rick/eagle feather; I just want to say thank you. Thank-you for . . . listening to God, for responding to God, for walking with God, . . . and for your always timely postings. They reek of encouragement, a sweet savor, it oozes out like oil, refreshing all that they touch, they are the substance of things hoped for . . . I struggled for many years with an unknown malady. Over 15 years ago I read an article in Parade magazine (a magazine that comes in many of the Sunday newspapers here in the States, perhaps elsewhere). It gave a list of symptoms for a very debilitating and insidious disease, one with no known cure, aside from Gods' grace. There was a list of 10 or 12 symptoms and the comment that if the reader had half the symptoms they probably had the disease. I read thru the list and realized I had all the symptoms. I went to my family physician and had a lengthy discussion. And then with every other physician I knew for the next 5 years. Because there was no history of the disease in my family it wasn't possible for me to have it. I couldn't even get *the* test done on myself, "no need". I, it turned out, was the first to recognize it. Since then two family members have been diagnosed, one in each of the two preceding generations, an uncle & a grand-uncle. The uncle has since died. The grand-uncle, the less severe case of the two, was treatable. So for 10 years I never again mentioned the thing again. Suffered in silence. Angry at the doctors, angry at the world, probably angry at God. What a great martyr I was. Auuagh. NOT! I was in church, working (volunteer) in church, not a pew warmer, but, running from God nonetheless. Four years ago I stopped running from God and started running to God. "Come running, Come running, Come running to the Mercy Seat." Slowly at first but picking up steam. 2 years ago January I was diagnosed as having "the disease". Out of the blue. My doctor did the test, and family members have been diagnosed by this time (my uncle passes away the following month), and now I know. Very anticlimactic. So much for the martyr. He was not a nice person, anyway. I was still slowly pursuing God. In June of that year I ran headlong into God. He yanked me around, squeezed allot of the gunk and crud out of my life and says: "Your a tough nut to crack". In September I have another big-time encounter with God. And since September 1997 I have pursued God with *all* my being, to the point that He has said "Slow down, your moving to fast." Paul says it best: "It's a marathon, not a sprint." Paraphrased, of course. Now the disease is under-control, in remission, under God's control, ? something else. I have been symptom free for many months. I still have regular check-ups, my doctor tells me he's jealous now, because I'm doing better than he is. hehehe I give God all the glory, I thank Him every day for His love for me. His mercy for me. I don't deserve it. I can't earn it. But it is freely given by Him to me. rick/eagle feather, I have said all that to say this. I read your posts with great admiration and respect for you & your God. To read your testimony, to "see" God work in your life and the lives of your family, is to know that I to can survive, . . . no no . . . more than survive, I can persevere, I can *live* in Christ Jesus. Please, do not wait so long before the next post. It is selfish of me but I yearn to hear more of the Lord. May God bless you from the depths of His abundance. _______ To unsubscribe, send "unsubscribe rangernet" to [EMAIL PROTECTED] "Eat the hay & spit out the sticks!" RTKB&G4JC! Autoresponder: [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://rangernet.org
