YOU NEVER LET GO...YOU SUSTAIN / STRENGTHEN ME...

I'm so grateful for Sundays with my church family and for the God who sustains / strengthens us!

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Annette shared her story of God's sustenance during Bible class...

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After second service, the women gathered to honor Ashley's wedding plans with a shower. At each place setting was 1 Corinthians 13.

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Lots of bonding went on, as took place here with Jackie and Rachel (who just returned from Israel on Saturday).
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Yvonne, Mandy, and Maggie listen intently to Susie and her daugters sing in their remarkable harmony...

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Annette's talk during Sunday's Bible class touched us all in varying degrees. Annette shared a recent period in her life when she and her family were hit extremely hard. She said that she does not doubt who God is. She knows that Jesus is her Savior and that the Holy Spirit lives in her. She stated, "God can do all and more than all I ask or imagine."

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She connected us to Colossians and words to live by. She stressed the words in bold:

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Colossians 1:9-14

For this reason, since the day we heard about you,

we have not stopped praying for you

and asking God to fill you

with the knowledge of His will

through all spiritual wisdom and understanding.

10 And we pray this in order that you

may live a life worthy of the Lord

and may please Him in every way:

bearing fruit in every good work,

growing in the knowledge of God,

11 being strengthened with all power

according to His glorious might

so that you may have great endurance and patience,

and joyfully 12 giving thanks to the Father,

who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of

the saints in the kingdom of light.

13 For He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness

and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves,

14 in whom we have redemption,

the forgiveness of sins.

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Throughout our lives, we each find that there are some years that are rougher than others. Last year was one of those "different" years for Annette. It took her out of her typical routine including her weekly ladies' Bible class and being heavily involved in her daughter's high school functions. She entered 2009 feeling "totally depleted" after 2008 threw some major life changes at her:

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• helping care for her mother who had cancer
• her husband losing his job of 25 years.
• taking on much too much responsibility at her daughter's school
• she was a co-coordinator of our women's retreat of December of that year and her partner had to have surgery. Therefore, the lion's share of the planning/leadership fell on her.

Yet, this "totally depleted" woman was about to be hit with what 2009 had in store for her:

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• the agonizing decline of her mother and the many back and forth trips to NYC to the hospital
• the new job of her husband in NYC (he would be away part of each week)
• her young neice, Maria's, diagnosis of neuro-blastoma and the need for her to be at the Children's Hospital Of Philadelphia (CHOP)
• Annette's sister, husband, and family moved in with Annette and her family so that they could be close to CHOP
• The many back and forth trips to CHOP began
• Husband's grandmother passed away
• Husband's father began having severe heart problems
• Her dad almost lost his legs
• Her daughter had foot surgery and had to be pulled around in a little red wagon

By now, you may be getting the idea that there was a little bit of stress at Annette's house. She had been someone who often "kept my troubles to myself" and was there for others. Yet, now, her troubles were at the forefront of our congregation's prayer list. She emphasized, "The most important thing I want to say is how Jesus got us through all of this!"

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They are able to count many GOD GIVEN BLESSINGS from this very difficult time, including:

• learning to trust God more
• a special bonding with her sister and family
• time with her dad and step-mom who stepped in to be a support to Annette and her three siblings during her mom's last months/days and death
• knowing that her daughter's foot surgery could have been much worse and the amazing way she was ministered to and cared for
• our church family's attention to their needs
• prayers from all over the world for Maria, as people came to the "mom's transformed" blog and many linked to more info on Annette's blog at the link at the very bottom of this blog

A BIG BLESSING, according to Annette, was Tanya. Tanya was our sister-in-Christ who was battling cancer and passed away on 1/1/10. Tanya was christian who was a wife, mother, and nurse who was in and out of the hospital and in terrible pain. She would check on Annette. She brought dinner. She came over to check on Annette's daughter's foot dressing. She gave of herself completely.

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Annette said, "I knew if Tanya could bring me supper and nurse my daughter, then I could do anything, too." Tanya has gone to her final heavenly home! Annette, her family, and Tanya's family are still here in the midst of the battle. They know that the blessing is that

• JESUS IS THE ONE WHO GIVES ME STRENGTH!
• JESUS IS THE ONE WHO SUSTAINS!

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