“Hey Mom?”

“Hey Jake!”

“Guess what your name means?”

“I dunno, Jake. What does my name mean?”

“Ahem…Your name means, ‘sheltered from the storm.’”

What in the world? How have I gone 41 years without knowing this? Years ago, I got one of those decorative placards with meaning of my name on it. You know…the ones you find on a spinner rack in the back of a gift shop (or a truck stop)? That little sign said the name Lee means “of the meadow.” Once I got over visualizing myself frolicking with Bambi to a bubbling brook, I never gave the meaning of my name another thought.

Sheltered from the storm? Wow!

Sheltered. Protected, shielded, covered, guarded.

Storm. A disturbance of the normal conditions, usually accompanied by a violent outbreak of rain, wind, thunder, lightning, or dust.

I know this shelter. Even today, I found myself curled up in the safety of God’s arms.

Have your normal conditions been interrupted by a storm? A steady rain of trials? The piercing winds of grief? The thunderous crashes of broken relationships? The fiery lightening strikes of loneliness? The blinding dust of rejection?

Whatever your personal storm (or storms), may this prayer minister to your soul as it has to mine. Pray it for yourself and for those you love.

Lord,

Storms are raging, and we need Your sheltering hand. From natural disasters to economic uncertainty. From searing grief to the sting of rejection. We are hurting, and the only comfort that will do comes from You. Shelter us. Shield us. Shade us.

Shelter us.

Lord, it’s not Your plan for us to be exposed to the elements: wind-worn, wet, and wandering. May we take our place in the safety of Your house where we can gaze on Your beauty. For in the day of trouble You will keep us safe; You will hide us in the shelter of Your sacred tent and set us high upon a rock. (Psalm 27:4-6)

How abundant are the good things you have stored up for those who fear You! In the shelter of your presence You hide us from all that seeks to erode our joy. (Psalm 31:19-21)

Give us the humility to fast from faithlessness…to submit our hearts to You so fully that our example will lead other poor wanderers to Your safe shelter. Then our light will break forth like the dawn, and our healing will quickly appear; then our righteousness will go before us, and Your glory will be our rear guard. Then we will call, and You will answer; we will cry for help, and You will say: “Here am I.” (Isaiah 58:5-9)

Shield us.

When you gave Abram a drop-everything-and go path to follow, You promised to be with Him. As we seek to live a solid life in a sinking world, may we hear Your spirit whisper to us, “Do not be afraid! I am your shield, your very great reward. ” (Genesis 15:1)

In this world, the wind blows and the storm rages, “but you, LORD, are a shield around [us], [our] glory, the One who lifts [our] head high. (Psalm 3:3) You are our rock, our fortress, our deliverer in whom we can trust! You are our shield and a horn that announces our salvation to the world.

O matchless stronghold, You are worthy of our ceaseless praise for You save us from our enemies. (Psalm 18:1-3) “Praise be to the LORD, for [You have]heard [our cries] for mercy. You are our strength and our shield; [our hearts trust in You].” You are our help. You cause our hearts to leap  with joy and burst forth with praise songs! (Psalm 28:6-8)





Shade us.

You have been a refuge for the poor, a refuge for the needy in their distress, a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat. (Isaiah 25:4) If You have been all those things before, then You will be the same for us right this moment, for You are the same yesterday, today, and forever! (Hebrews 13:8)

As we dwell in Your shelter, we can rest in Your shadow. Surely You  will save us from danger and will cover us with Your feathers, and under Your wings we will find refuge; Your faithfulness will be our shield and protection. No matter what comes our way, we will not fear!  Your faithfulness will hold us fast! You promise to command angels to guard us in all our ways. You promise to answer us when we call. You promise to rescue those who acknowledge Your name. (Psalm 91) You are our protector, our rescuer, our life sustainer. You are everything we need.     

I can’t ask You to “be there” for us because You already are. Open our eyes to see Your hand. Open our hearts to feel Your touch. Open our minds to comprehend Your love, our shelter, our shield, and our shade.

In the name of Jesus I pray, AMEN

An angiogram can find a bulge in a blood vessel (aneurysm). It can also show narrowing or a blockage in a blood vessel that affects blood flow. An angiogram can show if coronary artery disease is present and how bad it is.”
(http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/angiogram)

Everything came out pretty good. There was some slight blockage, but they don’t do anything about blockage until it is 70% or more.

We ended up spending the night at the hospital because the site where the catheter was inserted started bleeding when they got her up to walk. I’m sure Mom got tired of hearing nurses ask her is they could see her groin. She would have painted a smiley face on there if she’d known it would get so much attention. Ha.

Early this morning, she was finally discharged. I fed her a big breakfast, got her all tucked in at home, and made my weary way to my own bed.

I fully intended to spend this whole day in sweet communion with Jesus, but it didn’t exactly happen as I envisioned. It’s all good though because Jesus has been whispering to my heart almost constantly for the past 48 hours.

I’ve come to the conclusion that He wants me to unplug from blogging and social networking for a minimum of 30 days so I can undergo a spiritual and emotional angiogram.

Using the contrast material called Truth, the Holy Spirit will look for bulges and blockages.

Based on the way I’ve been feeling and behaving, my soul is riddled with both bulges and blockages.

Bulges are those weak places that will soon rupture if true healing doesn’t happen. Places where I’ve been hurt by others and myself. Places where too many false cures have been attempted. No more band-aids allowed on my soul. I want the Spirit to rebuild and restore my soul.

My soul has been sluggish for a long time because it is blocked by lies and idols. Truth is able to trickle through every once in a while, but not enough to give me lasting relief. I want truth to flow like a river in my soul. Free, powerful, unstoppable.

For the next 30 days, I will write in my journal recording His words to me and my heart cries to Him. The time I usually spend blogging and Facebooking will be all His.

I see my counselor on Wednesday, and I’m hoping she and I can schedule some additional sessions during these important days. God has used her gentle questioning to bring bulges and blockages out in the open so I can deal with them. I’m so grateful for her help.

During these days, I will spend time with the beautiful people God has placed right here in my midst. My husband and sons. My momma. My local friends who love me and can actually wrap their arms around me and squeeze extra hard.

In the middle of March, I’ll be traveling to Texas and Louisiana to spend time with my family. I’ll get to hold my daddy’s hand. I’ll get to help my sister celebrate her first wedding anniversary. I’ll get to see some precious long-distance friends who have been instrumental in my healing journey.

The only exception to my social networking fast will be this Friday, my 41st birthday. I can’t miss out on sweet birthday wishes, right? (smile)

I have gone from dreading this time of being unplugged to being full of anticipation. I know God will use this time to take me a long way toward wholeness. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and God’s provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance. (Philippians 1:18-19)

With that, I hang up my “gone fishin’” sign. See ya in 30 days!