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LET'S GO FISHING

6/27/2016

The story is told of a certain lady that had to do a lot of traveling for her business. For this reason, she did a lot of flying. But air travel always made her a little nervous. So, she always took her Bible along. Reading it helped her to relax.

On one particular trip, she was sitting next to a rather gruff old man. When he saw her pull out her Bible, he gave a little chuckle and went back to what he was doing. After a while, however, he turned to her and asked: "You don't really believe all that stuff in there do you?"

The lady replied: "Of course I do. It is the Bible."

He said: "Well what about that guy that was swallowed by that whale?"

She replied: "Oh, Jonah. Yes I believe that; after all, it is in the Bible."

He asked: "Well, just how do you suppose he survived all that time inside a whale?"

The lady said "Well I don't really know. I guess when I get to Heaven, I will ask him."

"And just what if he isn't in this Heaven of yours?" the man asked sarcastically.

"Then you can ask him!" replied the lady.

As this story illustrates, even people who do not believe the Bible are well acquainted with the story of the Old Testament Book of Jonah. Of course, in reality, the Bible does not say it was a whale, but rather a large fish that swallowed Jonah. But either way, it is clear from Jonah 1:17 and 2:10 that God directed sea an enormous creature first to swallow Jonah and then to regurgitate him back up onto the beach.

In the New Testament Gospels of Matthew (12:38–41) and Luke (11:29–32), Jesus Himself affirms the veracity of this Biblical story. For this reason, more than all others, I do believe that Jonah was swallowed by some sort of large marine creature. Certainly there are numerous species that would be capable of swallowing a man whole: among them Sperm Whales, Orcas, Whale Sharks, Basking Sharks, Mega Mouth Sharks, or even the dreaded JAWS, the Great White Shark itself.*

But I also have to affirm the truth of what G. Campbell Morgan, formerly Pastor of Westminster Chapel in London, once stated: “Men have been looking so long at the great fish that they have failed to see the great God!”

And of course, that is the point. The story of Jonah is not just a book about a man being swallowed by a large fish. It is rather a story about a man running from a great and awesome God. The fish is merely a tool in the hands of this awesome God, as are the ship, the storm, the sailors, the gourd (or leafy plant) and the worm that chewed the plant and made it whither.

(In fact, both the fish and the worm are members of a long list of animals that God utilized to effect His will in the Bible. See my earlier post of 06/13/16 about the African Grey parrot.)

And all of these things show us that this great God loves all people and wants to see all people come to Him. In accordance with the teaching so the Bible, we who follow of Jesus Christ believe we have found the way back to this great God though Him. For the following conversation with this Jesus is also recorded in the same Bible (Gospel of John, 14:1-6):

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.”

Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well.

Thus, having found our way back to God, we now have something in common with Jonah: we are a part of God’s people. And also like Jonah, we now have the responsibility to share His message of forgiveness with those who repent and judgment on those who do not with other people.

Where would the 120,000 hapless citizens of Ninevah be if the servant God sent to them in His name had shirked his responsibility?

Better yet, where would Jonah have been if God had not pursued him so passionately? And where would you and I be as well?

At best, off sitting in some backwater placed called Tarshish, rightfully spending the rest of our time in this world feeling guilt and frustration at a life wasted in flight from God and His divine will. And at worst, swallowed up by the evil of this world and being ever so slowly digested and absorbed into tis meaningless existence.

As for me and my house, we will go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach against it. I will do this, not in some bizarre joyous anger at its impending destruction, but rather in a cheerful acknowledgment of what God has done for me combined with a hopeful expectation of what He can do for the folks at Nineveh as well.

Having been fished out of the depths myself, I now gladly embrace the call of my Lord and Savior to go fish for men on His behalf! Why don’t you join me and let’s go fishing?!

STORY SOURCE: http://www.gospelweb.net/HumorWorks/BibleOnPlane.htm.

SCRIPTURE SOURCE: http://biblehub.com.

*As I write this, “Shark Week” is appearing on the Discovery Channel, paired against “SharkFest” over on the Nat Geo Wild Channel. Sperm whales can reach up to 80 feet and Orcas (or Killer Whales) 30 feet. These two species are of course air breathing mammals. But they are both carnivorous. They have even bigger cousins, such as blue whales, with mouths big enough to hold cars. These latter, of course, are baleen, or filter feeders, who feed on krill and plankton. But they still suck in small and medium sized fish on occasion.

Among the actual sharks, Whale Sharks can reach 50 feet, Basking sharks 30 feet. Like the baleen whales, they too normally feed on krill and plankton, but can also swallow larger prey. But unlike carnivorous marine creatures, these have small esophagi, limiting what they can swallow.

Great White sharks can get up to 25 feet, and they are certainly carnivorous. On one recent episode of “Shark Week”, a silhouette of a shark was placed under the water and a Great White shark swam close behind it, allowing the cameras to accurately measure the Great White at 22 feet long! The mouth was easily three feet across and an intact grown man could have easily fit within its massive girth.

Lastly, sharks are known to have slow digestive processes. They are also known to regurgitate the contents of their stomachs when under stress. Provided there was enough breathable air was available, it would not be unreasonable that something not bitten into pieces but swallowed whole would last three days. The harshest damage would likely be done from the gastric juices on the skin of the prey.

Records from whaling ships indicate at least three modern accounts of men being swallowed by whales and living to tell about it. These accounts are all available all over the internet. As one might imagine, a huge debate rages online both for and against the veracity of these accounts.

LEST I FORGET

6/23/2016

My sister met with her surgeon today and was told again that all of her biopsies came back negative. Needless to say, I continue to be very thankful for the work of healing that the Lord has chosen to do in her life.

But as I have reflected on these things, I have also been challenged in another way. Not only has this ordeal taught me to be thankful for God’s healing; it has also taught me to be more appreciative for good health to begin with. In truth, I have personally been blessed with relatively good health. And my sister’s affliction has reminded me to be more conscious of and grateful for this simple if often overlooked blessing.

John Palmer has posted a rather convicting poem on his blog over at www.soundfaith.com. It is titled Forgive Me When I Whine. I thought I would re-post it here as it seems to capture my thoughts nicely on this day.

Today upon a bus I saw a lovely maiden with golden hair;
I envied her- so beautiful, and how, I wished I were so fair;
When suddenly she rose to leave, I saw her hobble down the aisle;
She had one foot and wore a crutch; but as she passed, she wore a smile.
Oh God, forgive me when I whine; I have two feet, the world is mine.

When I stopped to buy some sweets, the lad who served me had such charm;
He seemed to radiate good cheer, his manner was so kind and warm;
I said, “It’s nice to deal with you, such courtesy I seldom find.”
He turned and said, “Oh, thank you sir.” And then I saw that he was blind.
Oh, God, forgive me when I whine; I have two eyes, the world is mine.

Then when walking down the street, I saw a child with eyes of blue;
He stood and watched the others play; it seemed he knew not what to do;
I stopped a moment; then I said, “Why don’t you join the others, dear?”
He looked ahead without a word, I realized - he could not hear.
Oh God, forgive me when I whine; I have two ears, the world is mine.

With feet to take me where I’d go, with eyes to see the sunsets glow,
With ears to hear what I would know, I am blessed indeed.
The world is mine; Oh God, forgive me when I whine.

POEM SOURCE: https://soundfaith.com/sermons/5591-forgive-me-when-i-whine-poem.

HOME INSPECTION

6/20/2016

In my last post, I shared an update about my sister. My family and I continue to be thankful for her recovery. But I have a confession to make. My precious wife has been down in Alabama taking care of my sister for nearly ten days now. And while I am deeply appreciative for her willingness to love and care for my sister, I am really starting to miss my wife.

I thought she was coming home Friday; but she decided she needed to stay. I thought she would come home on Sunday; but she again felt the need to stay. She may come home tomorrow. Or it may be the next day. I’m not exactly certain when it will be. But I know her return is near. And for this reason, I have worked like a proverbial Trojan to keep the house in order!

Each day, the beds are made. The cat is fed. My meals are cooked and then the kitchen is immediately cleaned. The clothes are kept washed and folded. The yard has been mowed. In general, the house is straight and in order. I dare not let her come home and find a mess!

And why is this? Is it because I fear her wrath at finding things out of order? You’d better believe it!!! No, not really. I work hard to keep the house in order and ready for her arrival because I know how hard she has worked to care for my sister. While she has been there, she has been busy doing all the same things there that I have been doing here.

In so doing, she has been showing her love to one in need. And I do not want her to come home and sense that I am in any way unappreciative of her sacrifice. More importantly, I want her to know that I love her! And if keeping the house in order in anticipation of her return in any way communicates that love, I willingly undertake that.

All of this has overtones for my faith. According to the New Testament Book of Ephesians (chapter 5), as a Christian, I am a part of the Church, the Bride of Jesus Christ. When He departed some two thousand years ago “to prepare a place” in His Father’s House, or Heaven, for all who follow Him, He promised that He would come again to take us to that wonderful place.

The Apostle John put it this way (chapter 14, verses 1-6):

1“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. 2My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4You know the way to the place where I am going.”

5Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” 6Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Jesus also said that no man knows the day or hour of His return. Indeed, only the Heavenly Father knows when this will be. Thus, it behooves us to be prepared at any moment. One might put it this way: we would do well to keep our spiritual house in order, for we know not when He will come again!

Years ago, the renowned publication Our Daily Bread carried the following:

The word "maranatha" is a Syriac expression that means: "our Lord comes." It was used as a greeting in the early church. When believers gathered or parted, they didn't say "hello" or "goodbye" but "Maranatha!" If we had the same upward look today, it would revolutionize the church. O that God's people had a deepening awareness of the imminent return of the Savior!

While on a South Pole expedition, British explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton left a few men on Elephant Island, promising that he would return. Later, when he tried to go back, huge icebergs blocked the way. But suddenly, as if by a miracle, an avenue opened in the ice and Shackleton was able to get through. His men, ready and waiting, quickly scrambled aboard. No sooner had the ship cleared the island than the ice crashed together behind them. Contemplating their narrow escape, the explorer said to his men, "It was fortunate you were all packed and ready to go!" They replied, "We never gave up hope. Whenever the sea was clear of ice, we rolled up our sleeping bags and reminded each other, 'The boss may come today.'"

The hymn writer Horatius Bonar exhorted us "to be ready for the last moment by being ready at every moment...so attending to every duty that, let Him come when He may, He finds the house in perfect order, awaiting His return." The trump may sound anytime. How important for us as Christians to be "packed and ready to go!"

As you leave home today, don't say goodbye -- say "Maranatha!"

Amen!

STORY SOURCE: Available widely on the internet. See, for instance: https://bible.org/illustration/south-pole-expedition.
SCRIPTURE SOURCE: http://biblehub.com/niv/john/14.htm.

HEALTH REPORT

6/16/2016

I wanted to take today’s blog post to give another update on my sister. On her behalf, let me begin by saying how much my family and I appreciate the tremendous outpouring of support we have received. Your collective display of love and concern has meant far more than you could ever know.

That being said, we got some wonderful news yesterday. The biopsy came back negative! As you might well imagine, we are rejoicing in this victory!

By way of summary, my sister began hurting in her abdomen just after the first of the year. After numerous Doctors’ visits, they found and drained fluid off of her abdomen and chest cavity. That fluid was found to contain live cancer cells. After further tests, it was determined that the chemical signature of this cancer was ovarian.

A PET scan revealed that the cancer had migrated from the originating organ, the ovaries, to the lining of her lung on the backside between it and the heart. By God’s grace, the Doctor who drained the fluid felt led at that time to go ahead and remove that portion of the lining of her lung due to his suspicions at the time. Later, other Doctors would tell us that, in doing so, he saved her life.

What followed was nine weeks of chemo treatments - three such at three weeks apart for each. Then, after another three weeks, she underwent a complete hysterectomy. At that time, no active cancer was found outside the ovaries. But, the spot where the cancer had begun metastasizing to the lining of the lung was still suspicious and was therefore biopsied. This was the report we had been anxiously awaiting.

Thankfully, the Doctors tell us that it appears the cancer was caught early enough that it had not yet spread. We are informed that cancer could still well be represent in microscopic form somewhere in her body. But we were given a 90 plus percent chance by the Doctors that this was not the case.

She will therefore receive three more rounds of chemotherapy as originally prescribed – again at three weeks apart for each. The Doctors tell us this is intended to “mop up”. Thereafter, as with all cancer survivors, she will be monitored regularly.

There is no denying the blessing we have now received! No doubt this is due in part to the availability of top notch health care. We do not take lightly the accessibility of good Doctors, Nurses, Technicians, hospitals, medicine, machinery, technology, etc… There are many people in the world today who do not have access to such things. And indeed, our own parents and grandparents did not have access to it in their day, even though they too lived right here in America.

But far more important than these things is the hand of Almighty God! That He has fulfilled the promises of His Word to strengthen us in the midst of our difficulty (2 Chronicles 16:9) is evident. That there is in fact a balm in Gilead (Jeremiah 8:22) that has brought healing to His own has certainly been shown to be. That He has never left us nor forsaken us (Hebrews 13:5) has indeed rung true!

And for that, more than anything else, we give Him praise. The Psalmist of old had this same testimony (Psalm 30:2): “O LORD my God, I cried to you for help, and you have healed me.”

Therefore, we cry aloud with him (Psalm 103:1-5) and declare aloud: Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits - who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

SCRIPTURE SOURCE: http://biblehub.com/niv/.

I-witness

6/13/2016

In a case of life imitating art, the news reported this past week that a Michigan man’s wife is now a suspect in his May 2015 murder; and the reason is that their pet African grey parrot may have heard the dead man’s final plea as he pleaded with his shooter before the killer, whoever he or she was, pumped five bullets into his body.

While everyone is presumed innocent until proven guilty, police reports indicate that there is suspicion that a murder-suicide plot by the couple, who were known to have had financial and other problems, may have gone awry.

I say life imitating art because an episode of the old Perry Mason television show once featured a plot in which a parrot was called as a witness in a murder case and testified in order to bring out the truth and expose the true killer.

While it remains unclear at this point if the real life bird’s utterance is admissible as evidence, Michigan State Police are investigating; and the prosecutor expects to decide whether to file charges later this month.

Ironically, while the use of nature in general and of animals in particular may be a recent development in human jurisprudence, such things have long been used of God to bring about His judgment against men and women.

In fact, a whole chorus of non-human witnesses has affected Divine retribution. This chorus includes plenty of animals – among them, a donkey in the Book of Numbers (22:28), two she-bears in the Book of 2 Kings (2:224), a giant fish in the Book of Jonah (1:17), and even crows in the Book of 1 Kings (chapter 17).

More than these things, the Scriptures record that the blood of Abel cried out against his brother Cain (Genesis 4). Creation itself (Psalm 19), as well as the Heavens and the angels who inhabit them all serve to testify on behalf of Almighty God.

In response to a request by the Pharisees to rebuke his disciples (in Luke 19:40), Jesus put it this way: "I tell you … if they keep quiet, the very stones themselves will cry out."

In the New Testament Book of Acts (1:8), He instructed those who follow Him to be his witnesses “to the ends of the earth”. Thus, for my part, I realize that as a follower of Jesus Christ, I have been called to be a witness on His behalf. And I want to be faithful to do this very thing.

For in truth, I could think of few things as heart-rending as having to stand before Him one day and hear the very rocks themselves cry out against me, declaring in the process, my own guilt and shame at having failed to declare the good news of Jesus Christ to a lost and dying world.

STORY SOURCE: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2016/06/06/did-parrot-repeat-dead-mans-final-words.html?intcmp=hpbt4.

A SUMMARY OF THE PERRY MASON EPISODE IS AVAILABLE AT: http://www.perrymasontvseries.com/wiki/index.php/EpisodePages/Show50.

SCRIPTURE SOURCE: http://biblehub.com/niv/.

SEE ALSO: http://www.care2.com/causes/could-a-parrot-take-the-witness-stand.html, which discusses the above referenced story; and also contains the following paragraph: "In 2014, Neelam Sharma of India was killed during a robbery inside her home that was witnessed by her pet parrot. When her husband later read aloud a list of the suspects, the parrot allegedly started squawking, 'He’s the killer' when the husband read the name of the woman’s nephew, Ashutosh Goswami. Police arrested Goswami, who confessed to the murder."

This latter story was taken from the following internet news site: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/india/10664980/Parrot-helps-India-police-catch-murder-suspect.html.

CAN WE TALK?

6/9/2016

I recently came across the following story about a man and his wife who were driving their Recreational Vehicle across the country...

They were nearing a town in Florida spelled “Kissimmee”. They noted the strange spelling and tried to figure how to pronounce it - “KISS-a-me”; “kiss-A-me”; “kiss-a-ME”. They grew more perplexed as they drove into the town.

Since they were hungry, they pulled into a place to get something to eat. At the counter, the man said to the waitress:

"My wife and I can't seem to be able to figure out how to pronounce this place. Will you tell me where we are and say it very slowly so that I can understand?"

The waitress looked at him and said: "Buuurrrgerrr Kiiiinnnng."

Vacation season is now upon us. Many people are travelling; and my own family will certainly be among them. Likely yours will be as well.

No matter where you go, or what place or places you visit, I hope you will be able to find rest and relaxation along the way. I also hope that the unfolding events of your travel will result in a great many smiles.

Studying the lives of Biblical servants such as Elijah show us that getting away to a quiet place for some “R and R” can be a refreshing experience.

After a stressful day at work, wherein he was charged by God with the responsibility of parading into the presence of the King and informing him that there would be no rain for the next three plus years, Elijah arguably needed some time away. Thus, we read (in 1 Kings 17:2-6):

Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah: “Leave here, turn eastward and hide in the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan. You will drink from the brook, and I have directed the ravens to supply you with food there.”

So he did what the Lord had told him. He went to the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan, and stayed there. The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook.

Thus, vacations can be good for the human body. But they can also be good for the human spirit.

The Gospels (in Matthew 14, Mark 1, Luke 5 and 6, etc…) tell us that Jesus Christ “frequently” went away by Himself in order to renew His spiritual life. He would do this through uninterrupted time alone with the Heavenly Father.

So, my friends, during this vacation season, feel free to go… travel… eat… rest… relax… enjoy… and laugh… It will be good for you. But as you do, make sure to take some time to get alone with God as well. In the process, talk with Him about any and everything you desire to know.

He can handle all you might want to know – questions like “Where are you now in life?” “How did you get here?” More importantly, perhaps, “Where do you need to go from here?” And above all, “How will you get there?”

As this conversation unfolds, listen carefully. You might just be surprised at what all He has to tell you!

JOKE SOURCE: Available widely in varying versions on the internet. See, for instance, http://www.ahajokes.com/tra14.html.
SCRIPTURE SOURCE: http://biblehub.com/niv/1_kings/17.htm.

BLOOD DIAMOND

6/6/2016

This past Sunday, we celebrated the “Lord’s Supper” at our church. Some congregations call it “Communion”; others the “Eucharist”; still others yet a different name. But whatever you call it, this meal commemorates the “Last Supper” instituted by Jesus Christ on the night before He was crucified.

Aesop once said that familiarity breeds contempt. If this this true, then it is perhaps arguable that, for far too many believers, this unique component of Christian worship has become so commonplace that it has lost much of its meaning.

And this in spite of the fact that it involves the commemoration of the central component of our faith – the vicarious death of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ leading up to His glorious resurrection! It is in remembrance of our Lord’s broken body that bread is eaten and it is in remembrance of His spilled blood that the fruit of the vine is drunk.

Years ago, while serving as assistant editor at Moody Monthly Magazine, Jeanne Doering published an article in Leadership Magazine (Volume 2, Number 1) titled The Passover Potluck: Returning Meaning to the Communion Service. In it, she states:

“When a jeweler displays a fine diamond, he often puts it on black velvet. There, it catches fire from the lights of the room, its beauty is multiplied, and its value becomes more apparent.

The Lord's Supper is like that diamond. Sometimes it needs to be pried from traditional settings and thrown against the black velvet of the blackest night in history: the night it was instituted - the night before Christ was crucified.”

Wow! Let that soak in. Never was there a night so black as that night. And never was there a day so black as the one that followed. Indeed, although it is often referred to as “Good Friday”; a better name might well be “Black Friday”.

Why? Because on that day, Jesus Christ, the perfect, Only Begotten Son of God, the one “Who knew no sin”, became sin for us! The blackness that hung over the earth as He hung on the cross symbolizes the weight of the darkness and the wickedness that hung on His shoulders. And those dark clouds began gathering the very moment that the Judas the traitor left the table to betray the Savior.

In light of this, how bright, how beautiful, how brilliant does the grace of God shine when placed up against such blackness! Little wonder, then, that Christians celebrate the observance of the “Lord’s Supper”.

For, each time we undertake its observance, we are reminded afresh and anew of what was foretold by the Old Testament Prophet Isaiah (in chapter 9, verse, 2), “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.”

For we know that when he said this, he was speaking, at least in part, of us!

SOURCE: http://www.christianitytoday.com/le/1981/winter/81l1038.html.

SOLI DEO GLORIA

6/4/2016

My regular blog post is day or two late. The reason for this is that  I have been with my family down at Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta for my sister’s cancer surgery. As some of you may know, Piedmont is an affiliate of the M. D. Anderson Cancer Network in Houston, Texas. We are very thankful for the high level of care being afforded her there.

In any event, the surgery is now over. The Doctors said it went very well. They did a complete hysterectomy. Her female parts are currently being biopsied to confirm that the ovaries were indeed the originating source of the cancer as had been indicated by the chemical signature of the cancer cells. We will have the results next week.

But the good news is that the Doctors saw no visible signs of cancer whatsoever in her abdomen. Thus, other than the spot outside her lung that was originally detected, the cancer does not appear to have spread anywhere else beyond the ovary.

The most recent scans show that the lymph nodes adjacent to where the cancer was originally removed from the lining of her lung are still inflamed. A biopsy of this area will be performed as well. But the Doctors were clear that, while this could be cancer, it could also either be scar tissue from the earlier surgery to remove the lining, or else just residual inflammation from the original infection involved in fighting off the cancer. Again, we will know more next week.

The bottom line is this. If any cancer is still present, then it is only microscopic. No mass was found, either by scan or by exploratory surgery. Clearly, the chemotherapy cocktail given to my sister, which the Doctors described as “aggressive and effective”, has already destroyed whatever mass or masses were in the process of being formed. Thus, the chemotherapy did its intended job splendidly in that it stopped the cancer from spreading further than it had already advanced.

After the pathology reports are all back, we will know more about where we go from here.  The Doctors tell us that, in all likelihood, after she has recovered from surgery, three more rounds of chemo will then be in order. The purpose of these will be to "mop up".

As you can imagine, our entire family is very encouraged as we rejoice in this victory. So, on behalf of my entire family, let me offer a great big "thank you" to everyone who has uttered prayers on our behalf. I extend this same appreciation to the multitude of people who have been so faithful to inquire and/or to offer much needed words of encouragement.

For us as a family, of course, the most important affirmation is that our God has clearly been at work! Ovarian cancer is often called “the silent killer”. But our God exposed this masked marauder and allowed him to be engaged and hopefully defeated.

It is a blessing to live in a time and a place where we have the level of health care available to us that we do. We do not take lightly the blessings of hospitals, medicine, and technology, as well as that of gifted Doctors and Nurses.   And we thank God for working through these things to restore my sister's health.

More importantly, it is a blessing to have a God who loves and cares for us in ways that even the most advanced health care administered by even the most gifted of Doctors and Nurses cannot provide.

For that, we give Him praise and glory; and along with the Saints of the ages, we boldly proclaim:

Praise God from Whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heavenly hosts;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.