Joy Treasure

For those of you who drop by Joy Treasure weekly, I am sorry I have been away for a while.
While this week has been one of the greatest weeks of my life, it also has been one of the worst.

My father was diagnosed with cancer.

At times I want to cry, and then I want to praise God. But through it all, God has loved on my family through the lives of fellow believers in this short time. I have always been the one on the other side and now I know what it feels like to feel such pain, such sorrow.

We are just beginning to walk on this journey physicians call "treatment" and who knows what each day will hold. It's not fun. It's like a storm cloud follows you around and never leaves. Within this past 24 hour period there have been a roller coaster ride of emotions. I am mentally exhausted. That is what my flesh says.

Now, the Spirit inside says to me, "Lean not on your own understanding, but in all thy ways, acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths" (Prov. 3:5-6). "My burden is light," (Matt. 11:28). "Nothing is impossible with God."

As I was drying my hair this morning, I began to think about Jesus and how He considered the cross set before Him and His asking God to take it away. But He knew ultimately God had appointed this suffering and soon He would be walking toward the cross. He couldn't walk around it, He had to walk through it.

Of the many blessing we have as believers, the one thing we truly have is the presence of God. He is with us. Think about it, the very name of Immanuel, "God with us." Who is like our God? Who can compare?

HE Never leaves us.
HE Goes before us.
HE Guides us.
HE Carry's us.
HE Protects us.
HE Restores us.

Instead of Manna Monday this morning, will you pray for my father? Will you pray for healing and clarity of treatment. Even now as I write, I consider it all joy when trials come our way.
It is my opportunity to press into my Lord and Savior and draw even closer to His side.