I did not sleep well last night. I find that as we approach the time of returning home and as the visits to the hospital and to our doctors become fewer and far between, there is not a sense of relief but a sense of fear. Throw into the mix the new healthcare laws going into effect in a matter of days and not really knowing how that will impact Allana’s ongoing care and I find myself doing just a little bit of internal churning. Friday enhanced for me the precariousness of her situation. This is not to say that this sense of fear came on suddenly, it has been building. It just kind of peaked last night and early this morning. But as I finally gave in to the hopelessness of getting back to sleep, again…I heard buzz of an incoming email and this is what I found:
Sep 29, 2013
Facing Your Fears
By Charles F. Stanley
http://www.intouch.org/you/article-archive/content?topic=facing_your_fears_article
I wanted to smile and cry at the same time. At that point the content of the devotional didn’t really matter. God was just reminding me the He knows where I am at every minute of every day. I am a little disappointed in myself that after all of His miraculous interventions in my life I am so easily sidetracked but it is great to KNOW that I have the God who is ready to coddle me when my human weaknesses show through. I did of course read the piece and the first major point highlighted what had really happened.
“The first and best move you can make to build up your faith is to get your eyes off your problem and off yourself and onto Jesus. He is the Source of all your supply. He is utterly reliable and possesses all knowledge and all authority. Speak aloud the words of Hebrews 13:6 until they sink deep within your spirit: “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”
People may criticize, reject, ridicule and persecute, but they can’t take away your salvation, your relationship with Jesus Christ, your eternal home in heaven, or the joy, contentment, and inner strength the Lord imparts to you.”
It is part of the incredible human disconnect that is at the heart of our faith. For the Children of God successfully facing fear means not looking at the problem, or problems that bring the fear, it means looking right into the face of Jesus. It is from this place that Paul tells the Philippians that he has learned to be content no matter what his circumstances are because no matter what is going on around him or what is happening to him, the face of Christ never changes. I would encourage you to go and read the rest of Stanley’s devotional for today but here are the basic points
Second, ask the Lord to give you the help you need.
Third, encourage yourself by memorizing the Word of God and quoting it as often as you need a fear-buster of inner strength.
And, finally, ask others to pray for you.
Fan Into Flame Ministries 
Hi Sam ,
I’ve been reading all your comments from the very beginning .I have felt yours and Alana’s pain .I have teared up when times were a bit rough and have smiled when all went well …I pray for all of you every night and every morning ,with great faith ….Jesus as brought Alana this far ,He will heal her completely ….He doesn’t leave what He starts ,unfinished ….You both have gone through very deep valleys ,I believe the time is near for coming out of those valleys ……..I have watched Charles Stanley ,for 33 yrs and have grown from his sermon …..I have been through many trials in life ,but God’ has always pulled me through .I wrote a song while in the deep valley of depressioon …..Here are a few words from it .There are peaks and valleys ,there are ups and down ,there is sadness all around you ,then joy comes around ……It did for me and it will for all of you …You are all in my heart .My love & prayers go out to all of you .Hug Alana and Nisa for me …….Jesus said I will never leave you nor forsake you .And He won’t .
May God keep you all in His care ,and comfort you,give you courage and strenght .This I ask the Father in Jesus’ name .Amen .
Dear Sam, isn’t amazing how God, who knows and understands our fears, is moved with compassion by our turnoil within and provides a means of encouragement and leads us back to the truth of his Word, to Christ’s love, and to Holy Spirit’s empowerment? If we were never to face fears our wise and merciful Father would have never reassured us with “fear not for I AM with you”. All that he is all that we need is ours through Christ. blesseed be his name and all glory to our amazing God! I Continue to embrace you with loving prayers, Alma
I think I can understand a little of the turmoil you must be struggling with. I pray that the God of peace flood your hearts and minds.
More and more I am learning to live on and by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. Until July, I went without health insurance for approximately 15 years. I have had very serious health problems. Most of the time my options were to pray, and continue to stand on what He promised me. I have had plenty of opportunity to fear, in that fear I have continued to seek God. I have learned that he really is my all and all-everything I need.
I was often afraid I would not wake up when I went to sleep at night, because the battle would begin the moment I would start to drift off to sleep. I would suddenly be wide awake because my heart would stop beating. This happened over and over throughout the night, many nights. (This was not my imagination. I finally was able to have a sleep study because I finally got insurance. My heart stopped beating many times during the study. The diagnosis was a very severe sleep apnea.)
The fear was so bad. Finally one night I asked myself, what is the worst that could happen? I will just wake up in the presence of the Lord. What will my children and grandchildren do? They will survive, they will go on with life, and they will be blessed by what God has allowed me to instill in their lives if it would be cut short. It’s all about the fact that God is in control–and we can trust him in that fact.
I know that God will see your family through ALL of this. It is God’s opportunity to instill more and more within all of you, how to learn to walk in his Word, how to live and move, and have His being. He’ll do this because he loves you, and he knows you will pass it on.
It will seem that you are going to be putting a lot of miles between your wife and her “lifeline” but it with the Lord being in her-WHO IS HER LIFE, there is no reason to fear.
A sister in Christ, Sharie