Treasures from the Sands

#TreasuresfromtheSands, Uncategorized

When the season of Lent coincides with my own season of pain, there can seem to be nothing left that I might offer to the ONE who bore so much for me. The questions came at me one morning this week as I felt the weight of my weaknesses bearing down once more. The answer from Jesus fell like new robes onto my weary shoulders:

 

A Cry from the Sands

 

Broken and wounded

I lay at His feet

Tears my only food

Trembling my only breath.

 

“SURRENDER!” the voices shouted,

“You need to give up more!”

“Hold on!” the others screamed,

“You’ve not claimed your stake!”

 

But I have nothing

No more surrender

No more claiming

Only weakness here I bring.

 

“Daughter, open your eyes.”

I hear His voice.

 

I have a gift for you

Now ready to pour

My eyes are fixed on you,

The weakness draws me in.

 

There is nothing else

I require of you

It is MY surrender

Now gifted for you.

 

NOT MY WILL, BUT YOURS BE DONE

I spoke to Father on your behalf.

 

My surrender now gifted to you

My life for yours now offered up

My eyes, My hands,

My feet, My tears

 

ALL given for you.

 

So here in this place

Where pain rules your day

Lay at my feet

With My garment spread.

 

All that is needed

I will provide

My Father has given

The TRUE sacrifice.

–bg

 

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“Not my will, but yours be done.”  Luke 22:42 NIV

 

As He covered me with His own robes, His pure sacrifice, my heart stilled to rest with Him again. His fellowship became so dear as I knew that He gave Himself for love of us. We are HIS people, we belong to Him.

 

I am so grateful for all of your prayers for me too, my friends. This Friday, March 22, I am finally scheduled to receive the RA infusion that we have been waiting on. I am not sure of the timing of my next post here, but I will try to keep you updated on my Instagram account if you want to follow me there.

 

Today begins a new step with God’s help. My dear friend, Anna Smit, and I have felt the nudging from the Lord to release the first episode of our podcast, “Treasures from the Sands.”  And while we both feel that we come stumbling into this process, we are rejoicing over the beauty that the Lord has allowed us to see in HIMSELF.

 

I would be so grateful to hear any comments that you would like to share after you give it a listen at your convenience. May the Lord bless His words to us all:

 

Treasures from the Sands Episode 1–Our Home

 

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I am linking with:

#LMMLinkup

#Teaandword

#Tellhisstory

 

Published by Bettie G

Jesus follower, Wife, Mom, and Grandma, journeying through chronic illness one day at a time

Published

38 thoughts on “Treasures from the Sands”

  1. Bettie,

    Your writing has touched me so deeply I suffer from very similar chronic disease as you, as well as severe anxieties.

    Additionally health issues have made it not possible to receive any pain treatment. I lost a good part of my intestines.

    Please keep writing. Your words touch my soul and point me to gaze into the eyes of my Beloved Jesus.

    The podcast is a treasure indeed. It has me weeping with Hope in Jesus. Ana is lovely.

    Just beautiful.

    Be blessed this day. I am praying for both of you.
    Please pray for me.

    All is Grace,
    Colleen

    Sent from my iPhone

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    1. Thank you for your sweet encouragement to Bettie and I, Colleen. I am so sorry for all the pain you are walking through. I will be praying for you, when I pray for Bettie too and I know Bettie will be too. Much love in Christ from afar.

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    2. Oh, yes, Colleen, I echo the words that my dear friend Anna replied with here too. May you indeed feel the relief and the hope that our Beloved Jesus has to give us. Thank you for listening and for sharing your heart with us. Those places of wounding leave us so depleted and weak feeling, but I am so glad that Jesus carries us when we can’t go any farther. Your encouragement means so much to us too, your words brought tears to my eyes. Blessings and love to you.

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  3. I love the poem and your post and I’m so excited for the podcast. You and Anna have worked so hard and planned and prayed and waiting and finally the day is here! May God bless you and continue to show you His love and grace. Much love to you with many blessings, my dear sister/poet/friend! xoxo

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    1. Dear Gayl,
      Oh thank you so much for all of your prayers and support over this journey. I am so very blessed by the ways that the Lord allows us to share our prayers and thoughts across the miles! I pray that we would continue to let Him lead us, even when the pathway feels too heavy. He knows the best path for us, and the ways that will bring us closer to His heart. Blessings, love and hugs to you my dear poet/sister/friend! xoxo

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  4. Dear Bettie, what a beautiful poem of Christ’s suffering and surrender for us, through which He then brings us victory! Thank you for sharing your gifts to bring healing and hope in Him. Your podcast with Anna was lovely! It was such a joy to hear both of your voices and what an important ministry for others who are hurting. I’m praying even now, that those who are hurting will be led to your ministry. Jesus, shine brighter still, through these two lovely sisters!

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    1. Dear Melissa,
      Oh yes, our Jesus has won such life and victory for us, through His own suffering and sacrifice. May I let Him show me more and more the depth of His love there. I appreciate your kind support and prayers so much, as Anna and I step out in this new path! And I echo your prayer for the Lord to bring His own dear comfort to those He wants to encourage and love. Blessings and love to you!

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    1. Dear Julie,
      I am so grateful that Jesus has let us pray for each other on these pathways! Your prayers and songs and words have so often come at just the right times. May the Lord let those sweet prayers overflow where He leads them. And may I continue to bring my surrenders to Him along this way. Blessings to you Dear Sister!

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    1. Dear Jennifer, I am so grateful for your understanding and empathy. Isn’t the love of our Jesus such a sweet gift for us? I pray that He is with you so closely this week. Blessings to you!

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  7. Dear Bettie, this is such a moving and beautiful post. I absolutely LOVE your poem! It is full of meaning and depth, and speaks volumes to me. So much so that it’s hard to pick out a few lines to celebrate or focus on. Though I think these are timely for me today because of the restfulness implicit in laying at Jesus’ feet:

    “So here in this place
    Where pain rules your day
    Lay at my feet
    With My garment spread.”

    You have been gifted with the soul surrender which brings us inner rest, and with piercingly poignant poetry in the midst of you struggles and pain. I marvel at God’s goodness and grace to us in our places of weakness! We are not left alone but are given a tremendous amount of holy comfort and help. This thought comes across strongly in all your posts. And it’s breathtaking to behold. I’m also praising God for the birth of the Treasures In The Sand podcast you share with Anna. May God create, take and bless your offering, gifting your words to all who need to be encouraged in their personal battles and pain. Much love, hugs and prayers to you, dear friend! xoxo

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    1. Dear Joy,
      Thank you for your precious and encouraging comments. I am so very grateful that you were blessed here in the reading today. His words to us on those pain-filled days are so life-giving aren’t they. He truly gives us such “holy comfort and help.” And thank you so much for your prayers for us as Anna and I step out in faith sharing the podcast. It is our heart’s cry to spread His comfort to others, in the same way that we have been comforted. I pray that you are rejoicing in His garment spread over you today also, my Dear Friend! Hugs, love, and blessings to you!

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  8. Praying for you Bettie, and for your appointment on Friday. I know God’s doing wonderful things through the ministry you and Anna’s are leading! The stumbling through the learning process is natural and full of courage (and God’s called you both to be very courageous)!

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    1. Dear Lynn, Thank you so much for your sweet prayers and encouragement! Yes, we really have needed courage to step forward. Thank you for the reminder and confirmation that He has given us His own dear courage along this path! I am thanking Him so much for the grace that He is pouring here, even in the hard places. I appreciate your prayers for Friday’s treatment so much too! Blessings and love to you!

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  9. Dear Bettie, I pray that your procedure goes well. Hugs. By the way, it was wonderful hearing your voices on the podcast. Thank you for reminding us it’s good to be open and honest with God about our feelings–even our anger. He’s a gracious and loving Father.
    Blessings ~ Wendy Mac

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    1. Dear Wendy,
      Thank you so much for your prayers! And thank you for your sweet encouragement about this first episode of our podcast. I love hearing your voice on Hopestream Radio, as you share such heartfelt thoughts. I think there is such a personal connection that He allows us to have as we speak aloud those thoughts that He places on our hearts. He really is such a gracious and loving Father. Blessings and love to you Dear Sister!

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  10. This reminds me of 2 Kings 4, about the widow with the oil. As she faithfully poured out, God miraculously just kept filling it up and that oil never ran out. And 2 Corinthians 4:7… We feel so weak, but it is because of our weakness that God can be glorified. Soli Deo Gloria!

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    1. Oh thank you Jana for visiting here today, and sharing these beautiful Scriptures! Yes, how precious that He does bring His all-surpassing glory right here, into our jars of clay. He is so gracious to us! Blessings to you this week!

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  11. I am so looking forward to listening to your podcast! I trust your new treatment will be SO healing and relieving for you, dear friend. I know God can use this to bring the relief you so desperately need. Praying much for you!

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    1. Dear Cheryl,
      Thank you so much for your precious words and prayers my dear friend! You are always such an encouragement, and I pray that you are blessed with sweet gifts of encouragement for yourself also! I know that He is with me each step of this journey, and don’t know what I would do without these beautiful prayers!! Hugs and Love to you!

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  12. Your poem is so powerful. The image of surrendering laced with the promise that you have all you need in the One who surrendered everything for you is stunning. I think it’s your best poem yet. The podcast is on my list of things to listen to soon. I can’t wait.

    I am praying things go well tomorrow. May you feel God’s presence throughout the infusion and after as relief courses through your body. Love and hugs to you.

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    1. Dear Mary,
      Thank you for the sweet words and encouragement that you always share! Our Jesus is truly so gracious towards us. I am so thankful for your prayers for me for the treatment tomorrow. I love that thought of feeling His presence through the infusion, and then the relief coursing through afterwards. I am clinging to HIM through these moments. Blessings, love, and hugs to you!

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    1. Dear Wendi,
      Sadly, this infusion did not react well for me either, causing a lot of nasty side effects. But I appreciate your prayers so much! Only God’s grace has kept me going! I am clinging to hope in HIM. Love & Gentle Hugs to you too!

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      1. Oh Bettie………..I am deeply, deeply sorry. I know how disappointing it is when we get our hopes up for a new/different/helpful treatment and the results are 0. I will continue to pray for you my dear. I wish I could stop by with some tea and sit and chat with you…….

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