Thurs., May 10, 2018

2 Thessalonians 3:5 – May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.

Let me introduce you to my friend Stacie. Stacie is generous, helpful and caring. She thinks of others before herself. She is raising a family with her husband, Bill. Bill is out of town this week for work and Stacie is looking forward to his return today. She looks like a regular Mom, spouse, daughter, friend and companion.

But Stacie is anything but regular. Look just a little closer. Maybe you will see her trusty companion: her power scooter. About 10 years ago, Stacie was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS). Rather than letting this disease define her, Stacie is redefining herself. Her power scooter is not a limitation. For Stacie, it is an empowerment.

After being diagnosed, Stacie worked until physically, it became too taxing on her body. Today, she “works” in a different way. She uses her phone to call people who might be lonely or need assistance. Stacie keeps in touch with other people who have MS but do not have the support she receives. Most importantly, Stacie maintains a very optimistic attitude about her situation.

Does she have more challenging days than others? Of course. Yet, Stacie keeps sight of the important things in her life. Would she like things to be different? Of course. Yet, every time I see Stacie, I am amazed how she graciously tackles life and keeps going, no matter what cards she is dealt. Her perseverance amazes me.

Seeing Stacie is always a good reality check for me. So many things I simply take for granted are quite different for Stacie. Getting out of bed on my own. Doing a load of laundry. Walking up a couple steps. For me? Simple. For Stacie? A completely different story.

Stacie works at managing her symptoms and disease as best as she can. She keeps as active as possible. After a few minutes with Stacie, I am in awe of how she manages. Her perseverance is simply amazing. It encourages me to look at my life slightly different. Why should I be bummed about the seemingly insignificant road bumps in my life? I am a very blessed woman who has been blessed with a friend like Stacie.

For this, I am grateful.

Almighty God – I lift up the thousands of people who are affected by terminal illness like Stacie. May your Holy Spirit be a part of their daily journeys. For those who lake a strong support system, please bring into their lives someone special to assist them. Amen.

Blessings –

Dianne

If you have enjoyed this blog, please pass it along to someone else who also enjoy it.