Him I Will Keep in Perfect Peace Whose Mind is Stayed on Me

That’s my sweetheart in the photo – so at peace during one of our Belize missions. I posted this message, 25 days after we received the Stage 4 Kidney Cancer diagnosis. I have friends encountering some major life storms, as we did, and I want to share how we made it through the rough waters.
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On this incredible faith journey, though we are confident in the good work God is doing in my sweetheart, I’ll admit there are highs and lows in emotions. Ron is truly my hero, today, more than all of our yesterdays, as I watch him refuse to succumb to pain, and to the many voices he is hearing.

Last night was one of debilitating pain — he said it felt like knives going into him — the pain much worse than it was before the surgery. Trying to find a place of rest and comfort, he finally found his recliner to be that place, at 3 am. Thankfully, he woke several hours later with the pain much less intense.

I felt I needed to be my Hero’s She-ro, so first thing, this morning, I called doctors’ offices to voice my concern about this new-found pain in his body. Then all the voices increased in volume in our ears — one saying, “it might be this”; “do that”; “take this medication”; “don’t take that medication”; “eat this”; “don’t eat that” and on and on! Before long, we were both, a bundle of nerves. So, what do I do in times like this…..even before I call on God? Call my daughter! With always the just the right words, she immediately began to pray words of peace over us…”Jehovah Shalom (God our Peace), be very present with Mom and Dad!” “Mom & Dad, breathe in Jesus; breathe in peace!”

Almost immediately, the scripture, “Him I will keep in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Me” (Isaiah 26:3) came to us, and we welcomed Father God, Jesus, our Prince of Peace, and sweet Holy Spirit into our home and day. We put on praise and worship music, and the atmosphere that was prevalent with anxiety, concern and distractions, was replaced with calm peace and assurance that God had us, and all our cares, in His control and we have nothing to be concerned about. God knows about this journey we are on, and has known about it long before we did…..He even knows the outcome! So why should we worry, fret or be concerned?

In a locked room, afraid about what the future would hold without Him, Jesus appeared to His disciples, and said…..”Peace, be with you!” And, He says to you and me today, “Peace, be with you!”