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Ed’s Story

Mart De Haan Posted by Mart DeHaan
October 19th, 2011
42 Comments » 

Ed Dobson on a Journey

Our family’s former pastor, Ed Dobson, was recently interviewed on the Today Show and I thought you might find the conversation interesting. I’d especially like you to see the first short video that this interview is about.

Ed on Today Show

Along the way Ed and his family have discovered not only the reality of an awful disease, but also the never expected, opportunities he’s had to help so many fellow travelers on a journey that none of his friends would have ever wished on him, or chosen for themselves.

The first of his films is being distributed freely by his publisher. If you have a fast enough internet connection you can view it at edsstory.com.

Would be interested to know whether Ed’s story touches any aspect of your own…

 


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Filed in Anxiety, Comfort, Confusion, fear, Life Stories

42 Responses to “Ed’s Story”

  1. remarutho says:
    October 19, 2011 at 5:58 am

    Good Morning Mart & Friends —

    Ed’s story is beautiful and humbling. It touches my life mostly by allowing me to see that I have no serious problems at all. In his interview on the Today Show, Ed offered a piece of profound wisdom wrapped in humor: “We don’t control squat.”

    As a pastor Ed has known many people struggling with life and death issues. Now he has been given a path to walk that allows him to offer a hand of compassion out of suffering. There is no greater form of love. Christ himself offers us such love.

    When he can/could climb the Mount of Beatitudes above the Sea of Galilee, he recites Jesus’ nine blessings. Among them is “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” (Matthew 5:8) Whatever went before, Ed has a heart freed from bitterness and anger, a pure heart. He receives that purity as a gift from God.

    His witness is a gift to all who will receive it!
    Thanks Mart.

    Blessings,
    Maru

  2. SFDBWV says:
    October 19, 2011 at 6:33 am

    Thank you Mart for Ed’s Story, I have known two people who died from the same disease. Both were dentists one I knew all of his life the other my dentist. Both men were excellent human beings and though no one deserves such a fate these two certainly did not.

    Yet both graciously fought for life for as long as they could and left behind the memories of good people.

    I sometimes wish all of you could have a peek into my own life here, which is one reason I send Mart pictures of our backyard and winter weather. For his personal use I also sent him a picture of all three of us, so he could see who we are, and when I speak of Matthew or Glenna, have a face to put to my stories.

    As I read so many posts from such a diverse group of people I am always reminded that just like life here at my house everyone else is struggling with what ever cross it is they must bear here in this life.

    That just like we, whatever struggle it is they suffer, it sometimes overwhelms us and we have as Ed said, good days and bad days.

    Sadly sometimes my posts may reflect the trials of the day, for that I am sorry; because I would rather like Ed Dobson, encourage others not drag them down in any way.

    Many times I fail, and sometimes I feel like God fails. Some days like yesterday are over the top in forcing me to deal with the unhappiness and struggles here. Many times Matthew will ask me what is the purpose in going on, what reason does he have to live?

    Though for 12 years I continue to tell him that the reason he has to continue living is “love”, sometimes I wonder what kind of love God shows Matt.

    It is in those moments that I can see the care God has provided my son and how his and my life are blessed daily, but all at the price of my son’s suffering.

    From morning through night I am in constant prayer, asking sometimes for the most basic sometimes of help for Matt only to have to face a negative answer from God and so forced to keep asking again and again.

    It is faith and hope that keep me going and that faith and hope that keeps laughter and smiles on our faces daily. For if we must live as God has seen fit to arrange then we must do the best we can.

    If we all believe that heaven is our coming reward, what reason do we have to cling to life here?

    Because it is God’s will and though we are sometimes sad we are sometimes happy and I must take the good with the bad as God provides.
    Always straining to see hope and a silver lining in the dark clouds of living. We have placed all of that hope in Jesus Christ and His promises, and leave them there

    Steve

  3. florida7sun says:
    October 19, 2011 at 6:54 am

    Mart, thank you for sharing Ed’s story. Ed took me to Nehemiah 8:10:

    “Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”

    There is joy in life, and the Lord gives us His dying grace as we are transformed to be in His eternal presence. He knit us in our mothers’ wombs, and even now He prepares us for a joyous homecoming.

    Christmas can be enjoyed year round as each day we celebrate the birth of our Savior.

    Laid in a feeding trough, He encouraged us to find nourishment and new life in Him: “and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” – 1 Corinthians 11:24

    The Word of God builds us up and guides our steps. The Word is a gift from our Father that we can freely share with “those who having nothing prepared.” There is no greater gift we can give.

    Yogi Berra is known for his thought-provoking expressions. He also said, “If you ask me anything I don’t know, I’m not going to answer.” I am often silent, for there is a great deal I do not know.

    I need to open the gift of His Word and seek His understanding in my heart. – Luke 22:42

  4. oneg2dblu says:
    October 19, 2011 at 9:33 am

    Steve… just like you, I sent Mart a picture of myself,
    not so much to share with us here, but just for him to see a small part of my life. But, I also sent him my story, my testimony, and that he can share with this family if he chooses, or the entire world, for every Follower of Christ has a story of how God has changed their life from certain death, to renewed eternal hope. Like I stated in the last blog, we all have one!
    God gave it to us as a gift which we are to share with others for Him! Gary

  5. oneg2dblu says:
    October 19, 2011 at 9:48 am

    Ed’s Story is a gift and I will share it with others. Especially with my first pastor in my new life, who lost his brother to that same disease. Who are we the day we are born, but just another life in His Image, awaitnig our last breath? What we do between that first breath and our last one, we owe to the one who gave us this chance to live, and when He allows us to be Born Again, then we see we are really His, and we can really live, and be, all we can be for Him!
    Gary

  6. oneg2dblu says:
    October 19, 2011 at 9:59 am

    When I first came to this blog, I found many others expressing that same hopelessness about the approaching Holiday of Lights. For their life experience has brought back to them, tough times and depression.
    I tried to do for them, what Ed in his crippled state, had to do for himself, get up out of the hopeless cycle of not enjoying the Christmas Holidays! I met much resistance by those who would rather bask in the bed of despair, than rise up and join in sharing the Light!
    But, I shared what God wanted me to.
    We have a whole world around us, who do not want to share what God has for them. I pray to everyone here, who is already preparing for themselves this Holiday of Darkness. My best friend is one of those, but he is not a Born Again Believer. “Yet!” Gary

  7. poohpity says:
    October 19, 2011 at 10:51 am

    Isn’t it amazing how some are dealt very troublesome hands and their attitudes show what their hearts are filled with by their abilities to seek out others who are going through difficulties with a shared hope.

    In ODB and my reading this morning in Matt 15 and Mark 7 Jesus talks about what we feel in our hearts comes out of our mouths. If we have darkness and evil it comes out in anger and malice. If we have hope and the light it comes out like Ed’s story to encourage others in their despair and depression to bring about hope.

    I find it stimulating that although he can not do all that he once could he has found the areas that he CAN do, rather than concentrating on what he CAN NOT do which helps develop a bitter attitude. I understand by the trials in my own life when I kept thinking about the things I can not do I became crippled more than what I truly am. It caused me to focus on self pity which caused anger and resentment and that was the worst crippler by being discouraged and not trying to do anything new.

    There is always light at the end of the tunnel and obviously Ed it was your desire to show that light rather than keeping it hidden in your dark room. May our Lord and Savior be glorified in all that you continue to do. Thanks for your story.

  8. poohpity says:
    October 19, 2011 at 10:53 am

    I wonderful story of overcoming adversity and not allowing the adversity to overcome you.

  9. gerpie says:
    October 19, 2011 at 2:19 pm

    Thank you for Ed’s story, Mart. You wanted to know whether his story touches any aspect of our own…

    Yes my own life. Ed’s story stunned me into realizing that his life may be closer to what my life will be than I was aware!!! And I spent most of the morning praying. I have been through a lot – but I just hadn’t thought of the ramifications of what is in my life now -therefore I was stunned at what they may be. So Ed’s story is good for me – to make me more aware.

    And I loved the things of – “it’s not over til it’s over”! So I will try to keep smiling and trusting God and our Savior Jesus Christ! :)

  10. SFDBWV says:
    October 20, 2011 at 6:06 am

    Today is the 11th year anniversary of my first wife and Matthew’s mother’s death from cancer. Her 92 year old mother’s health has failed this fall and today she will be in a dark mood all day.

    What she doesn’t know, because we all have not yet told her, is that her other daughter is going in for removal of a malignant tumor from her right breast this afternoon.

    It is my sister in law’s choice to not tell her mother for fear it would kill her to think she would be losing another daughter.

    Strange how love drives us to be more concerned for another than for ourselves.

    Strange also how when faced with the ultimate and inevitable face of death, how the things we thought important in life suddenly shrink to only the basics.

    How my heart aches for people who are suffering and how my heart yearns for it all to end. Come Lord Jesus for we all need you.

    It is raining this morning with a mix of snow and 40 degrees.

    Steve

  11. cathyol07 says:
    October 20, 2011 at 7:57 am

    hi everyone, having God in our life overcome every problem we are facing. Hopelessness is easy resolved with God ‘s help since we put our hope to God.Dark times may come that we almost give up, but God won’t allow us to continue in taht situation. His light was always there to brighten our life and to lead us to the right path. Being with Him is what we are looking forward to.Any kind of disease would’nt stop us to praise God and to do what He wants us to do.

  12. cathyol07 says:
    October 20, 2011 at 8:09 am

    just wanna share this, its been 5 months since i apply for a job. I felt hopeless and depressed because i feel that i worked for nothing. That all my efforts go to waste. That God doesn’t care for me. But i was wrong He really planned something for us.He will going to reveal it at the right time.God is really Great. He always said that i need to trust in Him, be patient and wait for Him to work.Sometimes we are clouded by what others says toward us. But if we focus on God everything will be alright.

    Cathy here..

  13. poohpity says:
    October 20, 2011 at 9:31 am

    Jesus never promised us a life with out trials and troubles but He did promise us that He is there and they can be used to benefit others. John 16:33; 2 Cor 1:4. ODB today reminds us that the Lord is there to hold us when we can no longer hang on. Then in Romans 12:21 reminds us we can overcome bad things with doing good.

  14. poohpity says:
    October 20, 2011 at 10:50 am

    I was thinking this morning how our God uses those things which we may see as weak, detestable and probably would cast off as being useless to show His strength through. Just as He was the opposite of what the Jews thought as their messiah would be a conquering hero became as a suffering servant to set them free.

    Often time we run around in our strength trying to be everything to everybody and then one day the rug gets pulled out from under us and it is then we have to learn to depend on God. What the world looks at as strength God looks at as pride and self reliance. The time in our lives we feel like who can use us in the state we are in, God says, “That is just where I want you” now the world will see me through your weakness and it will finally bring Glory to my name rather than yours.

  15. pegramsdell says:
    October 20, 2011 at 11:17 am

    I had cancer 4 years ago and had an operation and they got it all. Thank You Jesus! But….you know what I was just thinking when Pooh posted was that I prayed more in that time than in any other time. When all I could think about was God healing me from cancer. The BIG “C” (the doctors called it).

    Like Steve said “Strange how love drives us to be more concerned for another than for ourselves.”

    I should be in prayer for others more than myself, prefer others first. Thank You Jesus for being with Steve’s sister-in-law in the operating room and with her mom on this memorable day. Comfort them all Lord!

  16. marma says:
    October 20, 2011 at 11:52 am

    I love how real Ed’s Story is–how he shares what his genuine attitude was when he was diagnosed with ALS.

    The video shows so much that sometimes words fail at telling.

    I tend towards the “give up” type and say, “that’s it,” especially with physical struggles.

    I like what his friend said about being an “It ain’t over” type of Christian.

    What a blessing this video is, and I thank you so much for sharing it!

  17. foreverblessed says:
    October 20, 2011 at 1:49 pm

    Thank you very much for this film!
    Very moving, and what an advice from his friend, it isn’t over yet, till it is over. So he had 10 more years still!
    Every moment is precious now, in close and intimate friendship growing closer and closer each day, with our Saviour Jesus.
    I just mailed it to somebody in my town, called Frank, who knows he has ALS since last june. I have prayed for him a long time now. I do not know if he is a christian nor if he believes, so I would ask you to pray for him, if you do get a prayer for him when you pray.
    The sad thing is, that 2 years ago we lost a woman with the same illness. She was not christian, but in her last 2 years her mother send the pastor of the roman cathlic church in our village, and she accepted him, which was a suprise to her mother. Her funeral was in the cathlic church, with Jesus as the Saviour.
    But because Ed is so genuine in how he felt at first int the course of his illness, I thought it to be good to send to an unbelieving person.
    Frank was dreading his coming fate, but two weeks ago was uplifted by good news, he has more breath then he has had for a year. So he regained the zeal for life, enjoying life with this wife, children and grand children. When I visited him, his little grandson was making jokes, the kid was so full of life. He really enjoyed it.
    As many have written here, when serious illness hits you the perspective of life changes. Little things become precious, and so should we live every day.

  18. poohpity says:
    October 20, 2011 at 2:20 pm

    peg, I think it is wonderful and honoring to cry out to the Lord in our distress with our real feelings and frustrations. What I do not think he requires of us is the thoughts of us needing to pull ourselves up by the boot straps and suck it up, that is more an attitude of self reliance and I think a lot of men hold fast to that way of life because it is harder for them to ask for help or to be dependent on the Lord because they feel they have to do it all, their way. It seems like Paul asked many times to have the thorn removed from his flesh and the Lord told him that God and His grace was all he needed because his help is made strong when we admit our weaknesses.

    I did not want that to sound like a put down to all men out there because they are some who do ask for help but it does seem harder for them to ask. So please hold the come backs on that please. It comes just from a life of observation and is only my opinion and we all know how often I am wrong.

  19. foreverblessed says:
    October 20, 2011 at 2:38 pm

    Thank you all for your stories, Steve, Cathy, Pregramsdell, you are all in my prayers. The hopelesness gets at me at times, especially when people around me get real ill, like ALS. I started to pray for them, and now I thought, this moment of better moods for Frank, that is answer to my prayer, and I thank God for His help!
    He is our Creator, our Beginning, and End, He has all in His hands! I pray for Ed too, that he will be blessed, and his wife and family, as he already is a blessing.
    Pooh, I so agree with you, I think God wants us to know our wits end, so that we will not rely on our own power, because we know it is useless, but In His Power we live.
    Think of Peter, the disciple, how big his failure was when he had denied Jesus and the cock crowed, but how pleased Jesus was that he had come to that point, because now he was very very humble and workable for God.
    I am learning each day that the me-power get less, and He, Jesus, should get bigger and bigger in my life.

  20. remarutho says:
    October 20, 2011 at 4:48 pm

    Hello Foreverblessed —

    I will pray for your friend Frank. I also forwarded the link for Ed’s Story to my brother, Jack. He does not have ALS — but rather lymphatic cancer. There is such discouragement sometimes in our helplessness…

    Please pray for Jack if your think of his journey. I sometimes wonder whether John Baptist saw his own death coming at him as he preached “Make straight the way of the Lord.” He told his disciples, “The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. He must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:29-30)

    It seems to me that Ed speaks eloquently just by his presence in the world — being ill and living out his faith in God through Christ. He shares the grace he has been given so freely!

    Blessings,
    Maru

  21. cathyol07 says:
    October 21, 2011 at 3:44 am

    Trials was given to us for us to be stronger.God gave it because He knew we can endure it, He view everything and He Knows us very well.He trust us that’s why how heavy that problem is , He still allow us to us to experience it.Our faith cannot be shaken anymore and even our life is facing its last day we have nothing to worry. Because we know God is waiting for us.

  22. cathyol07 says:
    October 21, 2011 at 3:46 am

    sorry for the wrong grammar.

  23. SFDBWV says:
    October 21, 2011 at 6:07 am

    Good morning all, my niece called last evening and told us her mother’s surgery went well, the doctors are confident they got all the malignancy out of her and will follow up with some new form of radiation therapy.

    If things go as planned and hoped, it will be a victory not only for my sister in law but also for everyone involved.

    As peg testified she beat cancer and sometimes it can be beaten.

    Modern medicine has no cure for ALS, so our topic friend Ed Dobson was simply given a death notice, which is how most people view cancer.

    I have known friends who followed every treatment they heard of trying to stop death from coming, especially the natural remedies, to no other conclusion than death.

    What is it that makes us cling so to life? Is it a personal desire to live forever or for the needs of another that need us in their lives?

    As “Miracle Max” said in the movie “The Princes Bride” “What you got that is so important to keep you here?” The hero’s answer, “True Love”.

    Thank you all for your prayers and concern for my family, if you look hard enough you will find real honest love is a very rare thing, thank you for your intersession on our behalf.

    Steve

  24. cathyol07 says:
    October 21, 2011 at 7:10 am

    i’m so happy for you sir steve. God is really miraculous.He can do anything.All we need to do is trust in Him.

  25. SFDBWV says:
    October 21, 2011 at 8:25 am

    It is always interesting to me the way the future never is what we imagine, even our desires that we pray for come out very differently answered.

    Somewhere in time people began to think of God as a genie in a bottle that grants endless wishes, or Santa Claus who marks on a list all the good little boys and girls deeds then rewards them with a present.

    Tragically today’s super preachers weave a story of believe and receive, speak and create, ask and receive all on our own terms….All of this puts the burden on us to control our destiny to either have enough faith to get what we want from God or not enough faith, then have unanswered prayer.

    Hebrew’s 11 tells a story of “great men of faith” who died never seeing the promises of God to them fulfilled, yet they believed God and His promises right up to the hour of their deaths.

    As I get older and see the events of life unfold around me, I see injustice everywhere, answered and unanswered desires. I see good people treated badly and bad people succeed. I see hopes dashed and renewed, and I see great acts of selfless love as well as selfish acts of people who seem only to love themselves.

    I could be discouraged and confused by it all, but I have read of this before, written thousands of years ago by a man to who God gave everything he ask for or could imagine, Solomon.

    Ecclesiastes gives an excellent description of what I am speaking of and ends with good advice (Ecclesiastes 11: 14) “For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.”

    As Ed said, “we control squat”. However the one thing we can control is placing our hope in God, through His Son Jesus of Nazareth the Christ. Then accept His will for our lives in blind trust.

    Steve

  26. cathyol07 says:
    October 21, 2011 at 9:00 am

    you are right, God answer our problems not the way we expect it. But how God want it to be answered.Most of the things we thought, never happened. He shows that He don’t think the way we do.Sometimes He doesn’t answer us, but one day will be surprise when His perfect time comes. I also see what you see sir steve. Let’s just pray for them. We need to do the right thing and God will be the One who will judge them, even us.

  27. oneg2dblu says:
    October 21, 2011 at 9:44 am

    I remeber this… Ed got himself out of bed,Noah built the arc, Moses packed up his things and left, and Christ carried the cross. We all have a work to do,
    and doing it is not pride.
    Maybe we cannot do it all on our own, but if we do not try to do what we can, then where are we?
    Are we then Noah sinking with the rest of the world? Are we ,Moses laying there never moving, never leading Are we, Christ leaving the cross laying on the ground?
    Not if we have heard His Voice, felt His Spirit stiring within us. Not if we live and breath for Him, for then there is a work for all of us.
    There is no pride in doing, or being able to do, unless what you do is for building yourself up, then even laying there crying helplessly, “I Can’t do it!” becomes your prideful identity.
    Mother Theresa, Billy Grahm, Joni Ericson Tada…
    all worked hard for what they gave, and continue give to others for Him. They did not say, “I Can’t!” I’m too weak, I’m too hurt, I’m too dependent, I’m too useless.
    They instead possessed something in themsleves, not fully of themselves, as this pride is so labeled.
    They accepted their positions, they accepted the call,
    they gave legs to the Master they served, in the form they could. I’m proud for them, but I do not take self pride in posting, “I Can’t!”
    They all in and of themselves, could not do much, but none of them were in themselves. They each had something else inside them, so they were never left to themselves. A Christ Follower is never by themselves, useless to Christ! Even if we only have a thought left, we can always pray it for others. Be Blessed, Gary

  28. SFDBWV says:
    October 21, 2011 at 10:02 am

    I was wondering Mart if Discovery House is planning on making Ed’s book or video series available through its product line?

    If so I will wait to get it there if not I may have to look at other avenues to get copies.

    Steve

  29. poohpity says:
    October 21, 2011 at 10:44 am

    Steve, when you go to edsstory dot com on the left hand side there is a tab “purchase” which will take you the place where you can buy all three series of his story. Hope that helps.

  30. hera says:
    October 21, 2011 at 11:34 am

    i saw the pains and sufferings of my parents during the last phase of their lives, both died of cancer, my late father also experienced alzheimer at the same time, so it was quite hard. sometimes it makes me wonder about the meaning of anything, how do we, or rather – I – can really feel God’s presence..lately i have come to this thinking that a combination of ‘giving-up, letting go’ is perhaps the most affordable approach to me although of course other people might not be of the same opinion. for perhaps death is just around the corner?

  31. SFDBWV says:
    October 21, 2011 at 12:06 pm

    Thank you pooh,

    Steve

  32. foreverblessed says:
    October 21, 2011 at 4:04 pm

    Thank you, Maru (remarutho), I also pray for your brother, Jack.
    Intercessory prayer, is work we can do, quietly, at home, nobody knows. But God is working through them.
    Praying for one another, God blesses it.

  33. davids says:
    October 21, 2011 at 4:09 pm

    I have known sadness, and even tragedy, but unlike Job, the Lord has not allowed the deceiver to touch my skin. Ed’s story is inspiring and also the comments you have given here. Gary, that was one of the most inspriring things I’ve read by you.

    Peace to all.

  34. phpatato says:
    October 21, 2011 at 8:26 pm

    I am so grateful for this topic Mart. May God richly bless Ed and his story. I have also been blessed by all your posts!

    And I will press on!

    My life this past six months has been extremely stressful. It started with a surgery at the end of April to fix my husband’s permanent colostomy, given to him 11 years ago as a result of anal cancer. He then went in August to have strabismus surgery done on both eyes. I buried my first cousin the first week of September and then his dad (my uncle) 2 weeks later. My sister-in-law has just begun going through a second radical chemotherapy regime. Her first cancer which was in the colon metastasized to spread to all 4 quadrants of her liver. This treatment will extend her life to hopefully about a year – without it she has till Christmas. My brother-in-law has just been hospitalized with metastasized cancer originating in the bladder which has spread to his stomach and now bones. He has stopped eating and drinking. October 19 marked the one year date that my Dearest Mom was called Home. I miss her so much. My other brother-in-law is in final stages of Parkinson’s disease. My sister is in excruciating pain from a possible torn rotator cuff. Her only comfort is oxycontin and sleeping until she sees her doctor who is awaiting results of an ultrasound. I am sitting here with an air cast on from a broken bone in my foot.

    But there is a bright spot in all of this. My daughter gave birth to twin boys in June. Although there has been little to no rest, for I am over at her place almost daily to help out, they are now beginning to smile and coo.

    Hera…I have experienced thoughts of giving up, asking “what’s the good of praying anyway? All seems hopeless.” My answer….”Let go”. Let go of the worry, the heaviness, the weight that is weighing me down and place it all at the feet of Jesus. I have to press on in Prayer, because for my brother and his wife and my sisters and their husbands, that is without doubt the most important thing I can do for them. He will sustain them through His love!

    Casting all your cares upon Him for He careth for you.

    Love to all

    Pat

  35. poohpity says:
    October 21, 2011 at 10:00 pm

    Pat, my heart is so saddened to hear of all the trials you and your family are going through. Even though we may not be able to feel the Lord’s presence we can trust His heart and know that He cares very much for y’all. I am sending a very big hug your way and lifting up prayers of comfort, strength and love to carry you. Thank you for sharing your struggles with us, next time do not wait so long :-)

  36. hera says:
    October 22, 2011 at 1:44 am

    Pat, thank you for your kind, encouraging words. I do appreciate that.
    i also hope that you will be able to go through all your cares, under His loving care..

    May God bless Mart and all the persons here….

  37. SFDBWV says:
    October 22, 2011 at 5:21 am

    I am certain you are a tower of strength for your family Pat, my heart and my prayers for you and you family.

    Steve

  38. remarutho says:
    October 22, 2011 at 6:54 am

    Hello Pat —

    You will be in my heart and in my prayers. How precious that new life in the midst of your family! I am mightily encouraged by your sharing all these prayer needs. May the Lord, by the Spirit, wrap arms of love and consolation about you there in your prayer closet. He sees and understands your needs every day.

    Blessings,
    Maru

  39. poohpity says:
    October 22, 2011 at 10:28 am

    There is a book by Philip Yancey “Does God Care?”. This is just a a very short overview about the part that touched my heart regarding the understanding that Jesus has towards us for compassion. When Jesus was in the garden unlike us we experience as it comes but he knew before exactly what He was about to face, that His body would be ripped so that the flesh was unrecognizable as a human body and then nailed by His extremities and suffocated by one of the most painful excruciating deaths that a human being can fathom. Does He know what we are feeling during our struggles, yes. He agonized, His spirit was crushed, He was in horror knowing what he would face, anguish and despair overcame Him much like we feel when we do not see any relief. Matt 26:37-39; Mark 14:34-36; Luke 22:43-44.

    Does God care? Yes, without a doubt I believe He does and yes He understands our groans, anguish and despair because He experienced it Himself although He could have made a different choice, He went through that for us. Is it alright to tell God exactly what we are feeling, oh my gosh, yes because we have such a good example to follow. Would God want things for us to be different? Yes, I believe so but while things are as they are, He is right there with us through the storms of life as our comforter and guide. Not as one who does not know but as one who does.

  40. oneg2dblu says:
    October 22, 2011 at 10:51 am

    Pat, you have broken us with your story of what is currently going on all around you, and with you.
    You have broken us with being able to share the tough place you are in right now, and that your most powerful remedey is praying to the only one who can provide you with immediate peace. We know there is no pain that is not felt in Heaven. When one of His hurts, we all hurt.There are no prayers that He does not Hear. It is as if one of us prays, we all pray. You have moved us to compassion and to praying for your temporal situation. “This too shall pass!” In all things… we know, that God works for the good of those who love Him. We pray for that good to “show itself” even among all this pain we now see and must endure.
    We know He cares for us as His own. Be Blessed, Gary

  41. SFDBWV says:
    October 23, 2011 at 6:19 am

    Not that many years ago A fellow I worked with told me that the conclusion of all the great philosophers of the world was that the *purpose* of man was to be happy.

    In my arrogance I immediately said oh no the *purpose* of man is for the glory of God.

    I often think of that brief conversation as he and I have not seen each other for over 12 years I have not gotten the opportunity to discuss further the matter with him.

    However I think the wordage of *purpose* is what threw me off his train of thought and perhaps the thoughts of philosophy.

    I still hold to the fact that God created man and so man’s purpose is to show God in whatever glorious light we can, “to God be the glory”.

    However, especially when I go to God in prayer as this morning under a star filled sky and 27 degrees f, the things I ask of from God are to bring happiness to me and others.

    Like a light bulb when I ask for good things for those I love, I am reminded it is to make them *happy* and so me as well and I am reminded that my old friend was on the right trail after all. So I have come to realize that the purpose of man is for the glory of God, but that the desire of all men is happiness.

    That it is through unhappiness that God’s glory is best able to shine through, because when we are too content we too often become lazy and forget God.

    Which is one reason perhaps that as I look around me it is those people who love God and obey his will that suffer so much tragedy and so become a beacon of God’s light for the entire world to see.

    As I remember the prayer my son and I had some 13 years ago whereas we ask God to use us, I believe He has and I understand that it takes sacrifice and suffering on our part to be used according to His will, but that because we suffer and because we surrendered to His will we have a great reward filled with happiness coming, no anguish, no sorrow, no tears, only smiles and pure happiness.

    Steve

  42. saled says:
    October 23, 2011 at 8:37 am

    My thoughts after watching the 10 minute film at edsstory.com and while following the blog this week echo Steve’s last post. We all seek happiness for ourselves and those we love. For most of my life, I kept trying to create the perfect life, and wondering what was wrong with me that I could not. It was years before I learned that God does not expect me to create the perfect life, and that burdens may not be the result of personal sin.

    My heart goes out to Pat, who is being asked to bear so many burdens at once. And I feel silly even bringing up the fact that my dog died 10 days ago. But even in Moxie’s death, there was a reminder for me that all is not right with the world, a reminder that the original sin of Eve and Adam has left us in a world that we can not control. As a human being, I so should have been able to help my Moxie, but we could not even get her to the vet in time. This small burden reminded me that all my hope is in God, the one who has the power to bring life from death.

    I want to say to, that I was really struck by the way God delivered the message of hope to Ed. A former heroin addict quoting Yogi Berra. Who would have thought.

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