Yesterday, I was able to move around with the therapist and walked quite a bit. I was able to sit up for lunch and dinner. However, now that I’m back on the course of therapeutic painkillers, my stomach gets bloated again whenever I eat. Do pray for good digestion.
In the afternoon, I had a good chat with Gerald and Adele so by 10pm, it’s expected, I should be tired. I had pain on my ribs and on my back. I had to supplement my painkiller with Oxynorm and a muscle relaxant. By midnight, I was woken up because I needed water. Thank you all for your prayers. The dryness in my throat was not like yesterday but I drank water. Soon after that, I had a good sleep. At 1am I had another drink and then could sleep again. Although the sleep was short, they were very restful and I felt relaxed.
Around 3am, I woke again, not in pain, but I remembered my brother-in-law who just went to hospital the night before to have his stomach removed. Last night we prayed for him. We knew about his 5cm tumor in his stomach 3 months ago and we had been praying for him. I shared this with sister Lee Meng and sister Irene who have been praying with me. I was so excited to be able to pray for him during this time I was awake.
I had asked Paul to write down some of the verses all of you have sent to me in your emails and cards because there is no one except us who can share to him from God’s word. Since 3 months ago we have been encouraging them to receive the Lord Jesus as their Saviour and to trust in the Almighty God. And I believe they have. Paul has written all these Bible references so that my niece, Denise, can underline it in her Bible, which had been given to her 2 years ago. With it she can read to Benno and my sister Lilian and pray over the promises that are in God’s word.
Unlike me, I have many people to pray for me and to send me beautiful cards and to lift my spirits and to encourage me. It is very difficult for me to have my heavy Bible on my chest therefore those verses you picked so lovingly for me really helped me. I can meditate on them. So I am sharing with Benno all these verses that you have given to me. Isn’t it exciting! Not only are you blessing me but my brother-in-law, my sister and Denise who are half the world away in Holland at Rotterdam hospital. They do not have Christian friends like I have to pray and to support them. This is the only way God’s word reaches out to comfort them and strengthen them.
When I last spoke to Benno, I reminded him that there’ll be times when you’re alone on the hospital bed and your loved ones are not with you. He can call out to the Lord Jesus and our Almighty God the Father to surround him with their Holy presence and for the Holy Spirit to comfort his spirit.
We learnt that his operation was a success and that the tumor did not spread and that he is now in ICU for the next few days. My dear friends, as you pray for me, please remember him too. Thank you so much.
Dear Lee Yong, I love this and have sent it to Benno.
“If God brings you to it, He will lead you through it.
Happy moments, praise God
Difficult moments, seek God
Quiet moments, worship God
Painful moments, trust God
Every moment, thank God.”
thoughts from melissa:
I must share with all of you the lessons I am learning from my mum. They are invaluable and I am so blessed and fortunate to be able to spend nights with my mum because through her, I see the love of Christ at work.
In the midst of her pain, she thinks of others and prays for them and in doing so, her pain is relieved. The love of Christ compels her to think of my uncle or others that she has invited for the Alpha course and to pray for them. Is that not the love of Christ shining forth? She is so excited to share verses with my uncle so as to encourage him and we know that God, who brought her to where she is right now, is using this for His mighty purpose.
Every night when she shares with me her thoughts, I marvel at how selfless she is and I find myself thanking God for my mum. Please pray alongside with us for God to lengthen her days here on earth so that she can stand up to testify of the Lord’s faithfulness in her life. If God wills, His mercy will certainly continue to shine on my mum and grant her time to talk to different people about God’s peace that fills her heart. I believe that God is using her so mightily and will continue to do so.
My mum has been telling me and showing me the meaning of seizing every moment to share the gospel. Throughout her illness she never ceases to share Christ’s love with people who come to visit. She cares deeply for her loved ones and friends who do not know Jesus Christ.
“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith…”
Hebrews 12:2
This verse is becoming more real to me as I learn that our gaze must be firmly fixed on Christ, and as we do so, He will bring us comfort, peace and strengthen our faith.
Melissa
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2 comments:
Aunty Lileng is exactly how Melissa has described - selfless and always thinking about others despite being in pain and discomfort. As I wrote out the letters Aunty Lileng dictated, I was really overwhelmed by her great love for those who have not yet experienced Christ. Through Aunty Lileng and Uncle Paul, I have also come to understand what unwavering faith in Jesus is. I really thank God for allowing me to get to know Uncle Paul and Aunty Lileng through Gerald, for they have encouraged me in so many ways, just as I am sure they have been an encouragement to all their loved ones.
Hi Li Leng,
You have been in my thought and prayers.
Our loving God is always near, forever by our side. He'll bring us comfort in our fear, His peace keeps us from panice.
Thinking of you.
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