot and see for myself if there were really any great deals that I couldn't resist. Although I found a few here and there, what I kept noticing was the mass of amounts of people who seemed to be returning or exchanging gifts they had received.

As I stood in line to ring up what I considered to be my gem of a find, I could not help but overhear the lady in front of me telling the sales associate that she would like to exchange the beautiful watch she had received, but simply did not need, for a pair of small earrings, and to please put the remaining balance on a gift card that she could give to someone else.

She finished up and was smiling big as she walked away! I watched her take the earrings out of the bag and proudly put them on before she even left the store. I saw the watch sitting there that she had exchanged, and I knew the monetary value of it. I was in awe of that lady at that moment. I thought she had just made a great exchange! And it had nothing to do with the gift! She seemed more than happy to give up that big, flashy, expensive watch for a small, simple pair of earrings and a gift card that she could pay forward. She was content!

I couldn't stop thinking about that woman and her willingness to exchange the big for the small...or what the world would view as such. I thought about what would I be willing to exchange or replace to have that contentment and peace that I saw her walk away with. Maybe it wasn't a material item that I would need to exchange, but instead an exchange in my heart. 

Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way.--Psalm 139:23-24

When is the last time you got down on your knees and ask God to help you examine your heart and maybe do a little exchanging to get rid of that heaviness that is weighing you down? What would set you free and bring you that peace and contentment? Perhaps bitterness for forgiveness, anger for gladness, hate for love, acceptance for judgement, or sorrow for joy. Whatever it is, ask your Heavenly Father to help you let it go, to help you make that exchange.

Create in me a clean heart, O God.Renew a loyal spirit within me. Psalm 51:10 

As I continue to clean out or make exchanges in my own heart I feel so much more of God's love filling in the vacant spaces where pain used to live. A heart filled with God's love beats the strongest!

Start today by making one heart exchange. Ask God to help remove those things that take up the space where He longs to be. Free yourself from the bondage of whatever it is that keeps you from being happy, whole, and healed. He is waiting to take that burden from you right now. 

"A clean heart is a happy heart...." Mother Teresa

I pray God blesses you all beyond measure in the upcoming year. Thank you for your continued love, support and encouragement for me and my family. 

Blessings,

Tammy 

Repost: Someone Else's Shoes

Repost from 12-11-12

Several weeks ago I was on the hunt to find that perfect pair of shoes at a reasonable price for the holidays. After trying on several different pairs I thought I had finally found the perfect ones. I slipped them on, stood up, took a few steps and after wobbling a bit from the very high heel I looked at the associate and said "I can't even walk in these" she chuckled and proudly responded by saying "I could walk a mile in those shoes!" Of course she was twenty-something.

I thought as I left without any shoes that day how I really liked the way those shoes looked, but the fit just wasn't quite right and how there was something so comforting about slipping back into my shoes, no matter how worn or scuffed they may have been. They were my good ole sturdy stand by's that I had put many miles on. Those shoes had walked me through a lot of pain. They may not had been new and glamorous, but they were warm and familiar. They had walked me through hospitals, doctors offices, and even down the halls of Hospice to say good bye.

At times many of us may wonder what it would be like to walk in someone else's shoes, if only for a day. I think we have the capability of doing that to a degree when we walk along side of our brothers and sisters in Christ encouraging, praying and loving them through their pain. Romans 12:15 tells us to rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn. There is no greater way to walk in someone else's shoes than to be able to understand and help them through their pain. At my age I don't meet many widows, but when I do there is a level that we immediately connect on. I know they get it! They understand that sorrow in my heart like no one else can.

Metaphorically speaking, when we walk in someone else's shoes it should always be to help them and never to judge them.  Don't waste the chance to help someone out of the pit by thinking you could do things better or different, but instead just embrace them and love them unconditionally. Jesus commands in John 13:34 "Love one another as I have loved you." Simply love them through their pain just as Christ does for you.

It is like God is preparing our hearts through the trials to be able to walk in any shoes and to see others just as He does. Sometimes our shoes can become too comfortable and we get so caught up in our problems causing us to miss that unique opportunity to reach out, befriend, and help someone else. Yes,  you can actually use your struggles and pain to help others and in that process heal yourself. Often you will hear people refer to life as a journey. Our shoes should be solid, stable, and have a thick enough sole to endure miles of what could be a very long and painful journey. That's the strength God provides us. He is our stability, the Healer of our hearts and soul, and He walks beside us every step of the way. 

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. Isaiah 43:2

So the next time you put on your favorite shoes, think about someone else--a friend, neighbor or family member-- that is struggling this season. Step out of those shoes and go walk with them in theirs. You may be just the person God has chosen to walk them right out of the darkness into His Light. 

Blessings Always,

Tammy 

Eddie

My latest story on FACES is about someone who I have known for a while now, someone who started his own journey with cancer shortly after my husband started his. There is no doubt that the Lord crossed our paths and our lives would forever be changed because of it.

His name is Eddie and he was diagnosed with AML, Acute Myeloid Leukemia in August 2010, just three months after my husband's cancer had returned. AML is a fast-growing cancer of the blood and bone marrow, and is the most common type of acute leukemia. More than 11,900 new cases occur in the United States each year, mostly in older adults.

Eddie had started feeling really tired, but like most of us do he chalked it up to being very busy. After all, he had a very busy summer, which included a missions trip to Thailand. But when a mouth sore just would not heal, and at the urging of his wife, Kelley, he went to the doctor. After a series of tests, and a very frightening trip to the ER, which resulted in a hospital stay, the results were conclusive and confirmed that Eddie had AML.

As you can imagine and as with many that get this diagnosis, Eddie was shocked, in disbelief, and just felt sadness and fear. He says his wife shed a lot of tears those first few days.

As I write this I cannot help but to think about the many times we were all at Mayo hospital together, them on one floor, us on another. One time in particular, we by chance ran into Eddie and his precious wife in the lobby. I took one look at her face, and I saw that her eyes were filled with tears. We huddled in circle, holding hands, and began to pray for God's supernatural peace to flow throughout us right there in that Mayo lobby. It certainly did! I am not sure that I ever told that dear couple how thankful my husband and I were for that moment and that prayer time.

One question I always ask is: How do you feel like this has changed you? Eddie said "I think it has made me appreciate what's really important that much more...especially the time with my family." Eddie goes on to say how he felt like he had missed out on so much like his son's 3rd birthday, Thanksgiving, and Christmas because he had to spend so much time in the hospital, including one stay which concluded with 100 days in isolation after his bone marrow transplant.

Eddie also shared how it was one of the most powerful examples of answered prayers he had ever experienced firsthand. I wholeheartedly agree with Eddie! When you have walked hand and hand with the Lord in the valley of cancer you become transformed and you will experience the power of prayer in your life like never before. Not only is cancer a physical and emotional life changer...it is a spiritual one as well.

Both Eddie and Kelley shared how the wonderfully kind and gracious support from so many of their family, friends and church family was a constant reminder to them they were not alone and gave them so much strength.

I asked Eddie to explain if someone did not know you, what is the one thing you would want them to learn about you through this story? Eddie said that they had always believed the commonly quoted idea, "God never gives you more than you can handle." Interestingly, he looked, and this is actually not found anywhere in the Bible. What Eddie did find, however, was that God will never give you more than He can handle." Eddie shared how that gave them such great comfort. He went on to say that if we fall into the mindset of believing that it's about what "we" can handle, we start to think, "I must really be something special because God gave me such a big obstacle!" Eddie emphasized that it is ultimately not about us! It is about God and how He will see you through. He does not promise an easy ride or a happy ending, but He does promise to be there every step of the way.

I am more than happy to report that Eddie is now cancer free. Thanks to an anonymous donor through the BeTheMatch.org organization, a perfect 10/10 match was found, and he underwent a successful bone marrow transplant. In fact he recently celebrated his one year mark! Congratulations Eddie and family!

I cannot tell you how thankful I am for this family and the journey we shared with them. Though at times a very painful one, still one I know that God had so sweetly woven together. Each enduring our own level of suffering with our loved ones brought on by the sharp sword of cancer, but yet praying for and encouraging one another just as Christ would have it. I always believe if we look hard enough each day we will find a "nugget" that God has sent to us, big or small it is there! This family was definitely a "nugget" of joy on our journey.

I want to end with something Kelley shared with me. She said cancer brings much fear, and what is the opposite of fear? Peace. Perfect love. Security. Courage. God is the author of these beautiful things...and only God.

November 15th, 2011

Hello sweet family and friends,

Hope you all are doing well! I am not sure I have told you this in a while but I appreciate your constant love and prayers in my life as I continue to rebuild and heal! You rock!

I wanted to share with you about a Wednesday morning journey I have been on for a couple of months now.

I have felt so blessed to be able to attend a woman's Bible study at Celebration Church on Wednesday mornings called Sisterhood. Those of you who know me well know I love me some Bible studies and fellowshipping with other women. When I think back to that first Wednesday a couple of months ago, I can remember feeling a little apprehensive about attending and committing to a new study. I was little startled by the way I was feeling, but I thought I would give it shot, go when I could, meet a few new ladies, and get through it. Ha! I should have known better than that!

We have been studying a series called "Ancient Wisdom, Modern Life", a study of 1 Corinthians. I always take a lot of notes, but I remembered writing down, underlining and highlighting something Pastor Kerri said that has stuck with me throughout this study, she said "Find God's rhythm for your life." I think that resonated so much for me because it made me realize that I had gotten out of rhythm in my own life with a few things.

In many ways, the past couple of months at this study had allowed me to recognize just how out of sync I was. I hadn't been engaged in studying the Word as diligently as I had before, I hadn't been fellowshipping and building new relationships, and I hadn't been planting fresh seeds. As we near the final study this Wednesday, however, I'm amazed at how much all of that has changed since diving back into the Bible. It was purely a case of bringing the body and having the mind follow.

I really just positioned myself in a place where God could speak to me, and I was blessed by meeting some incredible women and being fed wisdom that I could apply to my life. It was an awesome experience, one that allowed me to be in an environment where I could grow spiritually and even leave my comfort zone a little bit. I was right where I was supposed to be on Wednesday mornings!

Giving God the opportunity to move in your life through studying His word can help you get in tune with His rhythm. It can help you feel that balance spiritually, emotionally and physically. This doesn't mean life won't come without it's share of disappointments, but we can better equip ourselves to handle them when they do.

As I continue on this journey I am constantly reminded that my Heavenly Father provides a warm blanket of love and protection for me, (for all of us) daily. That even through the sorrow of loss God will shine through and bring hope and life.

 Be encouraged! 

Blessings Always,

Tammy

October 21st, 2011

The photograph above is a priceless one to me. I took it one morning when Nick was sitting in his recliner reading his Bible. He was so engulfed in what he was reading, he was unaware that I even took the picture.

Nick spent a lot of time in that burgundy recliner. I don't know why, but since losing him, we just would not or could not sit in it again. It took me a while to do it, but I finally let it go and now a very sweet lady and her husband are enjoying it. That makes me happy!

That chair was often a place where Nick found rest and comfort when he was weak and weary both physically and emotionally. I would see him sitting there many times just praying.

Then today as I was standing at the kitchen sink and I looked up and saw the empty space where that chair once was, the first thing that came to my mind was this sweet picture of Nick reading his Bible.

It's funny how you don't aways see the lessons in things until God is ready for you too. I smiled when I thought of how that recliner was kind of like Nick's altar, even when he wasn't able to go to church, it didn't stop him from sitting there praying or reading scriptures.

I thought God doesn't care where I choose to pray or read my Bible at. He just yearns for me to do it! He wants to spend that one on one time with me through prayer and through His word. It is always nice to have that quiet place, where there are no distractions and you can really just pour your heart out, but often times we do not have the convenience of doing that. Many times I find myself praying right in the midst of all the chaos. My favorite time to pray has become my morning walks, sometimes it's with the praise and worship music blaring on my iPod, and sometimes it's just me laying it all out to my Heavenly Father.

The memory of Nick praying from his chair reminds me that there are no limitations, guidelines or rules that should stop me from praying or spending time in God's word.

Prayer offers us the chance to express our thankfulness, our faith, our love and our hopes to God and through His word we are able to find guidance, peace, assurance and strength. Find your time and place to pray and spend some time reading His word, no matter where or when it is, God will be there!

Some have been to the mountain. I have been to my knees by the side of my bed.

~Robert Brault

Many Blessings,

Tammy