Dealing with Life

I've been dealing with a health issue for a few years now. I finally gave in and went to see a specialist this last Monday. She is putting me on a special diet and will run some tests on me but not until she sees how the diet effects me. Mainly the tests will be to rule things out, such as cancer. I know this is vague but it's quite a personal issue and a lot of people would not want the details. 

Living with what I'm going through has been very challenging to say the least.  Sometimes it's debilitating. It not only effects how I function in the day time but how I sleep at night. At times I become very sleep deprived.

This is when I find it harder to be positive. I've read, though, that leading a positive, low stress life works best on my symptoms. So going back to a previous post I am practicing my deep breathing to help me relax.

I also do a lot of praying to help me get through the episodes I have. We all have certain "opportunities" that come our way to help us learn, stretch and grow. This is my opportunity.  Not that I haven't had plenty of opportunities for growth.  Believe me I have. But I'm finding that when I have learned what I'm supposed to learn from one opportunity then another is waiting to take me on.

One of the chapters in "Broken Things to Mend" is entitled "All Things Are Possible to Him That Believeth".  In Mark in the New Testament there is a story of a man with a son that was afflicted with a self-destructive spirit since childhood and the spirit was getting increasingly more dangerous.  The father went to Jesus and said "If thou canst do any thing, have compassion on us, and help us." Jesus said unto him, "If though canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth."

We are all given things in life to challenge us.  Elder Holland says "Hold fast to the things you do know. Hang on to your firmest foundation, however limited that may be, and from that position of strength face the unknown. When questions of history or science or philosphy arise, when sorrow or disappointment or despair seem to stalk you, do what this father did--assert all the faith you do have, and everybody has some! If we can do just that we will learn the truthfulness of Jesus' promise--that even mustard-seed-sized faith will ultimately move any mountain."

Elder Holland goes on to say " Surely the first rule of fueling faith is not to start by saying how much of it you don't have.  You've got more than you think and if you will assert that first, limited as it is, the miracle of it will lead you on, step by step, across your void of mystery or dread. If you will do this, Jesus will take you by the hand, just as He did this afflicted young man in the story, and you will be "lifted up," you will "arise" in the timetable of theLord--to health and happiness and brighter days ahead, all the brighter because your faith has been increased in the process."

I love this book! I admire Elder Holland so much.  I would recommend this book to everyone.  There isn't one person that wouldn't benefit from reading and learning from the lessons this book has. 

My goal tonight?  To sleep like a baby.