I had one of those nights last night, you know the ones where you go to bed only to toss & turn. Then you realize it’s pointless staying there, you may as well get up & read for awhile.
Then God gave me a little spiritual tap on my spiritual shoulder!
He definitely had my attention at that point, it was the wee hours of the morn when…
Let’s grab our cuppa’s, treats & get comfy for our time of reflection together my friend.
Today I have a tea blend called Eggnog with caramel & hazelnut pieces in it & a toasted slice of gf Banana Bread with butter melting upon its deliciousness.
Pain
You see I couldn’t sleep last night because I was in quite a bit of physical pain & had some things on my mind.
As you may know, if you join me here often, I have autoimmune conditions of which one is chronic pain.
I have learnt to live with this pain over the past sixteen years with several pain management strategies. The greatest being prayer.
However, yesterday I had a phone call from one of my loved ones, they had just been diagnosed with a chronic condition that causes chronic pain & other nasty symptoms.
This deeply saddened me, I mean it’s one thing to live with chronic pain yourself & I’m sure all the parents & grandparents out there can relate to this, it’s quite another thing entirely when your dear loved ones are diagnosed with it too.
My instant go to after the conversation was to research this diagnosis for the prognosis, a legacy of being an allied health professional.
However, I stopped myself, realizing my first go to needed to be prayer as my loved one needed God’s strength & comfort more then anything else in that moment…
I also wanted to hop straight in my car & travel to be with them which I always want to do when any of my loved ones are going through challenging times. But this is not often possible with flares in my own chronic conditions.
So, you can see why I was having a restless night!
‘Being’
When God gives you a little tap on your spiritual shoulder He definitely gets your attention as I sat thinking what to read I felt prompted to pick up an old journal from 2013 & read a few entries I had written that year.
The following entry leapt out of the pages at me, it was a profound conversation between one of my adult daughters & I…
She had asked me what God had been showing me in my life at that point…my reply,
“God keeps giving me the message to ‘Be’ at rest in Him…as I have been a people rescuer most of my life… While the caring behind that may be well meaning it’s not always wise or God honoring!
I’m learning that it’s God’s place to rescue others, if needed, my place is to trust Him to do His Will in the way He sees fit & not my way, timing or how I think it should be done!
That’s where I have to literally trust God to work in that situation (a continual handing over to Him as each situation comes to my attention).
And I’m learning what a major part prayer has in all of this…“
Wise Words…
My daughter’s reply,
“So, He has taken your brokenness & is building you up in His love. That’s true love!
I see how brave you are Mama, I see how much these conditions take out of you. I also see how much God loves you.
I see how much He adores you & wants to take your worries & burdens. How much He desires to give you rest.
You show worship & honor to God when you let Him be who He is
& allow yourself to be who He created you to be…His child!”
You can see why this conversation leapt out at me!
How applicable is this for the current situation & what words of wisdom God gave my daughter back then & for such a time as this now!
The Word, Prayer
My word for this year is Prayer, I had wondered what journey God would take me on.
Although, I can see that it has actually been a journey over my entire lifetime, for prayer has always been important to me for as long as I can remember, even as a child.
This current situation gives me the opportunity to put what I have learnt within my journey of prayer into practice & to continue on that journey.
Because prayer for others isn’t just a conversation or petition with God for them, it’s so much more!
Prayer entails trust, humility & a surrendering to God’s will for our loved ones life
As He knows their beginning to eternity, after all He is their Creator, His following promise will be fulfilled in their life as in ours when they are His children,
“I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare not for evil but for a future full of hope.”
Jeremiah 29: 11
That old hymn has just come to mind, ‘I surrender all’…all to Jesus my loving Savior, I surrender all…a rendition is Here
And you’ll be pleased to know I went back to bed & had an amazingly peaceful sleep after placing it all in God’s hands.
Until next time,
Jennifer
You’re most welcome to join me in The Reading Nook
Or in Prayer
© 2021 Jennifer M. Ross, teawithjennifer.blog All Rights Reserved. Photo by rawpixel.com & by cottonbro on Pexels.com
Tea With Jennifer 
Oh Jennifer, I know those nights far too well, yet I, too, am learning that rather than fight the restlessness and angst, to get up, pray, change positions often, and pray some more. I also read, just spending time not fighting what is the way it is some nights. Your conversation with your daughter is more precious than gold. I am grateful that she can see so much of who you are as you deal with the pain. Thank you for sharing such intimacy. So special, sweet sister.
Thank you Linda 💕 Yes, those nights come & go but it does give us an opportunity to be alone in the quiet with our precious heavenly Father ❤️
“I see how much He adores you…” how wonderful that your daughter can see this in you!
How wonderful is our heavenly Father Jansaun. 😀 Lovely having you drop by today to join me in a cuppa.
I’ve discovered prayer for loved ones to be a powerful sleep restorative–much better than counting sheep ;). I pray for the sheep, instead.
Absolutely Anita! 😀
Oh Jennifer, everything about this post is breathtakingly beautiful. Your description of God wooing you away with His love in the wee hours of the morning made my heart melt. His love and goodness is just so pure, isn’t it?
The journal entry conversation between you and your daughter had to come straight from the Father heart of God for you. What a beautiful & powerful moment. I also love how Holy Spirit led you to those entries for such a time as this. Although I am so deeply saddened that you and your loved one are enduring such pain.
You’re right, we aren’t the Savior. We can’t be and the burden will kill us. Like you, I’ve struggled with being the rescuer and trying to be the fixer. Someone reminded me once that I run the risk of being an idol for someone if they continue to run to me instead of God. It’s true, really, even though we have the best of intentions. Discernment helps us realize when the Lord wants to use us as His hands and feet; or is teaching us that this is a moment of full surrender and trust in His ability to handle all that we care about.
It blesses my heart to hear that He gave you sweet sleep after you turned over your cares and burdens into His loving, capable hands. What a touching post this is!
All my love to you, precious sister. You are such a blessing! 💓
Thank you Holly, I’m so delighted & encouraged that you enjoyed our tea time together. And I love how God blessed you with the words God gave my daughter. You have blessed me today sweet friend! 😀
What delicious-sounding tea – I’ve been sipping on Tupelo Honey Fig today! What a treasure that conversation was – and the notes kept! It’s a hard lesson to realize that it’s “God’s place to rescue” – and to rest in the trust that He will! Knowledge like that does, indeed, lead to restful sleep! Thank you for sharing this beautiful story!
You’re welcome! It was a delicious tea Maryleigh! Your blend sounds just as interesting!
Yes, it comes down to trusting Him in all things in our lives, & there lays the journey in Him. 😀
I so often find it difficult to simply “be” – and stop trying to do, to fix and to solve. Even when I am able, it is often not what is needed. So often, God is simply wanting me to be still. To trust. To pray.
Absolutely Jennifer, I hear what you’re saying here…to Be still & know that He is God in every situation is a challenge for us…but it’s necessary to hear & see Him working in the situation… Isn’t it! 😉