You'll Have What You Need When You Need It

So, crazy times, huh? Us younger folk never lived through the Great Depression. And the only shortage I remember was the gas shortage back in the ‘70s. But nothing like this.
Honestly, our little town was pretty sheltered, at first, in regard to the shortages experienced in the bigger towns and cities.
 
But as the big city people panicked and raided their own shelves, hoarding most everything they could, the fear spread. Especially when photos of empty shelves appeared in the social media outlets.
 
The shortages finally filtered down to us. Of course, it appeared that most of the reason our shelves were empty was because those from the bigger cities started raiding our shelves. But that’s another story.
 
But whatever the reason, it was hard not to join in the stampede for Charmin, Emergen-C, and chicken. I could feel my heart beat a bit faster when items I could buy easily on any given day were sold out...continually.
 
Deep breaths. Don’t follow the herd. Don’t panic, stay calm...pray. “Thank You, Lord, that we will have what we need when we need it,” became my prayer-motto, as I reminded myself of the countless times God had taken care of us in the worst of situations. And He’s never let us down...ever.
 
I voiced my thoughts to Bruce, and he agreed: “Yep, He’ll give us what we need when we need it.”
 
And this thought crossed my mind that really put me in check: “For God did not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind—2 Timothy 1:7). Huh…Fear=Don’t panic; love=don’t hoard (forcing others into need); sound mind=DON’T PANIC!
 
It’s been several weeks now since the initial intrusion of ole Covey-19. And everything we’ve needed, we’ve been able to find—even the elusive Angel Soft toilet paper that’s seemed to all but disappear from existence at our local Walmart (The last time I glanced down that aisle, even the dreaded one-ply was hoarded). But early on, my mother-in-law found some of the good stuff and bought it for us. So no worries there!
 
The last item that’s always been important to us has remained MIA for weeks—Apple Cider Vinegar for the health of our horses. Every store…nothing. Even online. I went as far as asking Walmart if they even manufactured the kind we use anymore. (I mean, who hoards the 5 percent diluted Apple Cider Vinegar anyway?) My mother-in-law was even scouting for it. And since my days were filled with homeschooling my 3rd grade cousins, I couldn’t hover like a hawk over the pickle aisle until the truck came. So I was left to scrounge when I could.
 
I blew out a healthy sigh as I looked at our dwindled supply of the ACV. One more dose and the bottle was empty. “Well, Lord, I know we’ll have what we need when we need it. And if for some reason this hasn’t been the “supplement” we thought it was, then there’s no reason to find it and pack it around when we finally hit the road.”
 
Off to town we rolled. While I perused the allergy aisle at Walmart, Bruce disappeared down another aisle.
 
I glanced up as he navigated toward me, through empty product displays, with a big grin on his face. And a gallon jug of apple cider vinegar in his hand.
 
Apparently the jug was sitting right on the edge of the bottom shelf where he could easily see it. Believe me, on those bottom shelves, it’s easy to miss items that are shoved back in their dark cave.
 
Now, maybe the need for a jug of apple cider vinegar might seem rather small in comparison to a Charmin shortage or other, more concerning fears, but nevertheless, it was a very comforting reminder to us in these crazy times: When we look to Him, God is able…and willing…to supply every need we have. No matter what it is.
 
“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you”—Matthew 6:33.

www.ponyexpressministry.com

Book: Walk Like a Warrior: Inspirational True Stories of God's Encouragement on the Trail Less-Traveled—https://www.amazon.com/Walk-Like-Warrior-Inspirational-Encouragement/dp/1512774812

Power of the Sword

 

"For the word of God is living and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart”—Hebrews 4:12.  

My insides lurched as I clenched the receiver, trying to wrap my mind around my brother's words on the other end of the line.

"Dad's pretty ill, Shara," my brother said. "He's been diagnosed with a debilitating disease that affects the muscles in his eyes and throat. The condition could be life-threatening. The doctors gave him some medication they hope will work, but his speech is already severely impaired." He paused. "It doesn't look good."

I called my parents’ house and talked to my Mom. While on the phone, my dad suddenly motioned to her to call 9-1-1. That was only the beginning.

The year was 2006 and everything we considered normal life abruptly came to a stand-still. Leaving Bruce to "hold down the fort" in Texas—tending to our horses and music ministry—I flew to California. In one phone call, I had suddenly become the foreman, secretary, and bookkeeper in my dad's construction business, as well as a caregiver when he was at home.

My plan to stay a week and a half turned into two months. My dad would get treated at the hospital, then be released. All would seem to be going well and then a few days later, I'd either be calling the ambulance or rushing him to the hospital myself. I finally quit booking flights home because I kept having to cancel them.

I needed help beyond the physical. I needed God Himself to show up in a big way.

Sitting in the emergency room once again, I stared motionless at the scene around me: Doctors and nurses hurried from one section to another; A gunshot victim groaned through the partition on one side; And there was some sort of unidentifiable commotion on the other. I looked over at my 75-year-old dad—a very resilient man—whom I had only seen really ill probably once in my entire life. It was nearly unbearable to see him in a hospital bed with a bunch of tubes hooked to him. I choked back the tears and tried to stay strong. What was going to happen? The tightening sensation of fear threatened to suffocate me. I felt so alone, so vulnerable. All the Bible verses and sermons I had heard went straight out the window—I remembered none of them. At that moment, all I could say was "Jesus, help me."

A "still, small voice" stirred within me, "Didn't you bring your Bible?" I reached for my bag and yes, there it was. Blinded by the fear that gripped me, I never saw the tabs and bookmarks that revealed my favorite verses. I just opened my Bible and numbly, randomly started flipping. On my second "flip" it opened, miraculously, to 1 Corinthians 2:5: "that your faith should not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God." Encouraged, I flipped one more time and again, miraculously, the pages fell open to 2 Corinthians 5:7: "for we walk by faith, not by sight." The Lord knew I would need these two verses that night and throughout the entire two months. I grabbed a hold of them with a white-knuckled grip.

His Presence in the emergency room jarred me loose from the paralyzing grasp of fear. His encouragement caused me to reach for Him through His Word, giving me hope even through distressing doctors’ reports and procedures; the stress of running a construction company; and other unthinkable situations that tested me during that time.

God's Word saved me and in turn, saved my dad.
 
It happened one night as I was sitting with him in his hospital room. Suddenly, for no reason, his blood pressure shot up into the danger zone. The Lord’s urgency spurred my heart as He told me to start reading His Word—out loud! I grabbed my Bible.

By this time, my dad's face was beet-red. I looked at his face, looked up at his patient monitor, looked down at my Bible, and started reading. As I read, a nurse came in with a shot. Lord, no! Please, no more medications for my dad! Now, I have no medical training whatsoever, but I sensed in my spirit that shot was the wrong thing to do. I was close to panicking as the nurse stood there with the needle poised. All I could do was sit there, read, and pray. Curiously, though, the nurse wasn't moving. She quietly watched the monitor, and I kept reading the Word. As suddenly as his blood pressure rose, it dropped. I stared in amazement as my dad recovered and he was safe. The nurse, visibly relieved, said, "Good, I really didn't want to give him this," and walked out of the room.

Later in the evening, I found her at the nurses’ station and asked her what had happened. She confirmed there was no explanation as to why my dad's blood pressure sky-rocketed. And then added thoughtfully, "I heard you reading the Bible when I walked in."
"Yeah, I just felt I needed to," I replied.
"Well, I’m quite sure that is why your dad's blood pressure came down."

She then shared something with me I will never forget. "In all the years I have worked at this hospital," she said, "I have seen powerful things happen when the Word of God is read to patients. In fact, I have seen a marked difference between the patients who have the Word read to them and the ones who don't."

Wow. The Word of God, as it proclaims, is life.

From then on, I read to my dad every day without fail. I knew for a fact now that God's Word spoken out loud was a powerful force. Sometimes he was awake, sometimes he was asleep. But I continued to read, if only in a whisper, putting his name in all the personal spots of the verses: "John Bueler, Sr. will live and not die"—Psalm 118:17; "No weapon formed against John Bueler, Sr. will prosper"—Isaiah 54:17, etc. (Hebrews 4:12-16; Psalm 119:50; Isaiah 55:11)

Today, my dad is recovering very well. In fact, his doctor says, "He's a miracle." She called the Mayo Clinic and other medical facilities that have dealt with this disease, and my dad is the first person they have ever heard of who has recovered this quickly ... if at all.

Praise God! "Don't rest on the wisdom of men, but the power of God,” and "walk by faith (in Him), not by sight"!
(Isaiah 53:5; Romans 15:13; Ephesians 6:10-18)

This year (2017) my dad turned 86. Not to say he hasn’t had any more challenges in various things (don’t we all?—life’s a journey). But the one thing that never fails in facing these challenges is the Word of God; The action that wields that Sword is believing the promises He gave. Through a most recent challenge, we all were in fervent prayer … and in the Word, running to our only source of Life. And God spoke: “Do not be afraid of sudden fear”; “Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place; “You will not be ashamed” … and we weren’t.

www.ponyexpressministry.com

Walk Like a Warrior: Inspirational True Stories of God's Encouragement on the Trail Less-Traveled: https://www.amazon.com/Walk-Like-Warrior-Inspirational-Encouragement/dp/1512774812