Hello friends,
Been struggling more the past few days and trying to start a new plan with my nutrition coach tomorrow morning. It requires doing things that I haven't done in some time, so I would be grateful for your prayers.
The battle is tough, but God's promises are true no matter what I feel.
Thank you all for caring and praying. How I need it. I am so humbled to have friends like you who never tire of carrying me to the throne of grace.
Every cave that you're in—wandering along, feeling the rocks, stumbling, stepping, bumping your head—every cave that you are in is a tunnel that opens into glory. It opens into a day like today in Heaven, with the sun shining, and the grass green, and the waters flowing—as long as you don’t sit down in the cave and blow out the candle of faith. - Piper
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Always Faithful
Dear friends,
Thank you for being so patient with me and my lack of updates once again. Since I last wrote, I came down with a cold/cough which had me fighting in a different way for a while, but I have come through most of it now. It was a wonderful opportunity to realize how much God has blessed me in keeping me from “normal” sicknesses. This was probably only the second time I’ve had a cold in the past year!
Praise report! Last time I updated you regarding the struggle I was having with the acid in my esophagus. Well, God has graciously lessened the severity of this issue, and I am so grateful! I know your prayers played a significant role in it. It continues to play a part in the overall picture but nowhere near the level it was a few weeks ago. And my swallowing difficulties have also improved.
The daily battle has grown more difficult lately as my body struggles to digest the foods I eat. A few weeks ago, I removed raw dairy from my diet due to a concern raised by the CDC that it might present too much of a risk for my body right now. As much as I would love to be able to handle pasteurized dairy, it is more difficult to digest due to the good enzymes that are destroyed during the pasteurization process. I am hoping to try introducing pasteurized goat kefir and yogurt in the weeks ahead. In light of this change, I’ve had to rely heavily on rice products and almond butter in order to meet my calorie minimum each day, and my body is no longer tolerating these well. I’ll spare you the details, but the hardest part is that, beyond the digestive distress, it is resulting in a significant amount of brain fog, disequilibrium, weakness, mood issues, and a host of strange symptoms. It has grown more difficult to get out of bed each morning, and it is particularly difficult to keep eating the foods that aren’t working , while at the same time realizing that if I don’t my weight will slip backwards again.
At the moment, I am consulting with a few nutritionists and hoping that we will be able to come up with some other options for foods I can tolerate better while still obtaining the necessary calories.
How to pray:
Thank you all so much! I look forward to sharing with you how God works in the days ahead. He is always faithful!
And He said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? …Instead, seek His kingdom, and these things will be added to you. - Luke 12:22-25, 31
We cannot guess in which way deliverance can possibly come to us, but the Lord knows, and He will lead us till we shall have escaped every danger. Happy are those who place their hand in that of the great Guide and leave their way and themselves entirely with Him. He will bring them all the way; and when He has brought them home to glory and has opened their eyes to see the way by which He has led them, what a song of gratitude will they sing unto their great Benefactor! Lord, lead Thy poor blind child this day, for I know not my way! - Spurgeon
Thank you for being so patient with me and my lack of updates once again. Since I last wrote, I came down with a cold/cough which had me fighting in a different way for a while, but I have come through most of it now. It was a wonderful opportunity to realize how much God has blessed me in keeping me from “normal” sicknesses. This was probably only the second time I’ve had a cold in the past year!
Praise report! Last time I updated you regarding the struggle I was having with the acid in my esophagus. Well, God has graciously lessened the severity of this issue, and I am so grateful! I know your prayers played a significant role in it. It continues to play a part in the overall picture but nowhere near the level it was a few weeks ago. And my swallowing difficulties have also improved.
The daily battle has grown more difficult lately as my body struggles to digest the foods I eat. A few weeks ago, I removed raw dairy from my diet due to a concern raised by the CDC that it might present too much of a risk for my body right now. As much as I would love to be able to handle pasteurized dairy, it is more difficult to digest due to the good enzymes that are destroyed during the pasteurization process. I am hoping to try introducing pasteurized goat kefir and yogurt in the weeks ahead. In light of this change, I’ve had to rely heavily on rice products and almond butter in order to meet my calorie minimum each day, and my body is no longer tolerating these well. I’ll spare you the details, but the hardest part is that, beyond the digestive distress, it is resulting in a significant amount of brain fog, disequilibrium, weakness, mood issues, and a host of strange symptoms. It has grown more difficult to get out of bed each morning, and it is particularly difficult to keep eating the foods that aren’t working , while at the same time realizing that if I don’t my weight will slip backwards again.
At the moment, I am consulting with a few nutritionists and hoping that we will be able to come up with some other options for foods I can tolerate better while still obtaining the necessary calories.
How to pray:
- That God would be magnified in my weakness and inability.
- That I would cease from striving for control and protecting myself and instead live fully surrendered to the Lord, trusting Him to meet ALL my needs and to be my Shepherd, Provider, and Father.
- That He would keep me in His perfect peace causing all fear to flee.
- For faith to believe His promises and cling to Him at all times.
- For wisdom and direction on what foods to eat and what supplements to take.
- For faith for whatever plan I am given and for the ability to carry it out.
- For grace to keep taking another step and to get out of bed each morning and trust God to carry me through the day. I am often more focused on how hard the road is rather than on His promises.
- For healing for my digestive system and whole body.
- For the ability to tolerate pasteurized goat kefir & yogurt (really helps with meeting my calorie goal).
- Ability to gain more weight and to eat even when feeling bad.
- For wisdom regarding when to begin a course of antibiotics and the ability to swallow the tablets and eat enough with it.
Thank you all so much! I look forward to sharing with you how God works in the days ahead. He is always faithful!
And He said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? …Instead, seek His kingdom, and these things will be added to you. - Luke 12:22-25, 31
We cannot guess in which way deliverance can possibly come to us, but the Lord knows, and He will lead us till we shall have escaped every danger. Happy are those who place their hand in that of the great Guide and leave their way and themselves entirely with Him. He will bring them all the way; and when He has brought them home to glory and has opened their eyes to see the way by which He has led them, what a song of gratitude will they sing unto their great Benefactor! Lord, lead Thy poor blind child this day, for I know not my way! - Spurgeon
Monday, March 7, 2011
Prayer Request
Dear friends,
Thank you for your prayers. God continues to uphold me in countless ways. Just a quick request before I hope to move into further updates over the week ahead.
Today, I am praying about various decisions related to trying new medications and am very aware of how much I need the Lord's guidance and help to know which way to go. There are so many opinions, but He has never failed to lead me. Thank you so much for praying with me.
Also dealing with a great deal of discomfort, difficulty eating, and lack of sleep related to some newer GI issues right now. In particular, my lower esophageal sphincter (what closes your stomach off from your esophagus) is continually open, causing the acid to erode my esophagus, etc. There is not necessarily any way to "fix" this other than to manage it through medications, supplements, nutrition, meal sizes, etc., but we can always ask for healing. :)
I take hope today in God's promise to give wisdom to those who ask for it. Thank you for praying with me.
With much love,
Charissa
"If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him." - James 1:5
Thank you for your prayers. God continues to uphold me in countless ways. Just a quick request before I hope to move into further updates over the week ahead.
Today, I am praying about various decisions related to trying new medications and am very aware of how much I need the Lord's guidance and help to know which way to go. There are so many opinions, but He has never failed to lead me. Thank you so much for praying with me.
Also dealing with a great deal of discomfort, difficulty eating, and lack of sleep related to some newer GI issues right now. In particular, my lower esophageal sphincter (what closes your stomach off from your esophagus) is continually open, causing the acid to erode my esophagus, etc. There is not necessarily any way to "fix" this other than to manage it through medications, supplements, nutrition, meal sizes, etc., but we can always ask for healing. :)
I take hope today in God's promise to give wisdom to those who ask for it. Thank you for praying with me.
With much love,
Charissa
"If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him." - James 1:5
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