Hello There...Again. :)

Wow! Life has been so busy! A great many things have happened in the past several months and I wish I had taken the time to write about it here. I'll update you on just a few things.

My husband and I are still active in the Catholic Charismatic Renewal here in our hometown. We have be so BLESSED by this ministry. I volunteer as much as possible at their office. I am hoping to increase the time I do spend as a volunteer since I have some time to myself for the next several weeks. One of the best things I can do with my husband though is to go to the Friday night prayer group that meets almost weekly. We had so many problems getting there in the last couple of months, but we did make it last week and it was such a blessing! The friends we have made in the Renewal are unbelievable. I can't praise God enough for this gift!!

So, one big change in our family is that our sixteen year old son now lives with his father. It wasn't what I wanted to happen but I know God is in control, and it will all work together for good because in Romans 8:28 it says, "We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose."

We have been challenged to new levels of trust and faith with all of the tribulations we have managed to endure only through God's good grace in the past several months. The things that we have dealt with are the most heartbreaking of my life and I know I will never be the same. God has used those things to bring me to a place where I have total trust in Him. It is amazing!

I used to struggle with severe depression and anxiety. But after seeing someone else go through so much turmoil I realized how much I had not been putting my faith in God with my own illness. It hurt so bad to watch, but was very eye opening for me. I was in a hospital for a week just this past February because of my depression, then when the storm of my life hit and I had to watch someone I love struggle so much I was awakened to how much of my own pain I was carrying around. I was never meant to carry that pain, because Christ died so that he could be the burden bearer.

What a difference life is now. Some could say it is just the medication working or maybe the new therapist I have is better, but I know the truth. My medications were not changed, for one, and having a therapist is almost like paying someone to repeatedly make you cry for an hour. Believe me, they are good at that! I'm not sure why I'm even staying in therapy right now, in fact. Anyway, what I'm getting to is that I am amazed (when I really shouldn't be) at how God has used the suffering in my life to heal the wounds I thought would never even slightly disappear. Praise be to God!!!