I have read amazing books before that draw you in and you can’t wait to pick it back up. But the timing is always when I make the time to read. I don’t tend to pick it up when I see it on the table.
When I see your Substack alert, or see your email in my inbox, I dive in, no matter what I’m doing.
You have the Holy Spirit in you on full volume my friend. Your message is one of hope for all of us, no matter what our messy parts of life are. Live, free of fear, so much more rich than surviving.
You inspire, thanks for sharing life with us.
P.S. it may not be a perfect circle, but connecting the ends, free-hand, is priceless.
Dear Scott, Do you ever wonder how many people are convinced that they see the world through slightly different eyes than anybody else, and then wonder if they can trust their own vision at all? I wonder about this, and suspect that if you were to pull back the curtain on that doubt/distrust, you would find a deep insecurity that someone who loved us and really didn't know any better passed onto us long ago and in the name of love. Your words are so encouraging because they suggest that we are (I am) not alone, and that we (I) truly can trust the eyes of our (my) hearts, and that we can trust the one who gave them to us. Thank you for taking the time to comment.
They say that the worst thing that can happen to a person is losing a child. Back about 5 years ago our daughter Bridget was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer that had metastasized to the liver. It was like my world came to a complete stop as my son-in law broke the news to me and the doctor came up behind him to confirm (turned out not be an accurate diagnosis, but we did not find out for 3 days). As I gathered myself to see my daughter (who was not advised yet) and tend to her needs, I sat as bravely as I could waiting for the panic and anxiety to set in; but it didn't that day or any day after.
No one was more surprised than me! I am a pretty spiritual guy and always believed the thinking "that sometimes God does for us that we cannot do for ourselves!" This was not a brave and stoic Ron Waltz being brave for his daughter and family, not hardly, the fact that I soon realized as the day and then the weeks passed was that God was doing for me what I could not do for myself. He was providing me with a peace and power I had never felt before. As importantly, I was confident that that divine power was not going to abandon me during this period of time when Bridget would need so much help and support.
I follow a fellowship that has some pretty simple acronyms for fear.
Forget
Everything
And
Run
Or
Face
Everything
And
Rise
It is my experience now that when I am given choices, I will default to the first definition, but painted into a corner, where my normal tools are useless, I get humble enough to allow God in and to date he has never failed to provide the support and grace to guide me thru circumstances.
"He was providing me with a peace and power I had never felt before."
I'm pretty convinced of the healing properties of fear. I know this sounds like a contradiction, and maybe it is. But, at least for me, I had to try as hard as I could before I could come to the end of myself, the most terrifying place I an imagine. But it turned out God had been hanging out there the whole time, waiting for my (on-time) arrival.
That is not to make light of your loss. I am so sorry, dear friend. And hope you know I am not suggesting that this wisdom somehow makes the loss "worth it" or that you given to this loss to teach you a lesson. It's hard for me even to type those words.
Until he looks me in the eye and tells me otherwise, I cannot believe that our loving God would send us pain, and especially the pain of those we love, to make us more beautiful. But I am convinced that God has the unique ability to transform that pain into something beautiful. That is so different, even if I cannot put the difference into words.
"During the conversation, he also told me that when they extubated me, I was all smiles and calm. I’m still not sure I completely believe him". CHRIS - for SURE, you are the only person in this room who might not believe that :) The rest of us know otherwise!
I have read amazing books before that draw you in and you can’t wait to pick it back up. But the timing is always when I make the time to read. I don’t tend to pick it up when I see it on the table.
When I see your Substack alert, or see your email in my inbox, I dive in, no matter what I’m doing.
You have the Holy Spirit in you on full volume my friend. Your message is one of hope for all of us, no matter what our messy parts of life are. Live, free of fear, so much more rich than surviving.
You inspire, thanks for sharing life with us.
P.S. it may not be a perfect circle, but connecting the ends, free-hand, is priceless.
Dear Scott, Do you ever wonder how many people are convinced that they see the world through slightly different eyes than anybody else, and then wonder if they can trust their own vision at all? I wonder about this, and suspect that if you were to pull back the curtain on that doubt/distrust, you would find a deep insecurity that someone who loved us and really didn't know any better passed onto us long ago and in the name of love. Your words are so encouraging because they suggest that we are (I am) not alone, and that we (I) truly can trust the eyes of our (my) hearts, and that we can trust the one who gave them to us. Thank you for taking the time to comment.
They say that the worst thing that can happen to a person is losing a child. Back about 5 years ago our daughter Bridget was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer that had metastasized to the liver. It was like my world came to a complete stop as my son-in law broke the news to me and the doctor came up behind him to confirm (turned out not be an accurate diagnosis, but we did not find out for 3 days). As I gathered myself to see my daughter (who was not advised yet) and tend to her needs, I sat as bravely as I could waiting for the panic and anxiety to set in; but it didn't that day or any day after.
No one was more surprised than me! I am a pretty spiritual guy and always believed the thinking "that sometimes God does for us that we cannot do for ourselves!" This was not a brave and stoic Ron Waltz being brave for his daughter and family, not hardly, the fact that I soon realized as the day and then the weeks passed was that God was doing for me what I could not do for myself. He was providing me with a peace and power I had never felt before. As importantly, I was confident that that divine power was not going to abandon me during this period of time when Bridget would need so much help and support.
I follow a fellowship that has some pretty simple acronyms for fear.
Forget
Everything
And
Run
Or
Face
Everything
And
Rise
It is my experience now that when I am given choices, I will default to the first definition, but painted into a corner, where my normal tools are useless, I get humble enough to allow God in and to date he has never failed to provide the support and grace to guide me thru circumstances.
Ron, Thank you for this:
"He was providing me with a peace and power I had never felt before."
I'm pretty convinced of the healing properties of fear. I know this sounds like a contradiction, and maybe it is. But, at least for me, I had to try as hard as I could before I could come to the end of myself, the most terrifying place I an imagine. But it turned out God had been hanging out there the whole time, waiting for my (on-time) arrival.
That is not to make light of your loss. I am so sorry, dear friend. And hope you know I am not suggesting that this wisdom somehow makes the loss "worth it" or that you given to this loss to teach you a lesson. It's hard for me even to type those words.
Until he looks me in the eye and tells me otherwise, I cannot believe that our loving God would send us pain, and especially the pain of those we love, to make us more beautiful. But I am convinced that God has the unique ability to transform that pain into something beautiful. That is so different, even if I cannot put the difference into words.
Thank you for reaching out.
"During the conversation, he also told me that when they extubated me, I was all smiles and calm. I’m still not sure I completely believe him". CHRIS - for SURE, you are the only person in this room who might not believe that :) The rest of us know otherwise!
So grateful for you kindness, friend.