This time last year was radically different in my life. I was experiencing sunshine and physical progress and a full on mental breakdown. I’d recently found an incredible Kiwi counselor, and I was loving getting to know my new friends in New Zealand. I missed my friends in other countries, but Liz took me to see a play, and I had incredible fish and chips.
This year I miss the fish and chips (I miss them a lot). This year I’m holistically healthier. This year I’m intentionally celebrating where I am. This year I’m learning more about the God who meets me where I am and brings me closer to him.
Year Six.
I still believe in miracles. I still believe I am one, and I still believe that God is at work in me. I’m still asking you to join me in this big ask for new feeling and function – I’ve taken a break from updates during this 40 days of prayer for the first time in quite a while, and I’m not going to fill in all the details of my past three weeks, but I believe God can still surprise me in the coming days and hope you’ll join me for the remaining two weeks and change.
Year five held so much more than I could have dreamed, so I know year six will be full of incredible things beyond my imagination as well. Please pray with me that I’ll love God with the care of my body and love others in the way that I steward my story. I’ll keep posting the Psalms up to my birthday then have my annual “super birthday prayer” five specific requests for the year.
For those of you praying along with me for miracles these forty days, please read aloud this Psalm with my name and ask God to reveal new feeling and function in my body.
Psalm 86 (NIV)
A prayer of David.
1 Hear Laura, Lord, and answer her,
for she is poor and needy.
2 Guard Laura’s life, for she is faithful to you;
save Laura your servant who trusts in you. You are Laura’s God;
3 have mercy on her, Lord,
for she calls to you all day long.
4 Bring joy to your servant Laura, Lord,
for she puts her trust in you.
5 You, Lord, are forgiving and good,
abounding in love to all who call to you.
6 Hear Laura’s prayer, Lord;
listen to Laura’s cry for mercy.
7 When Laura is in distress, she calls to you,
because you answer her.
8 Among the gods there is none like you, Lord;
no deeds can compare with yours.
9 All the nations you have made
will come and worship before you, Lord; they will bring glory to your name.
10 For you are great and do marvelous deeds;
you alone are God.
11 Teach Laura your ways, Lord,
that she may rely on your faithfulness; give Laura an undivided heart, that she may fear your name.
12 Laura will praise you, Lord her God, with all her heart;
Laura will glorify your name forever.
13 For great is your love toward Laura;
you have delivered Laura from the depths, from the realm of the dead.
14 Arrogant foes are attacking Laura, O God;
ruthless people are trying to kill Laura — they have no regard for you.
15 But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.
16 Turn to Laura and have mercy on her;
show your strength in behalf of your servant; save Laura, because she serves you just as her mother did.
17 Give Laura a sign of your goodness,
that her enemies may see it and be put to shame, for you, Lord, have helped Laura and comforted her.