heartofdakota.com

Ladies,

I come to you because I need prayers today. Those of you that know me and have been on forums with me before know that I suffer from severe anxiety and hypochndria. It is made worse this time of year and I am beginning to have a struggle. Satan is trying to destroy the good we have in our school year and the long way I have come in my battle with this "disease." I am just asking for your prayers as I battle this. My husband is soon to make a flight to China and we are both having a hard time with that, as well. I have been having unexplained hip pain and nothing is helping. I am just really struggling today. I am so grateful to have this board as a place to come and ask for prayers. I love the support here. Thank you all so very much!

Rebecca

Rebecca,

I just prayed for you...for His Peace that passes all understanding to guard your heart and mind in Christ Jesus! (((HUGS)))

Praying for you today.

I will be praying earnestly for you that you may have peace.

Rebecca,

I am praying for you right now! The Lord knows your needs, and He is the great healer. I appreciate the chance to pray for you.

Blessings,
Carrie

Thank you all so much. Your prayers were felt today - it was a much better day for me. God is answering my prayers...I am just having to learn to listen. Hypochondria is something I would not wish on anyone. It is so hard for others to understand the battle. Sometimes it is hard for me to understand it too. Thank you all again for your prayers!

Rebecca just seeing this now but lifting you up in prayer. I am so sorry you have been struggling. Praying that God would put His healing hand on you and your family. I am sorry I missed this but will keep you in prayer.

Rebecca - I am praying for you! I am so sorry you are having this struggle. I am so proud of you that you recognize it as a struggle though. I honestly pray for the Lord to point out the struggles in my life to me because I can plainly see I've missed some in the past. It would have been hugely helpful to have identified them earlier on and been "on the watch" for them. I pray the Lord will equip you with strength and fortitude to stand strong in the face of these worries, knowing you can draw close to Him and lean on Him through them. Praying!!!

Love in Christ,
Julie

Praying for you!!! I also wanted to share Psalm 61:2, "From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock [that] is higher than I." I'm often quoting this verse to myself.

Thank you, Julie. It is amazing how I have grown in my faith and how I can see Satan's attacks now and recognize them for what they are. One of my triggers is cancer worries and it seems that, lately, all I am reading about or seeing are cancer stories...particularly those that are dealing with my current fear. However, i see these instances in two ways. Of course, I see them as Satan trying to keep my mind focuses on the fear and away from God. However, I also see them as an opportunity to focus on OTHERS and not myself. When I start to fear, I turn my attention toward those people whose stories I am reading and I pray for them. Hypochondria is a very self-centered "disease" and I know that God wants me to think of others and not myself so much. I know he wants me to pray for others and fear not because HE is with me always.

That is a beautiful verse, Johnsmom. Thank you for sharing it with me. I love it!

(((((HUGS)))) I understand. I deal with anxiety and it is horrible. I quote 2 Timothy 1:7 all the time and it helps me so much... "For the Lord did not give us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of love, and of power and of sound mind." It helps.. Sometimes I must say it 100times over... I know God hears me and He calms my fears.. I can get worked up and see a problem where others just see simple fun or good times. I lost my oldest child to drowning when she was 5.. Actually one month from today will make 9 years since she died.. and so this time of year really gets to me also. Many times I have been put on anti-anxiety meds to help me through the hard months.. This past month was very hard because my other daughter turned the age Sarah was when she died.. and then she was "older" then her sister, it was very hard and emotional.. I know some were like "its been long enough" but sometimes that pain still hits and it is raw and it can cause me to act irrationally. I get moodier, much more emotional.. Praise God for a loving husband who knows that it affects me like that and friends who support me, I pray that whatever is causing our anxiety and hypochondria is lessened.. and that as you do deal with it you are surrounded by loving family and friends who support you. I think that makes a huge difference. If you want to email me feel free to do so..

Chandra,

Your story of your beautiful daughter has stopped me in my tracks today. I went to your link below and read all about her and that day. My heart aches and I know that what I suffer mentally pales in comparison to true pain! I loved reading your update and the beautiful words you wrote about how God had blessed you. It makes me think of Job. You are an amazing woman! Thank you so much for sharing your sweet and amazing Sarah with us today. She was truly one of the most beautiful little girls I have ever seen! God bless you!

Chandra - I have prayed for you. Words fail me right now, but I am glad you turned TO God and not FROM God at a time when you were hurting so. Only mothers can know the hurt the loss of a child brings. I'm praising God knowing you have such faith in Him that you will certainly spend eternity with your precious Sarah. I don't think it's ever "been long enough", as others suggested to you. Sarah is not to be forgotten, but instead to be celebrated for the life she had. We know her now too! Thank you for sharing her with us here.

Love in Christ,
Julie

Julie and Rebecca,
Thank you both for your kind words. I meant to get back here sooner, but my youngest two have been sick and so I am just now getting the chance.. My darling little Lukie 3 has strep and big sister Hannah who is 5 has pneumonia.. Both had breathing treatments and started on medication today so hopefully we will get some sleep tonight!
Anyways I thank you for taking the time to read about my beautiful little Angel, her life taught me so much.. We all sometimes need a reminder to not take this life for granted, to really cherish the small moments.. Just now as I was writing this my little girl is asking me for her "gator-ater" lol She means gatorade.. but can't quite remember the word.. she reminds me somuch of Sarah and I am so thankful that God let me have this beautiful child to not replace Sarah but to still be a part of Sarah here.. so I can remember and see sort of what could have been.. Life is hard at times, missing her so much but I know that somehow God has turned the tragedy to good.. and she lives on and she has made a difference in many lives. Anyways, I am probably not making much sense at all.. I am feeling rather delirious right now after a night of no sleep and a day with hours spent in the urgent care... lol Many thanks again to both of you. Have a wonderful weekend with your families. ((((HUGS))))
Blessings,
Chandra