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“No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ who loved us.”

–Romans 8:37

/And we’re invincible ’cause our power’s not our own,
We’re unstoppable, when we go before His throne,
And though you find us weakened, suffering,
our outcome’s not unknown,
We’re not what we appear. We may fall, but
He’s not overthrown./

–Invincible

So many people went to the throne for me last week as I went into surgery and I am still awestruck and tear-soaked at all the ways Jehovah said “yes!” to me and to you.

I’m still reeling at all the ways He showed off to the surgeon, at the surprise of just how much the Lord preserved and protected through such complex surgery. It went SO much better than expected.

On my neck and ear I now bear a scar. A small line tracing down the most vulnerable part of my body; marking the place where I went under the knife and the Lord had me.

All my days I will proudly wear this mark and it will say to me:

“This is the place where I trusted the Lord and He was merciful, strong, and faithful to me.”

This is the place where Jehovah Jireh impressed the doctors and me and every person who begged Him to help. Where He gave us all a resounding yes.

Final Biopsy results are in and we caught the tumor and got it ALL OUT before any malignant transformation. Every cell benign.

I just have rule-out scans for a few years to make sure there’s no recurrence. And I am doing a happy dance at the peace the Lord gave me to face this down and get it done even with so many unknowns. Over and over in his word, He challenged me not to be afraid. He reminded me that He would have me on the other side of this no matter what happened. And then, (Oh what grace!!!), He preserved what I was ready to lose. I can move my face. I can feel my face. I can still smile. I can talk and sing clearly. And I have no chemo or radiation to schedule. I will never get over it.

Our God is an awesome God. And His goodness and mercy shall follow us all the days of our lives. (Psalm 23)

My friends. We may walk through some confusing, earth-shaking, painful, weakness-filled moments together. But we who are in Christ are being built together into the dwelling place of the Spirit whose presence once filled Solomon’s temple and was so overwhelming the priests had to cease their worship. (2 Chronicles 5).  The One whose power raises the dead with a word. (Romans 8:11, John 11:43)

Not a Spirit of fear.

But of power, love, and a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:7)

We may fall and shudder and look like we’re losing,

But we are the dwelling place of the Spirit of the Almighty God of Heaven and Earth.

And He is here to show off his strength. His overwhelming victory belongs to US.

Let’s not forget it.

Let’s stand still and look for it.

Let’s behold Him and let our hearts be

Awestruck.

Let’s take some good, long, soul-filling looks at Jesus and do a Happy Christmas dance together as our hearts thrill at the strength and the mercy of our Savior.  

But thanks be to God, He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you…”

–1 Corinthians 15:57-58