I’m gonna LIVE again!

This picture was taken moments before my pacemaker was turned off. Everything went flying from my hands.  The pacemaker on the left is exactly like my new one, the one on the right, is the one I had before. You can see the date and time on the picture.

As everyone knows I had my pacemaker replaced last month because the battery was dropping rapidly. It was definitely a more painful healing process than I expected, especially because the pain came in waves. Sometimes I was great and then boom, a new pain and discomfort would hit me.  Aside from that, I was doing great! No complaints, I was so happy the surgery was successful and I made it through it, so I’ve just been extremely thankful, overall. 

Well, I went to my first follow up after my surgery and if you really know my story, you know I am 100% dependent on my pacemaker, without that going, my heart can’t go. Basically, they accidentally turned it off for a second and I almost went flat out on the floor, in the office. It was not a pretty sight. I was literally screaming crying over how I felt and how awful of a feeling it was for me. I cried that whole day, night and for days after. It honestly messed me up for a bit. I kept having flashes of it and would panic all over again. It was AWFUL to say the least. I felt like I was the toy and they had the remote to play with, turning me off and on by the click of a button.

The one thing I have been reminded by the Holy Spirit through this and through many others that love me, is maybe they have a machine that can do that but God IS the author of MY story. He is the one that continues to KEEP me here even when others make mistakes. The enemy can’t lie to me anymore and make me feel like I’m not supposed to be here because God has KEPT me here all along. 

Today, I listened to the song Rattle by Elevation Worship and the words hit me in a whole new way!!

Saturday was silent
Surely it was through
But since when has impossible
Ever stopped You
Friday's disappointment
Is Sunday's empty tomb
Since when has impossible
Ever stopped You

This is the sound of dry bones rattling
This is the praise make a dead man walk again
Open the grave, I'm coming out
I'm gonna live, gonna live again!!!

I’ve been disappointed, I’ve been silenced, I haven’t been posting on our marriage page, I haven’t been doing the things I truly love to do and God has MADE me to do. I’ve been listening to SO much noise in my head and it’s kept me so down. I’ve been barely making it to church and just desperate for this awful feeling in my mind to leave. I’ve prayed, I’ve listened to worship, I read the Bible but the heavy dark cloud wouldn’t go away BUT today, I am breaking FREE!! I’m not letting the enemy hold me down anymore. God has kept me. God continues to deliver me from so many things this world has brought my way. The enemy keeps trying to take me out, but God wants me to live again! 

I share this to say, don’t let the enemy lie to you anymore either. If you are down and struggling, it’s because he is scared of you and all you could do for the Kingdom. He lies to us and fills our heads with doubt, negativity, insecurity and the list goes on. The devil is a liar!! BREAK FREE from his lies today and cling to God’s word. I get it, you might feel like you’ve been trying and can’t get out of it but YOU CAN! Keep listening to worship, play a random playlist, read your Bible, turn off social media and just let God speak to you. He is WITH you. He has BIG plans for YOU! We can’t let the devil win, we can’t give him that credit. Kick him out of your mind today and tell him you’re tired of those lies. 

YOU are God’s treasure, YOU are His chosen one. It’s time to LIVE AGAIN!! 

Let me know if you need prayer or need someone to talk to, I would love to pray with you. 

God IS good ALL the time and HE is the author of YOUR story. 

Love,

Lynette

Trust Him Always

My life has been a bit crazy lately, it’s taken some crazy twist and turns. My faith has been rocked, my emotions have been all over the place and I felt like it was time to give you all a little peek into it. 🤪

In the end of June, I was sent to the ER with a kidney stone and infection. There wasn’t too much said at that visit, they discharged me with blood work results and told me to see my primary. I saw my primary doctor through a FaceTime visit that following Monday and got news I was NOT expecting. It turned out my kidney function was in trouble and did not look good at all. According to the blood work, I was in stage three kidney disease and needed to see a specialist immediately. My kidney function was 53%!! I was devastated to say the least. I’m pretty sure I cried that entire day. 

Jon and I went to the nephrologist within a week. He said he doesn’t give anyone a “stage” unless they’ve been at the same level for 3 months straight. He advised me he is all about nutrition healing your kidney function and told me to eat meat only once a week. I said I will do anything to heal them, I do not want kidney issues. While in there I saw a chart in regards to kidney function, I said to Jon I will get my kidney function above 90% to make it normal by the time we come here again. 

During all this, it requires lots of testing, lots of appointments and I’ve just been completely drained so I have been on medical leave to take care of my health. Jon was called to Tampa on business and since I was out of work, I was able to go with him. In reality, I know God was calling me to Be Still so that He could talk to me. One quiet night in the hotel, the Holy Spirit told me I needed to get my pacemaker checked. Honestly if you could see my crazy conversation in the shower with the Holy Spirit (who you cannot actually see or hear) you’d think I was a crazy person. I was like my pacemaker??? Why my pacemaker?? Lord, I’m dealing with my kidneys right now, why are you telling me to do something with my heart now?? He reminded me of how I’ve been drained and will feel from one second to another that all energy has been zapped from me. It was like an ‘ah ha’ moment but I was still confused. Being obedient, I called my cardiologist office and told them my symptoms, they spoke to the doctor, called me back and said I needed to come in the very next day to have the pacemaker checked then see the doctor. 

The next day comes, I go into my cardiologist office get my pacemaker checked and to my surprise my pacemaker battery had dropped 11 months in a 3 month timing. It showed I had only 7 months of battery life left and it had just shown 1 year and 6 months just a few months before this. You know how God tells you something and you think He might be crazy or you think you’re crazy and hearing Him wrong but then He proves it to you. He proved once again, He knows what He is talking about. Yeah! This was one of those moments. I was crying, I was chuckling, I was shocked, I just couldn’t believe it. 

Then I meet with the doctor, in his eyes yes, the battery is dropping fast, but in his words you still have time left on it, we can ride it out a little longer. Excuse me? Does this doctor know how crazy I am?? He said don’t worry, when it gets too low, the siren will start going off. Ummm...my chest will start alarming?! I said doctor, if my chest starts sounding off, I will have much more problems than just needing a new battery! I am crazy!! And I will flip out!! He then said we needed to do some other tests on my heart to make sure everything else was ok then he will bring me back in for another check on the pacemaker and discuss what to do from there. 

In the meantime, I went back to the nephrologist to follow up, he did more in depth blood work to recheck everything and also to check my vitamin levels. That’s when I got word that God HEALED my kidneys. My kidney function was 91%!!! To God be the glory!! I screamed and shouted praise God with my arms straight up in the air. I’m not sure what it was prayer, nutrition or what but I know God gets ALL the glory because He directed my steps and led me there. 

In that same appointment he then went over how my iron was dangerously low and I needed iron IV infusions immediately. I was really shocked and bummed to hear this because I just got done hearing one praise report and then boom another setback. 

It felt like I was on this roller coaster ride that was taking my body through ups and downs and taking my mind fully with it. I wanted time to be excited about my kidneys but then it turned into a new issue again. So, I cried it out again but once I did I realized I have SO much to be thankful for! No matter what God was still looking out for me. It was because of Him this was revealed so that I could get the treatment I needed to feel better and get healthy again. I started the IV treatments the next day, to be honest, they stink! They don’t make me feel the best and it taste awful! Yes, you taste it the entire time it’s going through the IV.

It had been 29 days since the cardiologist appointment, I had gone for all the testing he ordered. Now, I was back to get the pacemaker checked again and see the doctor. I find out the battery life dropped TWO more months in 29 days! The doctor came in and said are you ready? We need to get this done! So now I am scheduled for surgery on September 10 to get a new pacemaker. 

Honestly, I cried the whole way home but after getting it all out and letting God speak to me. I was reminded He has me. It’s all thanks to Him for revealing this to me. How amazing is our God that a kidney issue which ended up being healed, led to me getting my iron corrected and ultimately led to revealing I needed a new pacemaker. The Lord knows if my chest started an alarming sound, I would probably meet Him in person A LOT sooner than planned and now I really know He has more plans for me here on earth. I’ve told Him I will always share of what He does for me in hopes that it gives someone else hope.

Does it bother me sometimes that I do have some health issues? YES. It definitely does but ultimately I’m thankful I’m here and I’m thankful to be used, even if it means another surgery. Ultimately, I TRUST God and I trust His plan. In the midst of all of this about a month or more ago, I heard the words to the song Available by Elevation Worship and that is when I chose to let go and trust Him fully. Those words in that song, are truly the cry of my heart and if I mean that, like truly mean that, then it’s that simple. I trust Him and I trust His plan for me. So, please keep me in prayer that God will use me during that time in the hospital and He will use me to witness to those around me. Most days I’m happy and jolly, acting like my crazy self but many days during the past three months I’ve cried more tears than I knew I had, eyes swollen, face all red but it’s in those moments where God meets me, speaks to me, comforts me and makes me realize HE HAS ME. 

“Trust in the Lord with ALL YOUR HEART and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”

‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭3:5-6 NIV

Love always, 

Lynette 

Quarantining and Fasting

This quarantine has had me pretty mellow. It’s actually very weird, if you know me. I’m an outgoing person, I love to get out and do things. I work from home, so breaking out of these four walls is sometimes needed for my sanity. Hearing about this virus would normally worry me. Hearing  about stores being closed, would normally freak me out, but I’ve just been at complete peace and calm during it. I’m not worried, I simply and fully trust God. I know God has a purpose in this and He will allow Romans 8:28 to come to life by the end of it. 

Everyone hearing about the quarantine at first seemed like ok, it’s all good, we can do this! As a few days pass, we keep finding new things to do or getting stuff done from our list. Now, the last few days, I see a lot of people are getting to the point where they may be over it. They want to get out and really go somewhere, it’s starting to get tough. 

Tonight I was thinking about it all and I can’t help but relate this to fasting. When you start a fast, you’re excited about it, you’re ready, you know it’ll be a sacrifice but you’re ready to do it. A while in you’re still doing ok and pushing through. Then a little more time passes and it starts to get rough, you're hungry, your stomach is growling and you almost feel sick. In that moment in the fast, is one of the most vital moments. You either cave and start eating or you do what you came here to do and that is keep that sacrifice going, get on your knees, press into God, open up His word and pray through those hard times. That’s the beauty in fasting, you don’t quit in those tough times, you press in harder and allow God to really show up. Then something beautiful happens, you gain a new energy, an endurance to keep going on the fast. Your stomach calms down and you’re filled with strength and you’re lit up. 

I feel like we need to treat this quarantine as a fast. In those moments it starts to get hard, the moment you get bored or begin to feel over it,  press into His word. Remember we are in this moment and in this season for a reason. Dive into His word until He fills you with that new energy, let Him give you the endurance you need to make it through this time. Don’t miss a moment.

I don’t know about you but when I fast, I come out stronger, I come out with a light, with clarity and full of the Holy Spirit. Treat this as a fast, it is basically a fast, only it’s not a self deciding one, it’s a forced one. What’s so cool about it, is pretty much the whole world is in this same fast. So imagine just how powerful it could be, if we all choose to turn to Him through this, cling to His word and allow Him to dig up the junk in our lives and birth something new in each of us through it all. This is something none of us have gone through, why not allow it to change us for the better? Allow it to change you from the inside out. 

I’m hungry for what God is doing and about to do. I’m ready for Him to change me. How about you?

“Create a new, clean heart within me. Fill me with pure thoughts and holy desires, ready to please you.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭51:10‬ ‭TPT‬‬

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭8:28‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us.”
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭3:20 MSG‬‬

“Trust GOD from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for GOD ’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track. Don’t assume that you know it all. Run to GOD! Run from evil! Your body will glow with health, your very bones will vibrate with life! Honor GOD with everything you own; give him the first and the best. Your barns will burst, your wine vats will brim over. But don’t, dear friend, resent GOD ’s discipline; don’t sulk under his loving correction. It’s the child he loves that GOD corrects; a father’s delight is behind all this.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭3:5-12‬ ‭MSG‬‬

Love,
Lynette

Consume Me

Consume Me

Today, I went to the gym after church, well after lunch because you know us church people have to go straight to eat after church. Lol! After eating, we drove straight to the Y to workout. Let me tell you, there’s nothing like working out after eating garlic bread, especially when you haven’t eaten bread in a long time. I felt like I had extra weights on me and was sweating bullets! I had to pay for eating that piece of bread. Anyway, I put on my worship music to do my workout and the song With You by Elevation Worship came on. Once the chorus came on with these words, I nearly lost it, right there on the elliptical. 

So let all that I am

Be consumed with who You are

All the glory of Your presence

What more could I ask for?

So let ALL that I am, be consumed with who You are! I started to really sing those words and cry about how much I mean them. I want every single piece of me to reflect Jesus. I get that there is no perfect Christian but I feel like we can easily make excuses for ourselves by saying that. It’s almost like we give ourselves a free pass by saying that. No, I’m not perfect but I surely do want Him to consume every part of me! 

If we are choosing Him and choosing to live for Him, we need to go all the way! So let ALL that I am, be consumed with who He is, means you should see Him when I smile, you should see Him in my marriage, you should see Him in my family, you should see Him in my finances. If I am letting Him consume all of me, then I should be living a vibrant life. A life that reflects Jesus. It means people at the gas station should see Jesus in me, people in the gym should see Jesus in me. My family should see Jesus in me. 

This morning at church we had Vision Sunday, where we got to hear some amazing things we are doing this year. I’m ready! I want to be a part, I want to do what I can. I plan to go on my first missions trip this year and God confirmed this morning He wants me there and He will provide the way. In a separate conversation, my spiritual mama said to me something so simple but they were words that came back to me during this moment in worship with this song, she said “Yes, God is not done with you yet, you still have a lot to do.” When I thought of those words in my moment of worship at the gym, I just began crying so hard, realizing she’s right my job is not done, I have work to do and He is depending on me to do it. Therefore, I need to be positioned, consumed and ready to do ALL He has for me to do. 

So, I ask you, what is living to you? For me, living is fulfilling my purpose. It’s me walking with God and being ready to do all He has for me to do. It’s getting people to Jesus, it’s helping save marriages, it’s helping to save a family, it’s living and walking in the joy of the Lord. 

Are you living? Are you wasting time? Are you doing all He has called you to do? Are you consumed by Him? 

If not or if you don’t know, take a moment and listen to this song. Listen to it more than once if you need to. He will speak to you, just be ready to listen. 

So let all that I am

Be consumed with who You are

All the glory of Your presence

What more could I ask for?

Really, what MORE could I ask for? He is so fulfilling, He is so satisfying. Live and walk for Him and I promise you, you will receive a fullness you could have never imagined. 

With All My Heart, 

Lynette 

This blog was inspired by: With You by Elevation Worship

What is He Saying to You?

The other morning I was making a single cup of coffee in my coffeemaker. I was on little sleep so I was exhausted. I put the water in, then the coffee pod, pressed start and walked away. I went back to get my coffee a few minutes later and realized I never put my coffee mug there to collect the coffee. I didn’t immediately see the mess, again, I was really tired and if you know me, you know I don’t function well before coffee. I said “oh no!!!” and started looking for the mess, I had to have made. It brewed EVERYWHERE! A single cup of coffee caused more of a mess than I could have imagined. Now, I’m cleaning before ever getting to drink my coffee. It caused quite the mess for me to clean. 

This morning, I was thinking back of that morning and I felt like God spoke to me and said you know just like you need your coffee mug there for the coffee machine to distribute as it’s supposed to, I need you to be postured correctly for you to receive what I have for you. It nearly brought me to tears in my kitchen this morning receiving such a powerful revelation. 

How many times is God trying to pour into your life and it’s just going everywhere but IN you because you’re not ready to receive it. He’s just pouring and pouring, meanwhile we’re asking God where He is in a situation but are we taking that vital moment to receive? We can talk, beg, plead with God all day long, we can even do it for years, but if we aren’t listening to what He is telling us, we are basically running on a hamster wheel, losing all our energy, feeling exhausted and drained because we can’t take one moment to stop and receive what He is speaking to us, showing us or possibly asking us to do. 

Think of how you would feel if you know your friend or family member needed sugar. So you’re  trying to pour some sugar in their hand but they aren’t cupping their hand to receive it, instead their hand is just flat out not even trying to catch it. You would say to them, what are you doing? I thought you needed this?? You’re making such a mess. Why aren’t you even trying to receive what I am giving to you? 

Imagine God. Imagine how many times He has tried to tell you something, to give you an answer, to lead you to an answer, to reveal something to you, but you’re so busy asking Him that you forgot to take a moment and hear from Him. Or have you heard from Him? Have you received your answer and you haven’t acted on it yet? Don’t wait anymore, allow Him to guide you and direct you. Trust me, He will. Listen to Him and take that step to see what He is guiding you to do. 

With Love, 

Lynette