Monday morning we went to the Dr. and learned that Bethany’s eardrum had collapsed inward and was laying on top of the bones which shouldn’t be showing 🙁 The picture is not for the faint of heart but this is NOT how your eardrum should look! Basically, the negative pressure sucked it in, diminishing the ability of the ear to amplify sound. The Dr. warned us that their could be degeneration of the bone, but the first step was to insert tubes and take out the adenoids so hopefully the eardrum would be “lifted” back to its original position.
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The Praise Report: Thank you Jesus! 1) Our Dr. prayed with us! Wow-that calmed my mother’s fluttering heart after I had seen the picture of her eardrum. 2) He set up surgery for ear tubes and adenoidectomy for the next day! 3)Within 10 minutes after the surgery, it was clear she was hearing even whispers! The left ear is back at 100% and the right ear is about 70% but time should improve things. 4) She says all day with the hugest smile- “Mommy, I can hear!” She’ll have to take care to not get water in her ears and probably have tubes the rest of her life- but so what? Hearing is worth it!
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Now for the Life lesson I learned. 🙂 Sometimes we have “hearing problems”- like Bethany. In a spiritual sense, I think if we could look at our hearts, a lot of us would have “scarring” from disappointments and hurts. Sometimes our heart- collapses within ourselves, making impossible to hear His voice. I know there’s been many times my heart has been so broken, I was “deaf” to His love and comfort. This leaves us with ‘hearing problems’. The Great Physician has to come in and do reconstruction or surgery to alleviate the damage. We need healing and intervention to get back to “normal.”
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On the other hand, sometimes we just have “problems hearing”. I think all of us have experienced this when we wrapped up in the computer, TV, reading, or texting. Our focus is somewhere else. We’re just not listening. We’re tuned out. Disconnected. God can also fix this problem but to do so He must get our attention! A talking donkey was one of His stranger ways, but I’ve noticed in my own life, He can use anything-blessings or trials, joy or pain, loss or gain; to help me hear. And I embrace it, because I can’t live in silence- I need to hear His voice.
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Because it’s out of His LOVE, not irritation, that He desires us to Hear His voice.
He won’t let lies triumph.
He speaks His word to dispel confusion. And in His words are life!
[Tweet ” #God is committed to healing our #hearts so we won’t have problems hearing. #prayer “]
He’ll do whatever it takes to liberate us and redirect our focus and attention to His life giving Words.
Surprising Treasures: Be still and know that I am God.
Oh, I love the “small print” – Be still and know that I am God! Thanks, Cindy! Hugs 🙂
Thanks Edy- I always want God speaking to be so loud and dramatic but most of the time, I have to BE STILL- and then He comes to me in a whisper to my heart. Hugs beautiful sistah!
What a great truth! I’m so excited for Bethany, that she is able to hear. And her joy is an example of how we are filled with joy when we “hear” the great news of the gospel of Christ, the truth of his Word, love, grace!!! Awesome.
Fantastic Lori- her joy is an example of how we are filled with joy- Bethany’s uncomplicated self is such an illustration of the simplicity of the Good News to me- she loves and hurts, forgives and trusts again, without all the “clutter” and posturing I have learned as an adult!
As a guy who makes his living speaking, my prayer is that I can communicate and connect well. There are days when I am told that I didn’t. 🙁 But more and more I find myself praying for my “listeners.” I am concerned that the lifestyles of our postmodern culture is collapsing a lot of spiritual ear drums as well. But back to Bethany. She talked a mile a minute coming back from her youth group last night. Telling stories. Making jokes. She clearly is hearing more clearly! I think Cindy’s post points out the value of hearing. When we are “hearing” the Lord speaking we end up talking more about Him. And this world needs to hear us talking about the Lord. Lord I am listening… Even when Bethany was struggling to hear she would reach down and turn off the radio and say, “Dad, let’s talk…” That means I get to listen to a delightful twelve year old girl!
Oh Jeff- isn’t it so exciting to watch?! It makes me want to be proactive in every area of my life- seeing how one decisive action brought about such a dramatic and important change! I think as an adult, I’m leery of going “under the knife” but we need to focus on the results and trust the Great Physician! hugs