Tag Archive | Answered Prayer

Our Hope Is Within God

Most of you know me as the lady behind Ladybug Wreaths. You may have even read my book or followed my blog posts as I’ve shared my journey through fibromyalgia. I’ve spoken about my successes and some of my failures. But rarely do I speak about the really dark years, the ones where God allowed me to sink to the bottom of the "pit" with no hope of a better life.

Or at least, I thought there was no hope. God knew better.

My husband Steve and I no longer had a life together. We were strangers in the same house growing further and further apart with each passing year. Neither of us could understand my illness with all of its debilitating pain and strange peculiarities. How could Steve understand what I was going through when I couldn't even understand it myself to explain it to him? And then God reached out His hand to us.

Only by God’s power did our marriage survive the attacks from Satan. God is using this experience now in both of us, not only for the sake of our marriage, but to encourage others.

So many of you are battling chronic illnesses, and even for those who aren’t, you still might be facing tremendous hurt in your marriages. Allow God to speak to your heart this Christmas. Be open to His plan for your life and your marriage, whatever it may be.

My blog, my website, and our story reach people from all over the world; people in pain and have no hope. Our hope is within God, and we gladly share that with you. He has poured His miracles down upon us by giving my husband a new heart, and a new understanding, along with an undying – cherishing, forever-after kind of love! And me – well, I have a healthier body along with courage built on a determination and strength that I never knew I possessed.

Ours is a very painful and personal story…but one that we feel God wants us to share with those who are desperately searching for the answer in their painful lives. I share the details in my book, My Journey Through Fibromyalgia. But for today, I encourage you to pray with your spouse, if they’re willing, for God to restore your marriage. Pray alone, if you have to.

God is listening and He cares about your broken heart. Mine was so broken at one time that I thought it could never be mended. But by God's own strong and tender hands, He did so. I believe He will do this for anyone suffering from a broken heart who puts their faith in Him. God's strong, gentle hands can change lives, molding the pieces of your life back together even while you are experiencing deep hurt. He can miraculously make us whole (and sometimes better than we were before) by reaching into our soul, making our lives more beautiful, more fulfilling, and more meaningful than we could have ever possibly imagined.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21

My prayer for you this Christmas is one of joy, peace, and reconciliation. Life is short and peace is scarce in our world. May you rest in the supernatural peace found in the birth of our Savior.

God bless,

Nancy

 

“He Touched Me”

"He Touched Me" By Nancy Alexander



God Answered My Prayer This Morning…

God blessed me this morning in such a way that I have to share it with you.  I have talked before about how fibromyalgia is such an awful, insidious disease.  It precipitates all manner of problems and I believe I have probably experienced them all.

I have also shared with you that I am getting well, I am being cured.  As a matter of fact, I am so much better that I have a totally and completely different life than I had for over 30 years! 

I can travel, which means we have been able to take some wonderful vacations during these last three years.  Before that, I went for so many years without a vacation, that I can hardly remember how long.  I can do things with my family and grandchildren that I would only have dreamed of before.  I can work many hours a day at my Internet business, selling wreaths and teaching so many of you how to set up an "online presence", so you can sell your products.

How did God touch me today?  Well, for the last four days, I have felt really bad.  I felt like I had gone back in time with my body and my mind.  I was afraid.  As a matter of fact, FEAR is so very strong in the hearts and minds of those who suffer from this.  It was so disheartening to me, knowing I have experienced the joy of revival and renewal in my mind, body, and spirit – I could NOT go back there!  I did everything I knew to do to figure out why… the relapse?  I prayed this morning for God's help, His peace, His leading in what I should do, and how I should handle this.

I take a lot of supplements.  Those vitamins and minerals have made such a difference in my life.  I fill week-long containers with them in advance, because I take so many.  This morning, as I got out my supplements, along with one prescription drug, I counted.  They numbered nine, instead of ten.  I wondered what could be wrong, and then I saw!  The most important prescription that I needed to take was not there.  I checked the other compartments for each day of the week; and it was missing from every single morning dose.  

This drug is one my doctor put me on ten years ago right after having surgery.  He actually switched me to it in the hospital without my knowledge, or consent.  It is Xanax.  After I got used to it, I found that it did help the pain.  It helped all of the fibromyalgia/celiac symptoms, so I kept taking it – not knowing that it is meant to be a short-term drug, and not taken for nearly as long as I have.  No one ever told me.  No one ever cautioned me — that is until I saw the wonderful nutritionist that I am seeing now.  She has been telling me for a while that this is detrimental to my health and has to go.  It does not mix well with many of the vitamins and minerals which I need to take every day to keep my body healthy and strong.  So, that is the next thing in my doctor's plan for me — to get me off Xanax.  It has to be done slowly and carefully since I have been on it for so long. 

So, back to my story…as I noticed what was missing from my morning supplements, I was overjoyed.  The fibro/celiac was NOT returning like I had feared.  My body was NOT regressing.  I was NOT going back into the life I had led for so long.  I was going through withdrawal after leaving Xanax off for 4 days.  Please… if you are taking drugs like this, talk to your doctors.  Maybe they can help you find something healthy you can take, so you won't get caught in the trap that I did!  But, don't try to do this alone; don't EVER try to do this alone!… only with your doctor's help.

After my discovery this morning, I sat down in my kitchen to eat break fast praising God for answering my prayer.  As I did, the sun rose over the hill in front of our home.  It was brighter and more beautiful than I ever remember it being from that spot sitting at our kitchen island.  As I tried to watch it, I was blinded from how bright it was.  I saw it shining through the antique stained glass windows which I have propped in my window sill. 

I knew this was a sign – a sign from God.  I ran and grabbed my camera.  I am posting a couple of the pictures here – but no matter what setting I turned my camera to, I just could not capture the majesty of that particular sunrise this morning.

God had really answered my prayer.  And now, only a few short hours later, I can feel my body coming back to where it should be. I know without a doubt, HE WILL ANSWER YOUR PRAYERS, TOO.

I Asked God to Break my Heart for Whatever Breaks His… Well, He Did!

God is so good!  Today has been an amazing day filled with business planning with Linda Jo, Steve and me!  There are so many opportunities which amazingly fill up our time, that we know can only be from God.  Our business is growing so fast, we can hardly keep up with it — thank you Lord!


Yesterday when I posted on my blog, I was talking about the many people who are on our prayer list and how our prayer list had just grown so very much… Well, today, I want to tell you just how our prayer list has grown!


From yesterday's post:  "About two days ago, it grew unbelievably as God touched my life…but I'll tell you about that in my next post!"   Well, this is my next post, and here is what God has done that affects our personal as well as our business lives.


I posted this on Facebook on Wednesday and I think it will inspire the followers of my blog.  Truthfully, it overwhelms me…it scares me…it is a lot of responsibility, but God is in control, so I know that I can give him those feelings and let Him lead!




 

Several weeks ago, our Pastor, Perry Noble, from New Spring Church told the congregation to pray a very specific prayer, saying if we prayed it – to be prepared for the answer – a very powerful answer.


Ever since then, I've been praying this prayer:

"Lord, please break my heart for whatever breaks Your heart?"


  

WELL, HE DID!!! 


He broke my heart yesterday  (I mean TRULY broke my heart!)  as I went through hundreds of emails I have received from my customers.

They have various health problems such as the Fibromyalgia that attacked me at 28 years old.

They need SUPPORT & COMFORT knowing someone cares & believes they are REALLY sick.

They need DOCTORS like the ones God has led me to. 

They need JOY, HOPE and HAPPINESS

They need a REASON to get out of bed every day. 

They need a HOBBY which makes them feel productive!


I'm so overwhelmed…they want and need me to help them.

To help them become successful in their lives as they believe I have become in mine. 


(But this is not from me, Lord; it is from You and Your Divine Intervention!)


So many…oh, so many… have been sick from a very young age… just like me.

Thank you Lord, that I am almost cured from Fibromyalgia! 


"Now, Please Lord, PLEASE…I am not worthy,
but give me the strength to help them!"