“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.“.
(Philippians 4:6-7: a personal word given to Jude on the morning 22/7/2020)
It was midday Wednesday 22nd July 2020, Jude was just home from cleaning and we were having lunch together before she went for a doctor’s appointment.
Just days before we had just cut the huge laurel hedge and cleared the lot. Jude loved the garden; she wasn’t frightened of hard work, she thrived on it and did the work of ten men when needed. She spent hours in it sometimes listening to her favourite worship songs.
It used to annoy me when she weeded the patio with an old cheese knife on her knees. I used to say, I could spray weed killer on that to save you time, but like her LORD when it comes to detail and the way He shapes us, Jude did a thorough job and it proved a waste of time trying to change her mind. She was very creative and with her workbench she set about using scaffolding planks to create an amazing part of the garden with features, beautiful plants and ferns.
She had not been complaining about anything except a week or so previously she had a swelling on her gums and after the dentist had taken a look, she prescribed anti-biotics. Now Jude had a small lump on the back of her neck and I said to get it checked out. My brother had recovered from Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma many years ago and I remember it started with a lump and I knew this one needed checking out.
So, she headed up to the doctors and had a blood test and examination and we carried on with life until about 4pm that Friday 24th July…..
Prayer
Dear LORD Jesus, You see everything because you are God and Omnipresent.
As we often have to wait for the outcome of certain events, especially health ones, we tend just to get on with life with a confidence that it probably isn’t anything serious.
A lump, a bump, assurance from friends the thought continues to linger in the background of our mind. No, not me, I’m too young, I have plans, it’s other people that get seriously ill, it must be something that can be cleared up quickly, no, I’m just going to pray about it.
LORD, If we are waiting test results help us to continue to pray & put our trust in you and allow the peace of God to garrison our hearts & minds through the process of diagnosis. In Jesus’ Name- Amen
Jude Gray 