encamped around

"The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him,

and he delivers them."

Psalm 34:7

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A year ago God stuck this verse in my mind as I was headed into major surgery, and it was there even as I drifted under anesthesia. The first 24 hours after surgery were spent in ICU and I can remember very little of that time, which my wife tells me is good as it was really rough getting meds to where they were working in balance. One thing that I do remember of that time, is of my pastor comeing and of he, my wife, and the ICU nurse praying for me around my bed. And in their doing that I made the connection back to this verse; that their encircling me with prayer was God giving me a visible reminder of the reality of what the verse was saying. I was being encamped around, both by those physically surrounding me, as well as by a loving God and His holy angels.

The surgery was to remove my thymus gland, with the hopes that this would eventually send the disease I had been struggling with (myasthenia gravis) into remission. A little over a month ago, it began to seem that this was actually going to happen. I was able to start lowering my meds and began to start feeling better, and then a week ago I was able to go off of my meds entirely. While I still notice some symptoms of the disease, it is much better than it has been, and it is wonderful to begin to feel my energy returning.

Thanks to those of you reading this who know me and have been praying for me and my family through this. Especially, thanks to God for carrying us through this, for the lessons he has taught us, and for the comfort in knowing that he will continue to go with us into the future that he has prepared for us.

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"To the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.

(Jude 25)