JoAnne's Blog

Are Your Limitations Holding You Back?

Recently, our pastor stated "Do not give up; do not accept the limitations that you have!" 

I have been pondering that statement as I am nearing the completion of my book, "You Have Cancer".  I could feel limited by the fact that I don't know anything about editing or publishing a book.  Actually,  I don't even know any people in the field. I don't have the funds to really publish it myself.  But like the following people, I will not be bound by these limitations, however big or small.  I know my God is big enough to handle any limitation that I might encounter. 

I am encouraged by people, like the ones below who have accomplished much in their lives, despite the limitations that they have.  They have learned to overcome. 

Kevin Connolly is a young man, who was born without any legs.  He is currently a professional skier, photographer and skateboarder.

Joni Eareckson Tada became a quadraplegic as a teenager through a tragic diving accident. She has become a great speaker, author, artist and evangelist. 

Liu Weil lost both his arms in an accident at the age of 10.  He learned to play the piano with his feet and won China's Got Talent Show in 2010.  His motto is very inspirational ""I can die as fast as possible, or I can live a brilliant life.  And I chose the latter."  Wow! 

No matter what our limitations are, we must not let them stop us from doing what we want to do, or even yet, what we were meant to do.  The challenges they bring can serve to teach us and make us stronger if we will not give up.  There is really nothing that can hold us back except ourselves. God, in us, will enable us to do the impossible. 

In Deuteronomy 13:19, God spoke to his people and said, " This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live."

Let's live life to the fullest and experience God's blessings.

 

Do you know who you are?

Today, I am so thankful for who I am. And who am I?  I am a woman, a wife, a mother, a grandmother, a retired school teacher, a cancer survivor, a dancer and so much more.  I am also a daughter.  I am the daughter of Charles and Kathleen.  But more important than any of the afore mentioned, I am a daughter of the most high God!  He is my abba Father and I am adored by him.  He lavishes His love on me and wraps me with favour. He has given me great and precious promises.  He has plans to prosper me. Wow!  Because of the sacrifice of his only Son, Jesus Christ, and the blood that was shed for me, I am worthy to receive all that He has for me.  It is all that I could ever want or need.  Do you know who you are?

Go ahead and dance!

As a child, I loved to sing and dance; it was almost impossible for me to be still.  Even if I made it up, there was always a song in my head, or music playing somewhere.  However, the opportunity never presented itself for me to take singing or dance lessons.  As I grew older and more self conscious, I stopped dreaming.  I felt I couldn't dance or sing.  When my girls were old enough I enrolled them in piano, ballet, jazz and tap dancing lessons.  I wanted them to know the joy I felt as a little girl and have the chance to pursue it if they wished.

Years later, when I had cancer, I was journalling and more than one time I would hear God telling me to dance.  At the time I didn't really understand what that meant or the significance of dancing before our God.  Besides I didn't see myself as a dancer and I didn't have any training. Timidly, I would dance around our house but never where anyone could see me for fear of what they might say and/or what I looked like.

But now, after some solid teaching, I realize that dancing is a wonderful, creative form of praising and worshiping our God.  It has nothing to do with training and everything to do with our heart.  When we dance we can actually usher in the very presence of God and posture ourselves in a position to receive from Him.  Being in His presence in this way allows God to come in and touch us in the deepest areas of our lives.  Often, it is areas that we are not even aware of, where we have subconciously buried or hidden things.  His very presence in us can bring about healing, emotionally, spiritually and even physically.  I recently heard of a lady whose breast cancer was cured by flagging.  (basically waving flags to praise and worship music).  God told her to flag and she was obediant to that word from Him.

So what am I saying.  I am saying that if you feel like dancing, then go for it.  You will be glad you did.

p.s. This post came about as an addend to an earier post that I wrote entitled Cancer and Your Memories and after a morning of dancing. 

Praise Changes Things!

Live in an atmosphere of praise!  It changes things!  As I am writing my book, I am so reminded about this.  When I lay on my couch, Nov.2/06 at 79 lbs, thinking that I was breathing my last breath, I began to praise God.  My friend, Mary, had sent me a CD from Joshua Mills, entitled Praise Changes the Atmosphere.  Wow!  I was so impacted by that CD and here I am today.  I am well and enjoying my life.  And I know, it is because God raised me up.

I cannot stress enough the importance of praising God in everything.  We often take the everyday things for granted.  But, nothing happens to us by chance.  If we are a child of God, then He is watching over and seeing to every little detail of our life.  There are times, when praise is the last thing that we want to do. I know, I've been there.  But that is exactly the time that we must.  I believe that is when it becomes what the Bible says "a sacrifice of praise".  It wasn't easy, but as I acted in obediance to what God said, he filled not only my heart with praise but my mouth as well.  I became aware of all the things that I had to be thankful for and joy filled my heart.  So let's be a people of praise!  Let's change the world we live in!  Let's be a peculiar people!

Pain

I read an interesting article by Philip Yancey today talking about pain.  In summary, Philip suggests that pain can either turn us away from God or turn us toward God.  I think that is a true statement.   None of us like pain and we may even ask why there is so much of it in life.  As Christians, we can blame it all on the "Fall" (Adam and Eve), but that doesn't offer much help or seem relevant for our pain today.  We still would like to know why God continues to allow such pain and suffering. 

First, I believe that it was all a part of God's plan.  In my case, God used the pain to draw me closer to Him.  Nothing around me seemed to matter when I found out I had cancer.  At first, I didn't want to see anyone; but I sure did talk to God.  I'm not sure I was all that pleasant either; but I knew He would listen and not interrupt.  God did eventually lead me to what I should do; but not until I had vented all my anger and frustrations. 

Secondly, I believe it is because He loves us so much.  What, you say?  Hear me out.  If you love someone, you want the best for them.  God wants the best for us.  The best is what He has planned for us.  It is what we were created for.  Sometimes, we need a wake up call to discover what that is.  I know I did.  I can't say that I have arrived or that I've got it all figured out.  But I can say that I am a whole lot more at peace with myself and my life.

Thirdly, I believe it is to prepare us for the future events that will surely come as the Word of God tells us.  There is coming a time of great tribulation that will make it extremely difficult for believers of Christ to exist.  Perhaps, we will not be here, because we will be taken away in the rapture.  I don't know, Bible scholars can't even agree.  But I do know, this is a time to put oil in our lamps, in other words to build relationship with our creator, God, so that we will be ready for whatever happens in the future.

So, even though we do not want to embrace pain, we need to look at it from different perspective and see what is in it for us.