Tomorrow starts 2024. For many of you, today is a day of cleansing. I have friends who come from traditions that you need to have a clean home and remove certain items from your home before the new year. Others of you will engage in rituals that will ensure a good new year. Some will make New Year’s resolutions. Many have chosen a word for the year. I have done some of these myself from time to time. This year, tomorrow is just a new day.
I think my shift this year is the season I am in. It’s a season of trust and grief as I face huge changes in my life next year. God and I are diving into new territory. He is my only hope. Yet some days that hope wavers. Some days it sustains me. Other days I sink. On either type of day, God’s love always shows up. He has shown me His face in the faces of many friends. He has shown me His glory in His creations. I don’t think I have ever seen cloud formations like the ones He has been painting this past month. (If you don’t live in California, know that we don’t get seasons here so it’s huge for us.) He has continued to guide and teach me in His Word. As I sip my tea with God on my porch, He shows up.
He always shows up. So I give Him the glory. He sustains me. He gives me life. He gives me hope. He gives me friends to remind me of His hope when mine fades. He gives me every good and perfect gift.
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. ~ James 1:17 NIV
Friends, our God doesn’t change. He is our rock. He doesn’t move away from us. He is with us always. He allows us to change. He forgives us. He helps us grow. We aren’t stuck. We can set a resolution but we won’t keep it without God being a part of it. Willpower and our might, fail. God is our strength and sustainer. Even the days I don’t feel it, He is doing it.
Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. ~ Psalm 73:25-26 NIV
If you reflect on the past year, the conclusion is this – to God be the glory. In our pain, He is there. In our joy, He is there. In our deepest grief and despair, He is there. In our delight, He is there. In our wounds, He is there. Even if you don’t see Him, He is there. Even if you don’t know Him, He’s a call for help away. Even when you are mad at Him, He is there. He will never leave you nor forsake you (Hebrews 13:5). Amen!
Praise be to the Lord God, the God of Israel, who alone does marvelous deeds. Praise be to his glorious name forever; may the whole earth be filled with his glory. Amen and Amen. ~ Psalm 72:18-19 NIV
I love the sights, smells, sounds, and tastes of Christmas. It brings back memories and evokes delight. I am not going to write about that even though it’s next week. I want to focus on the bigger theme of Christmas, really the bigger theme of life. Advent. Advent means arrival. For those that celebrate Advent, it’s the expectant waiting on Christ’s birth and 2nd return. The 4 Sunday’s leading up to Christmas focuses on that expectant waiting with hope, peace, joy, and love. However, what I am learning this year is that this is not a Christmas thing. It’s a Christian thing. We should be waiting expectantly on Christ’s return.
He arrived. We celebrate it on Christmas day. Not sure when Jesus was actually born on our current calendaring system, but we know He was born. Luke 2 is one of the best accounts of Jesus’ birth.
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. ~ Luke 2:8-12 NIV
The promised Messiah had come. The one who Isaiah prophesies about is Jesus.
Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel. ~Isaiah 7:14 NIV
Immanuel means God with us. God has been with His people. During the journey to the promised land, He was in the cloud by day and fire by night (Exodus 13:21). When Jesus came, we had God in person. When Jesus died and rose again, He sent His Holy Spirit to live in us. Those who receive Jesus as their Savior have the Holy Spirit. Which means, God is literally with us (inside of us) every moment of every day and night.
Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? ~ I Corinthians 6:19 NIV
While we wait on His return, what are we to do? That’s one of the big questions of Christianity. What is Your plan, Lord? I don’t know His plan for you. I don’t really know His plans for me right now. What I do know is this: God is with me always and in the waiting He is refining me. To Him be the glory. My job is to seek Him, love Him, know Him, and trust Him. With His Word, His people, and Him, I can do this. I hope you will too.
In Jewish tradition, Elijah the prophet’s arrival signals the coming of the Messiah and the world’s redemption. At a Passover meal, there is always an empty chair at the table. This chair is a chair of hope. Tomorrow, if you have an empty chair around your table, it is also a chair of hope.
I will have 2 empty chairs tomorrow. One for my mom who passed away in January of 2021. One for a friend who usually spends the holiday with us but moved away. Whether your empty chair is from death or distance, both bring a heaviness and a change. Fewer chairs at the table remind us things are not as they were. So how is the empty chair one of hope?
Let me clarify what I mean by hope. The hope I am referring to is our hope in Christ.
Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful. ~ Hebrews 10:23
If your hope is anchored in God, the faithful, holy God who loves you unconditionally, you are secure. You can trust Him and His promises. Those promises are too many to list in one blog. One promise is that those who have passed away, and know Jesus, are restored and whole and experiencing things we can only imagine. Those of us still here, grieving the loss of a loved one, hold onto that hope for comfort during our pain.
Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again,
~ 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14a NIV
Do you believe that? Truly believe that. If not, let’s talk. If so, let’s live it out. The hope we have is for restoration and renewal. All things will be made new at the coming of Christ. Those who are with Him now have already begun experiencing this. That is our hope.
Tomorrow will hold many emotions for me. I’ll be missing my mom. I’ll miss my friend being nearby but celebrate her new adventure. It’s also the last Thanksgiving I’ll host in my current home as I plan to move this summer. I’ve been grieving this reality. However, hope has edged it way in front of grief. I’ll hold both emotions tomorrow. That’s the Christian life, isn’t it? Waiting expectantly for His promises (hope) and aching for the not yet (grief).
Whatever you face tomorrow, find one thing to be thankful for. Praise God for that because everything comes from Him. When we praise, our joy returns. If tears fall, let them. If laughter bubbles up, enjoy it. If it’s a so so day, it’s ok. As Christians, every day is Thanksgiving. Every day, we give thanks to God and praise for all He’s done and will do. Tomorrow is a reminder of that.
“I am weak but Thou art strong.” The words are from the hymn, Just a Closer Walk with Thee. I have a close walk with God. I am still weak. I have moments of extreme weakness. Last night I let the lies of Satan overtake me. I cried the ugly cry sitting in a car at CarMax. Sad to say, this is the second time CarMax has seen my ugly cry. Last night was triggered by remembering the first time and living in the lie of my past. The circumstances don’t matter, the recovery is what matters.
I’d like to say I snapped out of it and claimed God’s truth. I didn’t. I prayed. I still felt weak. I rebuked Satan and his lies. I still felt overwhelmed. I reached out to a few friends. They helped me process and reclaim truth. I still had a journey ahead to shore up my soul in truth. I had to let my mind and emotions catch up to that truth. The process was going to take time.
Friends, when the lies of Satan overwhelm you, when you are frail, reach out to God, His Word, His people. Don’t fight the battle alone. Never fight the battle alone. We aren’t meant to do life alone. The verse in Deuteronomy 3:16 is truth. It’s a promise. God doesn’t leave us. He also goes with us. He was sitting with me in my car at CarMax. I couldn’t see Him. I didn’t feel Him. I didn’t reach out to Him immediately. He was still there. He was waiting for me to see Him. Fear of my future and wounds from my past were on my mind. My heart believed the lie. I cried. By the time I drove home, I began reaching out to God. He was in the seat next to me. (Actually, I was probably on His lap at that moment.) He held me. He let me cry. He led me to truth through several avenues. He didn’t condemn me for being frail. He didn’t judge me because I let my past overwhelm me. He waited until I could hear Him over my sobs and He said, “I’m here. I love you.” (Not audibly, but a silent whisper in my heart.) I could barely hear Him. I kept seeking. I kept praying. I finally heard Him.
Today, I wake up with puffy eyes and a slight headache. A good cry will do that. I face today clinging to Him and truth. I am still saying no to the lie. Satan has been working overtime to render me ineffective. No! Just no! So I press on. I am God’s child. I have a purpose and I’m going to live it. I have a body, I’m going to use it to go on a bike ride and a walk with a friend later. I have a soul that is tender. I’m going to let God tend to it when I read His Word and hold to His truth. My emotions are currently level again. My mind is focused on growth.
How do you recovery when you are weak? The sign of a mature Christian isn’t that they never have doubts or are weak. The sign of a mature Christian is how they recovery from the setback. Know His truth. Lean on it. Look at it (read His Word). Allow those who have been comforted by God in the past to share they comfort they have received with you. Rebuke the lies of Satan. He is relentless. We are conquerors. We have won. Let’s live in victory and freedom.
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” ~John 16:33 NIV
We lost a friend yesterday. Matthew Perry died. We know him best as Chandler Bing on Friends. Having watched every episode of friends, some multiple times, they all felt like real friends. I am saddened by his death at such a young age. I am grieved when I ponder the bigger question, “Did he have a personal relationship with Christ?” Do you?
John 3:16 says “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.”
My hope is that he did have that relationship. My prayer is that this loss will lead others to seek out the question, “what’s next?” In their search, they will find Jesus. Jesus, God’s Son, lived a perfect, sinless life. He put aside His royal claims and allowed Himself to die on a cross to pay the penalty for our sins. Sin is simply disobeying God. Everyone, but Jesus, has. Jesus’s death paid the cost due for our disobedience. Disobedience separated us from God. That was never God’s desire. His desire is to be in relationship with each one of us. The good news is that Jesus conquered death and rose again to prepare a place for us in Heaven. This free gift is for all who believe in Him and His ultimate sacrifice. We are restored in relationship with God because Jesus covered our sins. We can’t ever be holy enough on our own to approach God. However, Jesus says “They are with me.” Then we boldly approach God’s throne. We are back in fellowship with Him.
In John 14:6-7, Jesus says, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”
Friends, true friends (not those on TV), do you know Him? If not, seek Him out. Start reading the Bible in the book of John. Or contact me. I’m happy to talk about my best friend, Jesus. He’s awesome. He’s my hope, my strength, my rock, my reason. If you do know Him, seek Him more. Speak about Him more. We have many lost friends around us. They need Him. Be bold. This is not a time to be silent. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. Let’s live it. Let’s shout it from the rooftops. Let’s provide comfort to those who grieve without hope. We don’t. We have a hope and a promise because our God is faithful.
“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. ~ Matthew 5:14-16 NIV
My Bible app’s verse of the day is about Jesus proclaiming the good news of the kingdom (Matthew 4:23). As I continued into Matthew 5, this verse stopped me. I am a light that proclaims the good news of God’s kingdom. However, there are days my light is hidden. What hides my light? The cares of this world.
Life is hard. Circumstances can weigh us down. Sorrow can render us ineffective. A few weeks ago I shared about my new rhythm to release everything and everyone to God each morning. Part of embracing this new rhythm has been revealed to me the past few days. When I grab those everythings back from God, I am dimming my light. When I focus on the cares I released to His care, I put a bowl over my light. I desire to shine for Him always.
Don’t misunderstand me, we have days where we need to sit in God’s care and be comforted by Him and others. However, even in those times, when our lights aren’t shining so brightly, God’s still does and so does the light of those He brings into our lives to give comfort.
What God has been revealing to me, is to release my need to dwell on the everythings. Releasing means I’m free to serve God today. I can be His vessel that shines my light brightly to those He brings across my path. My kids. My coworkers. Strangers. My students. My family. My friends. Satan would love nothing more than for me to be dimmed. Some days I will shine brighter than others. But, I want to shine in some way everyday. Even if it’s just a sliver a light.
How do I do this? Release. When I grab it back, release again and praise God. Focus on His attributes and promises. Be in awe of Him. Some days I release a lot. Other days, I got this! How is your light today? Turn your sliver into a beam. Turn your beam into a spotlight. Illuminate the world around you for His glory and His purposes.
I started a new rhythm in my life today. A new prayer during my tea with God time. It’s simple in words, yet hard to live out.
I release everything and everyone to You
I read about this in a devotional by John Eldredge’s Wild at Heart ministry entitled “Union with God.” To gain union with God (which is God’s desire), you need to release everything that is “taking up room in your soul.” I have so much taking up room in my soul every day. To start my day with a fresh soul that is not cluttered with care, sounds refreshing. I can release my kids, my work, my friendships, my dreams, my future, my ….. everything. So I prayed. Two things struck me after I prayed this prayer.
One – I need to release myself to God as well. I was focused on all the cares in this world and of those I love when I released. I need to let myself be open to what He has for my day. I need to leave my agenda at His feet. I often leave pockets of space in my weekend schedule. I like room to chill and see what unfolds. This is how my soul needs to be – left open for God to fill it as He desires. Releasing myself led me to tears. I physically felt my shoulders relax and my heart sing a bit. I looked up at the mountain view and thanked God.
Two – I need to not grab it back. Release can only work when we don’t hold on. Oxford dictionary had two definitions that spoke to me.
allow or enable to escape from confinement; set free.
allow (something) to move, act, or flow freely.
Christ came to set us free. To release us from bondage to sin. This releasing into the safety of His arms brings freedom.
So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. ~ John 8:36
The second definition made me think of the Holy Spirit. I know it doesn’t work this way but the image I had is my soul cluttered with all this stuff making it difficult for the spirit to move around in there. To guide me, to act, to flow freely. Release means that the Holy Spirit can freely move and act in my life. This is how my day can reflect God’s plans and desires.
Release is such a powerful, all encompassing word. It’s my new next step. What is your next step? Spending time with Jesus daily? Reading His Word? Release?
I served on jury duty a few weeks ago. It was nothing like the show “Jury Duty.” If you haven’t seen the show, I highly recommend it. It’s hysterical. I laughed through every episode. Warning: there are several inappropriate sexual references.
I called in for 2 nights to see if I had to report to the LA courthouse. I was cleared for 2 days then, on Thursday morning, I had to report. After a lovely drive (sarcasm) through LA traffic, I made it to the jury room. Potential jurors spread out and chilled while we waited. I was reading a book while I waited. When we assembled outside the courtroom, I knew I was going to be picked for the jury. I was. Juror #8. It was a landlord vs. tenant and the landlord won. Rather boring case except for a few witnesses who had very interesting testimonies.
When I found out I had to go in, I got mad. I was about to finish up my last week of classes with my current students at Goodwill. I ended up cancelling the last week of regularly scheduled classes. Why would God take me away from these great students and have us finish with a whimper? Also, I don’t enjoy driving into LA. It’s trafficy, dirty, and a bit unsafe. I usually am very anxious driving to downtown LA. At this point, I reached out for prayer. So glad I did. Prayer changed me.
Traffic slowed me down but I focused on listening to some good podcasts and music. I stayed calm. Once I found my parking lot and signed in, I felt peaceful. Only God. Only prayers. When I got on the case, I used my break to inform students and my boss and let it go. I could have sat in the anger a long time. I didn’t. Only God. Only prayers. Day two, I found a beautiful park next to the courthouse. I sat in the shade, ate my sandwich, and read a book. Beautiful and relaxing. Only God. Only prayers. Every day, traffic patterns led my GPS to give me a unique route. I saw new parts of LA, Pasadena, and other neighboring cities. I enjoyed it. Only God. Only prayers. I prayed about how to connect with others on the jury. I chatted with several and enjoyed their company for a few days. Nothing profound but nice conversation from people I wouldn’t have normally met. Only God. Only prayers.
I am the type of person who stresses when routine changes. Jury duty taught me that I don’t have to be that person. I actually enjoyed the breaks at the park. The light conversations were interesting. The courtroom sessions itself were mostly boring but I paid attention anyway. I wasn’t in a rush to get anywhere. I knew traffic would be what it was. I accepted the hour-long commute one way. On our last day of jury duty, we had a 2 hour lunch break. I treated myself to lunch out and rode the Angel’s Flight railway. I just soaked in the moment of where I was stationed for a few days. Only God. Only prayers.
I hope that my take away from jury duty is that I can be present in future unexpected moments that I find myself in. I liked the new me. I liked being able to be OK in a new situation. I liked being peaceful when chaos could have reigned. I liked meeting new people. I liked observing attorneys at work and the legal process. I wished I could have finished my classes better at work. However, they all still graduated the week after. I saw that a disruption to plans isn’t always a bad thing. I learned that I can be OK even when put in a situation out of my control. I discovered that it’s all right to let go and just embrace the day. Only God. Only prayers.
The next time you are called to jury duty, or have a sick day from work, or have to help a friend in need, or are redirected from the norm, embrace it and find the beauty in it. Call friends to pray you through the disruption. See what God has for you. It may be as simple as lunch in a beautiful park on a sunny day on your break or as big as a new friendship forming. Embrace it!
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 NIV
One of my favorite musicals of all time. If you haven’t seen it, this current touring company is amazing. I wept through much of the show. Not because of the story line only but because of the talent and commitment of the actors on stage. I have seen Les Mis many times. I’m always moved by the production. It’s the theme of God’s grace throughout the show that endears it to me.
The tension between grace and “faith by works” (or legalism) is the core theme in this musical. Time and time again, Jean Valjean offers grace, forgiveness, true repentance, and compassion. It’s incredible to watch a man live his life for God. He does. May it be true of me too. By contrast, Javert also lives for God but through rules and harsh punishment for breaking even the simplest rule. He believes there is no redemption or change. Perfection and the letter of the law is his motto. He can’t handle the grace extended to him by Jean Valjean over their lifetime. Friends: grace, forgiveness, repentance and compassion should be how our lives are marked. We are to live as Jesus modeled. I am reminded of these truths when I see the contrast of the 2 men in Les Mis. Am I an instrument of grace or shame in the lives of those around me and to myself?
This time, another theme rose up for me too. When Jean Valjean sings “Bring Him Home” over Marius, I always weep. The song is beautiful but also a vocal challenge. Nick Cartell (this company’s Jean Valjean) nailed it. He did something else I’ve never seen before. He outstretched his hands over Marius while he sang the song over him. It reminded me of church when they say “extend a hand” when we pray over our missionaries or others before they head off in God’s service. The simple gesture led to the realization that I don’t pray for my kids enough. I don’t. I will now.
I need to be praying daily for my kids. I pray when they have something going on or aren’t feeling well. However, I want to start praying for them on normal days too. I plan to pray for their faith and reconnection to a strong church. I desire to pray for their daily activities and those they encounter in their day. May they make a positive influence on others or receive it from others. Watching this man extend his hands as he prayed for the protection over his future son-in-law, moved me to change. I started this morning on my porch during my time with God. I pray that I keep the practice of praying for my kids a daily thing. It seems like a simple thing yet it hasn’t been a daily practice before. Thanks to God’s presence in art (the musical Les Mis) to direct me to another level of obedience and release to Him.
To love another person is to see the face of God!
Dream Big! Pray Big!
P.S. If you live in LA area, go see this Les Mis. You will be changed by it. It’ll be at Pantages until this weekend (Sept 10), Segerstrom in OC will be Sept 19-Oct 1, then San Diego Civic Center Oct 3-15. Art can change us and point us to God. Worth every penny.
Toothless is my favorite dragon from the “How to Train Your Dragon” series. This blog is not about him.
I had to have my lower left molar extracted this past weekend. The journey taught me a lot. I hope it does for you as well.
After seeing my dentist to evaluate the pain I was experiencing, he was perplexed but saw an infection around my tooth. He started me on antibiotics. A day off work with strong pain meds and antibiotics brought some relief. My first lesson came from my day off of work. I teach computers skills. I hate missing class. I love my students. They are eager to learn and faithful to attend. I am the only instructor for now and so I had to cancel class. The well wishes, and even a few phone calls, were so heartwarming. They didn’t care about class, they cared about me. I often put my needs on the back burner to help meet the needs of others. Well intentioned, but eventually, it catches up. If I don’t care for my needs, I am not giving the best of me to those I am serving. A dear friend encouraged me to stay home and said, “how good of a teacher will you be if you are battling pain all day? Take time to heal and give your students the best of Debbie.” Yes. Self care is not selfish. I needed the day. I hope the next time I need to take care of me, I can remember this lesson – take care of me so that I can give from my full potential.
The week saw some relief but not enough and by Friday it was bad again. If you have never had a tooth crack before, the nerve pain is intense. It radiates from the jaw all the way up to your ear. It’s an indescribable pain. When I shared with others, those who had experienced it, immediately cupped their hand over the jaw to their ear. They knew my pain. They understood it. Friday, I was fighting for a resolution. My dentist sent me to a specialist who confirmed the issue and said the tooth wasn’t savable with a root canal. The tooth needed extraction. However, he didn’t do those. I called several locations and found no one. The soonest appointment was Wednesday which meant cancelling more classes and missing more work and living another week with excruciating pain. Lesson two is to be your own advocate. I knew I needed it out. Saturday morning I started calling again to find a dentist to do an emergency extraction. Found one. I made the appointment.
Lesson three is to set up a prayer team. I don’t care if it’s a dental procedure, job interview, or just a hard conversation with a friend, you need prayer. I reached out my several friends and asked for prayer. Prayer that if this is the wrong decision, that I would know that when I arrived at the new dental office. Prayer for me to stay calm during the procedure. Prayer for quick and full resolution and restoration of health. My friends praying for me, made all the difference. Worship is a form of prayer too. I asked if I could keep my earbud in so I could listen to my music. I had a praise and worship loop going in my ear. Not mellow stuff but upbeat praising of God. I love contemplative worship songs. For this to distract and encourage me, I needed music that was louder than the drill.
Lesson four is that I need to control my thoughts.
For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. ~ 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 NIV
As complications arose, my tooth broke on top. They had to cut my root up and extract it piece by piece. This one hour procedure took nearly two hours. I wasn’t sure how I was going to stay calm while I knew they were pulling my tooth out. As it got worse and time marched on, my thoughts were louder than the worship music and the drill combined. Fear gripped me. I immediately began to hum the songs I was listening to. Even though I couldn’t say the words because my mouth was completely numb on the left side, I could think the words. The thoughts I took captive shut down the fear. For over an hour, fear battled me from time to time. I knew if I let it win, I would have panicked and made the situation even worse. I honestly feel the strain of those moments as I type this. It was a battle. Prayer from others gave me comfort and strength. Wisdom from the Holy Spirit gave me worship music in my ear. God even gave me a wonderful dental team. One held my hand when it got painful. Another rubbed my shoulders and neck from time to time. Scripture taught me to take my fearful thoughts captive. When we spiral, we have a moment when we can stop it from going down that path. I had to grab each of those thoughts and bring them back to the light of truth. Did I know I wouldn’t experience pain? No. I was confident I was on the right path to healing though. I had to walk through the valley of the shadow of death and not fear. Fear could have derailed the entire procedure. In order to press on, I had to control my thoughts.
You may not be sitting in a dentist’s chair having your tooth extracted in a very long painful, procedure. You are facing something today. If not today, you will tomorrow or the next day. What self care do you need in order to be ready to tackle the battle? Do it. Be your own advocate to get peace and joy back in your life. Have others praying for you. Prayer works every time. Last, and most importantly in my opinion, control your thoughts. Everyone asked me “how did you handle being awake and letting them dig out your tooth for 2 hours?” My relationship with God. It’s that simple. I have never experienced peace like I did that day in the dental chair. I should have been freaking out and saying “put me under.” I didn’t. The prayers of others kept me peaceful. The worship helped me keep my thoughts from spiraling. Oh, I forgot to tell you the name of my dental assistant – Angel.
debbie wong 