Saturday morning when my friend came to pick me up for breakfast, I had dozed off in my chair. I got up to put my shirt on to leave and first my right knee and then my left knee popped and gave. It had been quite a while since that had happened so it caught me completely by surprise, but I was able to support myself with my arms until I could sit. I always have some pain when I stand or walk, but it is bearable. I can’t describe to you the sensation of bones shifting in one of your knees and giving under your weight and when you shift your weight to the other leg that knee does the same thing.
It wasn’t the first time the enemy has tried to stop me from fellowship with my Christian brothers, but I have never let him succeed. After sitting and resting my legs for a few minutes I tried again with the same results. I told my friend that I didn’t know if I could make it to his car. Then, I said my usual short prayer, “Walk with me, Lord, and help me make it.” I hesitated on the door step, pushed my rollator down ahead of me and took that first apprehensive step down with my right leg and then with my left. My knees held firm; so I took the next two steps with a little more confidence. By the time I climbed the mountain into his Tahoe, I wasn’t even thinking about it anymore.
Another dear friend picked me up for church Sunday. I told her about my experience but my knees held firm getting to and from her car. Our worship team was in fine form Sunday as usual but when they began one of the songs tears suddenly filled my eyes and ran down my cheeks. Those words described exactly how I had felt the day before. “You make me brave! You make me brave! You take me out beyond the shore into the waves. As your love in wave after wave crashes over me, crashes over me. You make me brave! You make me brave! No fear can hinder now the promises you made.”
Something else happened Sunday that blessed me beyond words. One of the greeters at CLC is a plumber by trade. Last week he looked at my two leaking toilets and was going to give me a written estimate Sunday to submit to VA. When I saw him, he said the Holy Spirit told him to do the work no charge if I could buy the parts. I had put in a call to VA to see if they would cover that cost, but hadn’t heard from them. On Monday I got a call from VA telling me that kind of repairs would not be covered by them. God already knew that so He took care of it through my Christian brother instead.
I know sometimes my blog reads like “The Chronicles of Jim”, but God has shown me that He blesses us so we can be a blessing to others. If this blog post encourages someone going through a difficult situation, I am doubly blessed.