This Week – Starting: 09/16/2024

My Request:

I’ve mentioned the struggle I’ve had recently. A few weeks ago I found out I need another Brain surgery. Back in December 2020 I was diagnosed with an Epidermoid Brain tumor. I had two surgeries in 2021 for this. Due to complications I had after the second surgery I did not have the third planned surgery. My surgeon has been watching it with annual MRIs. This past Tuesday was my year three checkup (hard to believe it’s been three years). It was found the tumor has grown in the past year and my surgeon suggested operation again. There’s no concern with this type of tumor being cancerous but the Epidermoid tumor is like skin cells in the brain which grow like skin and has caused some trouble. I’m not experiencing any kind of negative effects of this right now as I was in 2020. The doctor is hopeful this surgery will be more ahead of the tumor than behind it like we were in 2021.

Here’s my request:

PRAY please. I have three specific prayer requests right now:

• Pray I stay in a positive head space leading up to this surgery which is sheduled for October 9.
• Pray for my family as we go through this.
• Pray specifically for the surgery on October 9 and that I do not have the same type problems I had before. Please pray I get back to life fairly quickly like I did in my first surgery.

Thanks!

My recommendation: Hayden Alabama Podcast

I come across this Podcast the other day and really enjoy their content. If you need a good laugh and encouragement please give them a listen!

I listened to this as I worked this week. If you walked down the hall of my office and heard me laughing uncontrollably it was from this episode!

This Week’s Posts:

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Encouragement This Week:

My encouragement this week will be a continuation of the thought from last week. Last week I looked at God raising the dry bones to life in Ezekiel…

So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. -Ezekiel 37:7

Ezekiel 37 continues into verse 8: “ I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.” – Ezekiel 37:8. BUT God had a plan! Verses 9 & 10 he uses Ezekiel for that plan:  Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come, breath, from the four winds and breathe into these slain, that they may live.’” So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army. – Ezekiel 37:9-10

In the Bible Recap plan Tara Leigh Cobble mentioned this is much like in the garden where God created man then placed his breath in him to give life. It’s the same God who created the majesty of creation whose breath we breathe in life.

When I’m out in creation and see the beauty around me I’m usually in awe (and sometimes swatting mosquitos). It’s his breath…

“It’s YOUR breath in our lungs, so we pour out our PRAISE!”

Do you know him?

I believe salvation is as easy as ABC. Admit You’re A Sinner, Believe Jesus Is Lord, Call Upon His Name (Confess).

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. Romans 3:23-24

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9

My Favorite Photograph This Week:

(Ok, I think it’s one of my only photographs this week! – I’m a little behind this week.)

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Thanks so much for stopping by to read my ramblings! I have a few requests:

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These three items help me to know if I am doing this right. A comment (good or bad) helps me to know what’s working and what’s not.

Thanks!

-Michael Gilbert

Michael Gilbert: This blog is a personal project of ramblings from me on a variety of subjects. This blog is a personal project of ramblings from me on a variety of subjects. My focus here will be a life outdoors (mostly in South Arkansas)…looking for beauty from my heavenly father in as many moments as I can find myself in. Of course I scatter in some other stuff as my life is so scattered most days. Sorry if I ramble too much!

If you’re curious on who this rambling redneck from south Arkansas is you can read my story here.

Thanks for stopping by to read my ramblings!

-Michael