I began to feel awful with the pain and nausea in my stomach and soon the vomiting could not be controlled. At first, I thought I’d picked up a nasty stomach bug and had to extend my beach trip another week to rest and recover enough to make the long drive home from Florida.
But arriving home I fared no better and continued a downward spiral until weeks later I landed in the hospital in extreme pain and extremely sick. The Gastroparesis (GP) and gastritis kept me from even holding down water. Gut rest, IVs, TPN treatments, medications, and boatloads of tests were ordered.
Weary with the suffering I lifted my phone to look up scriptures. The time said, 9:10 in the morning. I noted too the battery charge was at 91 percent. Then even stranger my phone indicated I had 91 unread messages in my email. “That’s weird. I keep seeing this number repeatedly on my phone," I observed. Suddenly it dawned on me that God was trying to get my attention to encourage me.
"Melanie, who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of Jehovah, He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in whom I trust. For He will deliver me from the snare of the fowler, and from the deadly pestilence (disease).” (Psalms 91:1-3)
I knew then that even in my suffering and lying in a hospital bed I could enter that secret place with God. I grabbed my journal and bible and began to copy Psalms 91 inserting my name in the passage. The fear eased as the pain stayed controlled with medications and gut rest. For the next several days I camped in that passage of scripture reading it, speaking it, and copying the Psalms in various translations to get greater meaning.
Lately, it’s been my lifeline as I keep seeing the number 91 while I’m on a journey towards stability and healing while back on boatloads of helpful but unwanted medications and a strict soft foods diet. Then recently questionable tests showed that I was cancer-free and the kidney and liver spots were just anomalies. He is indeed delivering me from that deadly snare of the fowler called disease... And I’m hopeful for a brighter future as there is a new surgery and procedure to treat GP patients and give them a more normal digestive process. There is only one surgeon in the state of Arkansas that performs this procedure. I’m praying for favor and for this door to open soon. That itself is a miracle!
What trials are you facing? God is speaking and will even give you signs that He is near. Ask Him…then draw close to the secret place of His heart and the Holy Spirit where He wants to shelter you too! He has the answers that you seek but it begins by hiding yourself in Him and in His Word.
Beloved:
No matter what trials you face I am with you, I am your Shelter. I am your Secret Place. I am your Help and your Healer. I have the answers you seek and as you seek Me, I will guide your footsteps and I will lead you. Keep trusting Me and I can redeem all the suffering you have faced and turn it for good.
“He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge.” (Psalms 91:4)
“In the shelter of Your Presence you hide them...You keep them safe...” (Psalms 31:20)
Thank you, Jesus for your protecting hand on us