Warriors Arise: November 18, 2020
1 Samuel 30:6 (NKJV) Now David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.
In Ephesians 6:10-18 Paul urges Christians to take a stand, to stand against, to withstand? BECAUSE THERE IS AN ENEMY!
David is weeping because his wives, children, servants, and belongs have been stolen. Then he finds out the very men he took in, trained, and gave a community now want to stone him. They are out to kill him. This is no joke! And I am sure David isn't laughing.
There is a real enemy but it wasn't David. Killing David would not get their wives, children, or belongings back. Too many times we can be upset, even angry over a situation but we never really identify the enemy. Our anger can cause us to lash out at those closest to us or erupt on a unsuspecting passerby. There is a real problem but it isn't the situation itself, it is that we have a real enemy. It is not funny when we lash out at loved ones rather than seeing the enemy behind our frustrations, irritations, and struggles.
I have looked into the eyes that threatened the life of my child. I know what it is like to feel that I am NOT in charge. The utter dismay when you know you are NOT in control of the ending. It is a feeling of overwhelming aloneness. You know there is no one you can turn to; there is no one that has the answer; and there is no one who can bring sanity to what you are going through. I remember it all too well. It is suffocating and you are desperate for something to change in your favor. You are grasping for not just good news but news that there is a turn around. Lydia was only 7 yers old when she was diagnosed with ALL Leukemia. She was diagnosed in the best of the best category. Doctors had no doubt she would pull through this. But they didn't force what was about to happen. They began the third treatment cycle before they got the blood results back from John's Hopikns. I told them their protocol said they had to wait for the blood results. They said that if I didn't bring her in to start her third round they would take her by force. I responded, "And you think that is the best thing for her recovery? To take her from her mother? Her family?" I knew the separation would not be good for her so I brought her back at the designated time.
The blood results returned while Lydia was in the hospital getting her first round of her third treatment cycle. They came in and said, "We have to send you home tonight." I responded, "Why? She has another day of this treatment cycle." They said, "We are going to flush her system for the next couple of hours. The blood results show our treatment is killing all of her good cells and have not killed any of the ALL Leukemia cells." Imagine hearing that! It wasn't funny and no one was laughing.
I could have responded like David's men and hold the doctors responsible, but there was a bigger problem. If their best solution was killing her faster, what were we going to do? Do you see? This was out of my control. There was no one who could offer any solutions. We didn't have any options. But what we had we petitioned.
We had God. He is the giver of life and Jesus gives life to us more abundantly. The doctors screwed up but getting upset with them wasn't going to give life to my daughter. We were in the battle for her life. I knew that the doctor's didn't give her ALL Leukemia. I knew they were "practicing" medicine. But I wasn't willing to let their "practicing" get in the way of God's plan. My battle was not against the doctors and it wasn't even against ALL Leukemia. It was against the enemy who was after her life. The devil must have been so afraid of what Lydia would become and do in the future that he had to try and take her out at 7 years of age. It was 6 months earlier she had asked if she could be president of the United States of America. A heart like hers, president of the United States. I don't know what the enemy was thinking when he picked on her but he soon learned we would follow David's lead and strengthen ourselves in the LORD our God.
God settled our hearts and we submitted to the doctors' plans. God uses medicine but where medicine can only help you so much, God makes up more than enough. After Lydia had the bone marrow transplant she didn't eat for 26 days. She weighed what a healthy 3 year old would weigh. 24/7 worship was being played in her room. Every time God gave us a Scripture either through our personal God-time or through friends I wrote them out and posted them on the wall. I declared them over her in the morning and at night. The doctor's would ask why I did this. Not being rude but being real, "Because you're statistics only give her a 48% chance of living and I need Someone bigger who will make up the 52%. I choose to put my trust in the One who can make up that difference."
When people see Lydia now, they struggle to believe what we went through. It was a hell you wouldn't even wish upon your worst enemy. But here is what I want to share with you: You have to seek God, listen to what He says, and then trust Him as you do what He says.
Lydia was not recovering. My Dad offered to keep Abigail and Josiah for a year. When he suggested the idea I was not willing to entertain the idea. But Scott and I strengthened ourselves in the Lord our God. I took them up to my parents and stayed with them to their first day of school. I told the kids I would be back for their birthdays and they would fly home for Christmas. Other than that I could not make any promises. Then I had to return to my place beside Lydia. I drove through the night going and returning, 19 hour trip. God was with me every mile. I had never felt so torn apart as I was when I left Abigail and Josiah. What was happening to the family God had given me?
Lydia was not recovering. She still had no appetite. People loved on us and brought her favorite meals. She might eat a little bit but it would hurt to eat. Josiah's birthday was approaching. It was time to make the decision on what we would do for his birthday. I felt God impress upon me that we needed to get the entire family together. But how? The doctors could not give us permission to take her anywhere. She was supposed to be within 15 minutes of the hospital. She was not over her 100 days yet (most people do not make it past their 100 days). So it was a difficult decision to make but we were seeking God and going to follow Him. We did the unthinkable.
I left with Selah and Charis for the 18 hour drive to Iowa for Josiah's birthday. We bought two plane tickets. One for Scott and one for Lydia. Why did we do this? Because we strengthened ourselves in the LORD our God. He had impressed upon us to get the family together. Lydia needed to know Abigail and Josiah were ok. All the kids were struggling with the separation. Selah and Charis never knew when Lydia and I would return home. They had no concept of why Abigail and Josiah were not with them. Abigail and Josiah were getting bombarded with rude comments of people telling them their sister was going to die so why were they in Iowa; they were unwanted. God knew what we needed. Each one needed the security only family can provide. They needed to know Mommy and Daddy were not afraid. God was and is with us, each one, right where we were. They needed to know each one had different battles to face but we were in this together. We would be there for each other and God would strengthen each one of us for the particular battles we had to face.
I KNOW the risk we took in putting Lydia on that airplane. As I write this, my mind is trying to comprehend what came over me that we put her on an airplane! It was God, he bypassed all reasoning and directed her path, not once but twice! She was masked and gloved. We had to listen to God. She was not getting better and what she was facing wasn't just a physical battle but a mental one. She needed to know we were not afraid. God was on His throne and He would unite our family. According to the statistics, Lydia wouldn't make it. All the signs were pointing away from life but she had so far and she needed a reason to live. The best medicine for Lydia was FAMILY.
Lydia needed her brother to hold her and sing to her again. She needed her sister to get mad for her and defend her. She didn't have any emotions. She was physically and mentally numb. She needed to know they were ok. What we didn't realize is that Lydia thought Abigail and Josiah were mad at her. She thought they were blaming her for them being sent away. It was the enemy; because even though the separation was difficult for them, they knew Lydia didn't ask for it. They knew Lydia wanted them with her.
Tears roll down my cheeks as I wrote the last paragraph and transition into this one. I know what the governors are saying, the doctors have said, the news is saying, and some on facebook. They are threatening just like we were threatened, if you get together you are killing your daughter. I am not telling you to get together with family or put anyone in jeopardy but what I am saying is stop listening to everyone else! These are devastating times with a disease we do not have a cure for. You need to strengthen yourself in the LORD your God and do what He says. You have no idea what will happen in the future. What if you do not have another Thanksgiving with a family member if you do to take the time now? What if a family member gets COVID-19 in the next year and what they needed was to know family cared for them, would pray for them, would be there for them? You could do everything right and still lose a family member to COVID-19. What would you have? Not the memory of being there with them. Not the memory of one last Thanksgiving celebration. When someone dies the family dynamics change. Will you be haunted because you did not take the chance to make sure they know that you are not afraid, you love them enough to touch them now while they can be touched, you hold them now while they can be held, you value the time with them. Don't allow fear to get in the way of seeking God's direction. What is He telling you to do? There just might be someone in your family who needs to know family is standing united unafraid. We will get through this together.
Father, I ask for wisdom. I don't need my own reasoning. I need Your wisdom. I need to know what You are saying for my family. I do not want to put anyone in danger. But I know family is important. Some may need the encouragement of what coming together means. With all the lies the media has been spinning in the last seven months, they are manipulating everyone who listens to them. I want my family safe but if my family needs to gather together to be strengthened in the Lord then I will gather my family together. I want my family to know we will be there for them. We will encourage them. We will unite in a bond that can't be broken. I want them to know they are not alone. I want them to know You are with them and will protect them. We will not be flippant about the danger of gathering together but we will do what You say to do. There are some who will know they must stay home but there are others who need to be around family. They need a healthy dose of family love. I pray for You to guide each one. I pray we would do only as You direct. We will not be pushed around by fear any longer. We will trust You. I ask for Your presence to be tangible for all You direct to remain separated. I ask for Your love to hold them, strengthen them and give them hope. I pray for those who are going to be with family that Your protection encompasses every one, keep them safe from sickness and unite the family bonds. We trust You, submit the decision to You and will follow what You say in Jesus' name amen.
A Warrior in the Lord’s Army,
Veridee Joy
My hope is for Believers in Jesus Christ to join together each day to pray, to push back the enemy as we release God’s power here on earth against the coronavirus, riots, and lies. The prayers will be listed each day as Warriors Arise. I will put a date with it so we can keep them straight. If you have any questions please feel free to make a comment or private message me. If you would like this to come to your email directly please go to verideehand.com and subscribe.
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