Huge day tomorrow

/ faithsweatandtears / 6 Comments

I’ve been working toward this for nearly four years, and I haven’t been very nervous about my proposal defense tomorrow … until this afternoon, when it hit me. One of my committee members who promised to provide some feedback before the defense has not yet corresponded with me, so my PowerPoint presentation is not quite finished, and I started feeling anxious.

It’s easy to start second-guessing yourself in those moments, but I remembered what a dear friend said to me a couple of years ago … back when this moment still seemed eons away! He said that by the time I get to this point, I’ll be the expert on my topic. That seemed like crazy talk back then, but by golly, I think he was right. I do have some knowledge that even my committee members don’t have. My ideas are interesting and worth exploring. My research matters. I can do this!

I’m so thankful for friends at work who sent me emails & stopped by my office out of the blue this afternoon, just to wish me the best and give me a hug before tomorrow. They didn’t even know that I was wigging out! One colleague shared with me a little-known fact that getting through the proposal defense can be harder than doing the full-blown defense later, since this is where the rubber meets the road. I can see where she’s coming from, because hopefully by the time I’m ready for the full defense, my committee and I will have vetted several drafts of my work, and there will not be any looming questions about what the heck I’m doing. 🙂

At any rate, tomorrow is a huge day. Once I get through the presentation, I’ll be clear to continue my work and begin collecting and analyzing data. That’s when the fun begins! 🙂

If I happen to pop into your mind tomorrow morning, I would appreciate your prayers at 11:00 am (CST).

Miracle Mercy (Prayer Devotional for the week of December 1, 2013)

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It’s no wonder why the holiday season is such a difficult time for those who grieve. Part of it probably relates to the weather: it’s often dreary, cold and dark, and seasonal affective disorder is a real thing. Perhaps a bigger issue, though, is that we’re “supposed” to spend time with loved ones around the holidays, so when they aren’t there, the loss is palpable.

I don’t need a TARDIS or DeLorean to transport me back to that night of racing down the highway nearly five years ago, trying to get to the hospital. The too-familiar fear and restlessness are just under the surface, and when the memories hit me unexpectedly, I catch myself at times staring at nothing, while scenes from that night flash through my mind’s eye like a horror movie that won’t end. He’s supposed to be here, sneaking bites of cornbread dressing before our big family dinner and then arm-wrestling me for the last slice of coconut meringue pie.

But he isn’t. And life goes on. It’s times like this when giving thanks is a deliberate choice, because wallowing in self-pity is a pointless endeavor. When you don’t particularly feel grateful for your lot in life, you have to take initiative to find things for which to be thankful. It’s easy to get bogged down in how we feel and forget that God is still on his throne; he’s still the Lord of the universe. And he still cares for you and me more than we can ever comprehend.

In Psalm 107:2a, the author says to “let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story” (NIV). The poem goes on to describe many of the ways that God intervened in the lives of his people, rescuing and providing for them, even when they rebelled against him. Four different times, the poem says, “Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind” (NIV). In another translation, that same passage reads: “So thank God for his marvelous love, for his miracle mercy to the children he loves” (MSG).

Miracle mercy, indeed! Friends, I don’t know what you are going through this holiday season. I hope that you are bubbling over with joy, but in case you are struggling (like I sometimes do), I urge you to make a purposeful effort to thank God for his miracle mercy in your life. Don’t focus only on the hard times; turn your attention to God’s goodness and let his peace soothe your heart.