The Future’s Bright:
Over the years, some folks have spoken of me as being just like Job: a hero in the Old Testament who maintained his faith in God in spite of afflictions that tested him.
To a greater degree, he patiently endured continual wrongs and trouble without giving up hope.
Now, some may question the comparison.
Job lost everything he closely-held, had all of his children wiped-out, and was grievously affected with gruesome disfiguring diseases.
Still, don’t take my word for it, judge for yourself.
Here goes:-
I was diagnosed with Diabetes at the young age of four.
And, as a teenager, I was also taken ill with Pneumonia.
Already, my future appeared grim!
Whilst in my mid-twenties, I became totally blind – due, in part, to diabetic retinopathy
This followed an episode when my wife, Judith, had also undergone surgery to remove an abnormal artery growing from her pituitary gland to the hypothalamus in her brain!
A little while later, I had renal Failure.
And, overlapping this, my wife and I suffered the emotion of having five babies born into Heaven.
By the age of twenty-eight, I had to have a kidney & Pancreas Transplant.
Four months later I was given only three days to live – due to septicaemia
Just over two years later, I endured the pain of a fatal Car Crash.
At age 30, I had lost my health and my wife.!
What’s more, three years after that, my kidney transplant failed!
At this point in time, I was diagnosed as having an enlarged heart and bowel, experienced Angina, and also had a heart murmur.
During this time, I fell ill with Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus, not once, not twice, but three times. For this reason, on one occasion, apart from being unable to see, for a little while, I also lost all sense of hearing!
Then came the second kidney transplant.
Sometime later, I found new love, and got married to Rachel.
But, it wasn’t long before I was diagnosed as having an enlarged bladder, endured bladder retention, and had to start using speedi caths up to eight times a day.
And then, my lovely wife, Rachel, not only had a prolapsed disc, but also suffered Temporomandibular joint Disorder.
Then, if this wasn’t enough, I began to develop a skin condition, which, at one time or another, was examined by numerous health professionals, with the diagnosis just as varied.
At one time, it was thought I had Eczema, or possibly Psoriasis. Then, at some other time, we believed it could be another episode of Staphylococcus Aureus, or maybe a Pseudomonas infection, or simply, an unknown Keratosis!
Anyway, our recollection remains clear of the uneasy feeling we felt, as something didn’t seem right.
Sure-enough, in November 2011, we discovered I had two types of skin Cancer – Basal cell carcinoma and Squamous cell carcinoma.
The Squamous was growing through, and spreading within the Porokeratosis, which in turn, appeared to be imitating Eczema.
These, and multiple other issues could render most people immobile or at least cause them to lose faith and become ineffective for God.
Bringing heartache, and gloom, on top of suffering!
Nevertheless, our confidence today, is found in the concluding part of the story of Job – when it ends with him restored to health, with a new family, and twice as much livestock.
Wow!! A God-sized dream!
So, let’s consider this, we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good!
Agree? Agree!
Yes, that’s right!
For this is God’s promise – He will bless us with a future filled with hope – a future of success, not of suffering.
What a comfort!
What a promise!
So now – we walk in grace!
For-sure, we are who we are because of God’s grace.
He knew the plans He had for us before we were born, and He has led us through many a circumstance for us to be where we are today.
The future’s bright with Him!
Praise Him!
Amen? Amen!
Jeremiah 29:11
Romans 8:28
2 Corinthians 12:9
James 1:12
By using a simple newsletter form – you can sign-up to receive our weekly inspirational thought – E-word.
God appointments are awaiting us each day – at home, at work, at school, at play. So, if you’ve been inspired by this E-word Communicator – please click the recommend button on this page.
Thank you for being a part of our ministry. We appreciate your support, just knowing you are praying for us is a great encouragement.