Mercy: Sunlight on Frozen Lake

#Poetry, Chronic Illness, Uncategorized

Once more Jesus addressed the crowd. He said, “I am the Light of the world. He who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”

John 8:12 AMP
“Sunlight On Frozen Lake In Wisconsin” –bg

Have you felt the chill of winter even though the Groundhog predicted an early spring?

The chill seemed to seep into my bones last week as a flu bug caused me to hunker down even more than normal. … Waiting for RA infusions, nerve block injections, and listening to the state of the world could bring a soul down to utter weariness.

But mercy has been dropping like dew.

When I finally felt good enough to take a short drive with my husband, the warm sun glinted off of the frozen lake, and I felt the dew of God’s mercy flowing down deeply through cracks and crevices long buried.

This place of feeling shut-in has brought more WITH-ness to me than I ever dreamed possible. Back in my days of busy rushing, I longed for kindred hearts–ones who would pray and commune and share the love of Jesus. He sent me a few, and I deeply treasured those, but I longed for others to see the beauty that could be found by sitting together at the feet of Jesus, even in our woundedness.

Who would have thought that a window to communing would be opened right here, in this shut-in place of chronic illness?

While my joints burn like fire, the cool relief of a friend’s kind comment wraps me in the words of Jesus Himself.

While my head aches like the desert wind, the rain of Living Water from Scripture washes over my pain.

While my body stumbles over the shaky ground, God sends His own light to illumine my pathway.

And I am made new again.

Have you found yourself in cold loneliness? Are there issues in your life that seem to accentuate the brokenness of your days?

There is a place of mercy falling like dew waiting for you too. Would you come with me as we both pause here at the feet of Jesus?

Sow with a view to righteousness [that righteousness, like seed, may germinate]; Reap in accordance with mercy and loving-kindness. Break up your uncultivated ground, For it is time to seek and search diligently for the Lord [and to long for His blessing] Until He comes to rain righteousness and His gift of salvation on you.

Hosea 10:12 AMP

Dear Lord Jesus,

Thank You for shining the light of God’s love all around us. Thank You for the warmth of Your Word that is alive and active right here. Some days we can only see our brokenness and our shattered hopes and dreams. Would You bring the relief of Your own dear kindness to our hearts now? We need Your warmth to cover the icy places of our souls. Thank You for letting us bring every broken part to You. We long for the healing and joy that comes from communing with You. You are the ONE we long for.

In Your name, we pray,

Amen.

And somehow in all of this mercy falling, an anniversary passed me by. 4 years ago on February 4, 2016, I published my first blog post, here. When God reminded me and sent me back to read it, I found yet another gift of mercy. The very thing I had asked of Him–to help me to be willing and able to share this journey of Chronic Illness in obedience to His calling–has been His own way of bringing His fellowship. He has communed, He has shared, He has brought a JOY in walking this pathway together with you my dear friends.

Thank You, my Lord Jesus, and thank you, my sweet friends.

I am linking with: TellHisStory #LegacyLinkup #Grace&Truth

Published by Bettie G

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

Published

37 thoughts on “Mercy: Sunlight on Frozen Lake”

    1. Dear Amy,
      I’m so glad you felt the warm hug here! Jesus is so good to us during these long winter months, to bring us His own encouragment. Thank you for returning that hug to me now too! You brought such a blessing to me today.

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  2. Good afternoon Bettie, what a blessing your words are to me today. Such a poignant description of His mercy meeting you in the place which to the outside may seem smaller but in abundance He increases your with-ness. Praise God! Love, Julie

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    1. Dear Julie,
      Oh,yes, you have described so well what I have often felt here about a : “place which to the outside may seem smaller but in abundance He increases your with-ness.” It is such a mystery how He works His graceful fellowship and joining isn’t it? Thank you for being part of that sweet joining my dear friend. You are a blessing to me also! Love you my dear sister!

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  3. Dear Bettie, I’m so sorry to hear you’ve been battling flu symptoms. Viral illnesses are unpleasant, and have weakening and depleting effects we could do without. I do sympathise because I’m on my third week of ever morphing and resistant to treatment cold symptoms that don’t seem to want to leave me. But I am thankful for you, dear compassionate friend, and for the understanding, support and companionship we share simply because we “met” online and God beautifully linked our blogs, lives and hearts at a time when we both needed that precious connection, and still do. Congratulations on your 4th blogiversary! It’s been a joy to watch you grow in faith and courage as you share your God-given words here. Here’s to many more years ahead! Much love, blessings and hugs. xoxo ❤

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    1. Dear Joy,
      And I am so sorry that you have been dealing with a virus now also! But how thankful I am that once again, the Lord has allowed us to share in this journey and to offer understanding in the lonely places. Isn’t it a mystery/miracle the way that God wove our paths together? Finding your site through my first scary “blog-link-up” and then finding your book that you had just published, were such gifts to me that first spring. Thank you for being so willing to share openly about the chronic illness struggles and joys too. You have always been such an encouragement to me. May the Lord bring you much blessing as you continue to share your words too! Love, blessings and hugs dear heart-sister. xoxo

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  5. Happy anniversary! Thank you for sharing your pain through the love of JEsus! It is because you were willing to share that we have become friends. Love you!

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    1. Dear Mandy,
      Thank you! And, yes, I am so very thankful that Jesus connected us and has brought us His love to share across the miles. I am praying for you this week through the packing! Blessings, love, and hugs to you!

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  7. Congratulations on your fourth anniversary! You bring such Joy in your writing and your courage and steadfastness stuns me! Here’s to many more years of reminding us that Jesus is our help in times of trouble, and that we can find peace even in our pain.

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    1. Dear Regina,
      Your sweet words bring tears to my eyes, because I always find such joy and courage in your writing! God has been so good to lead us to share His faithfulness. Thank you so much for all of your prayers and encouragement. Yes, may we be blessed with His peace in the midst of our pain.

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    1. Dear Wendi,
      I so appreciate your prayers! And I am so very thankful for your kind support and encouragement. You always brighten up my day. I pray for that same blessing and encouragement over you too, my friend!

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  9. Dearest Bettie,

    Plenty to think about here.⁰ Though I’ve had my RA many years, it did not ‘isolate’ me the way your’s apparently did quite soon. My physical ‘isolation’ began with a fall Jan 7th four years ago. That time I fell on my back and crushed two vertebrae. No hospital, just bedrest. Various minor symptoms have made me ‘over-protective’ of myself! I have avoided situations, places, even church, these years. The reason lies much deeper than just my physical problems. I think the roots go deeper. I might write more later. Now a new fall, with the operation Jan 7th.has done the same. There are lessons I still need to face!

    Thanks for sharing your story!

    Much love!

    Lisa

    Den mån 10 feb. 2020 18:00BettieGsRAseasons skrev:

    > Bettie G posted: ” Once more Jesus addressed the crowd. He said, “I am the > Light of the world. He who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but > will have the Light of life.”John 8:12 AMP “Sunlight On Frozen Lake In > Wisconsin” –bg Have you felt the chill of wint” >

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    1. Oh Dear Lisa, I surely understand that feeling of needing to be “over-protective” so that we don’t have another accident! And while some of that is a good thing, you are right that there are so many lessons that the Lord wants to teach us through these processes. You have been through so much over the years, but I feel the Lord’s love overflowing from you so much! I am so very thankful for the Lord’s weaving in bringing our paths “together” here on these digital airwaves. May you feel Him with you there so much, in these healing times. Love and hugs across the miles.

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  10. It’s been wonderful knowing you for this long through this window😊
    Sometimes slow helps us see life and appreciate what we’ve got. The beauty of sunrise and sunset….is often missed in busyness. Thankful for His mercy drops😊
    You are in my heart and prayers, sister.

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    1. Dear Ifeoma,
      Yes, I am so grateful for your love and friendship and encouragement along this path!! You are so right that God brings us such gifts in the slow when we open our eyes to see Him there. You are one of those mercy drops for me! Love and hugs and prayers for you too! xoxo

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  11. I can’t begin to tell you what a warm hug of God’s tender loving care and faithful love this has given me, Bettie. I’m so sorry you suffered with the flu bug on top of your chronic illness. I think it hits us doubly hard then, doesn’t it? But oh, how I could imagine your inner joy as “the warm sun glinted off of the frozen lake, and I felt the dew of God’s mercy flowing down deeply through cracks and crevices long buried.” And I thanked God for giving you that. And this – “I longed for others to see the beauty that could be found by sitting together at the feet of Jesus, even in our woundedness.” It brings tears to my eyes to feel this oneness in heart with you. I thank my God for bringing you and others to “sit” with me at His feet. Love and blessings of strength and peace in every way!

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    1. Oh, Dear Trudy, you have been such an encouragement and comfort to me, almost from the very beginning of this blogging journey! What a true gift you have been from the Lord, as He has brought our kindred hearts together across the miles. One of my most precious memories is the time that He reminded me of the words of one of your posts, about being in the Hands of God, right before my husband’s hand surgery. Sharing God’s mercy together has been such a wonderful blessing. I am so grateful that we can pray for each other. The Spirit of God is not hindered by miles or by technology! Love and blessings and hugs to you my dear sister!

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  12. Always joyful to read how you have seen God’s faithfulness on your journey, Bettie. And your faithfulness to His calling on you brings so much relief and hope to many. Thank you for allowing me to be a part of this window of community!

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    1. Dear Lynn, I am so very thankful that you have come along here in this window of community! You have brought so much comfort and hope to me also. I pray that God will bring you His relief and strength as you begin your therapy. Blessings and love to you!

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    1. Dear Lisa,
      Thank you for all of your kindness and sharing here too. I am amazed at God’s weaving. His call to obedience brings such deep blessing to us in ways that seem hidden to us. But He is so faithful! Blessings to you this week!

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  14. Oh, I am SO thankful you did publish that first blog post! What a gift you are to this world, and how sad it would be if I had never met you, dear friend! Your precious words mean so much to me and so many others. I am so sorry you have been battling the flu, and I can only imagine how awful that was to have that on top of all of your other pain. God bless and heal you speedily and completely.

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    1. Dear Cheryl, thank you so much for all of your prayers and support over these years! You have been such a blessing to me as you’ve shared God’s Word and offered true heart-encouragement in the midst of trials of your own too. Our God has been so faithful. Blessings and love to you, dear friend!

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    1. Dear Mary,
      Thank you for the kind words and loving encouragement you share with me, and with so many others! I am so grateful for the ways that Jesus has let my path cross with yours here in these digital pages. Blessings and Hugs to you dear friend!

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  16. Praise God for His enabling Bettie! I understand what it takes to write in chronic pain, fatigue & mind malaise.
    His mercies are such a comfort & new every morning!
    Bless you sweet friend in your obedience to His call,
    Jennifer

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    1. Dear Jennifer,
      Thank you for your kind understanding! Although I am sorry that you have to deal with these difficulties that come with chronic illness. He really is so faithful to keep sending us those new mercies and comforts. Blessings and prayers for you also, sweet friend!

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  17. Oh Bettie, your words fall like fresh dew on my heart. To pause and take in His gentle mercy is a lovely, lovely gift. And yes, sometimes it is our pain and sorrow that brings us to our knees so we can pause and enjoy all God has prepared for our spirits. Our bodies may waste away, but inwardly, we see the new life of all eternity through this weary world. God bless you and your beautiful spirit! May the Holy Spirit continue to knit together the hearts of all who love Him. Blessings, love and prayers as you wait in this place with our Lord.

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    1. Dear Melissa,
      Oh, I am so thankful that you also know the sweet gift of pausing with our Jesus and receiving His mercy! How precious to know that “Our bodies may waste away, but inwardly, we see the new life of all eternity through this weary world.” I am so grateful for all of your fellowship and encouragement dear sister. Your confirmations from God’s Word always lift my eyes to Him. Blessings, love and prayers for you also!

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