Walls
— They’re a challenge to crawl over, aren’t they? Everybody has them
— and they’re all unique. Yours are unique to ours —- David the
psalmist called them “enemies” — and I totally agree with him!
So for THAT reason I’m asking God to help me dwell on truth — and not
take one step over that wall without HIM. It’s just a wee bit hard
sometimes, isn’t it? However, we want you to know that by God’s strength
and enabling “….. we/you CAN climb over that wall”. Here we
are — back to PS 18:29 again. And it is STILL true today! :).
We are anticipating another surgery on the only vertebrae left on my neck that
is not fused. The doctor thought it would “self-fuse” — but
it has not — and so the “fix” will probably be fusing the last
vertebrae at the base of my skull — which is where my pain is radiating from.
This past Tuesday we saw two Orthopedic specialists. One doctor for
the pain that has been increasing down my right shoulder and arm because I was
convinced that it was just “arthritis” (which my mom shared liberally
with me) — or connected to the pain at the base of the skull. This has been
going on for months but has intensified until I couldn’t ignore it anymore.
He sent me down for an MRI and after the physical examination — said he
thought it was my rotator cuff. Well I was basically sputtering with
indignation — convinced that he was way off base. After the 45 minute
MRI — I proceeded to the next appointment and met with the VERY qualified
spine surgeon — who I had started with when we first arrived here in
Missouri. After many interesting questions and checking me over, he asked
me if my “happiness” was dependent on whether or not I could get
“fixed?” I’m SO thankful that I could look him in the eyes and
say — “ABBSOLUTELY NOT! — If this is as ‘good as it gets’ —- then
just tell me and I’ll go home and live life like this — no problem!”
I told him I turn 65 in a few days and I’ve never done this before:).
Well — This doctor looked me in the eyes and said “….I CAN help you!
THIS is what I do all day long! I am a scoliosis specialist and I
take care of patients that have this very thing happening to them — you ARE
fixable” He also said that I should come back after my neck problem
is taken care of then we’d take this next step. I have an appointment
with in for the first part of September. So — this is the second level
of the “wall”.
Yesterday, I received the results of the MRI and learned that I have a
“severely torn tendon in the right rotator cuff” — “…and so
when can we schedule surgery, Mrs. Wyma?” So much for being tied
into the neck problem! 🙂 I must admit I was having a hard time believing
that I would need a THIRD surgery! I still have a hard time even writing
these words. But what I DON’T have a hard time saying is “…. By my
God I can scale a wall! He’s proven it to me for 65 years —- yes — I
turn 65 tomorrow (Paul turns 66 this week) so now I can say that I’m
“legally ‘old” 🙂 I PLEASE be shocked!!!:).
Once again — we are brought to the truth that God IS in control — He
absolutely knows all about it and He has shown me in these past few weeks that
I CANNOT keep going like this. After FOURTEEN surgeries over the last
twenty-two years — I was quite “done” with them — but God said
“no” — my grace is going to carry you over these new walls.
And so he WILL. He has NEVER failed us — and the way we feel is
— “how can we help but TRUST him”. Thank you for praying us over
all the walls that we have encountered down through these past 45 years!
In the last letter we talked about “redefining and
reevaluating”. And right now we’re taking one step at a time.
We do not for see retiring or making any “career changes” at
this time and the doors are wide open to us here at the Missionary Training
Center! However, HOW we carry out these responsibilities may change a
little as we face the future. Paul will remain on the Executive Board and
we are looking to the Lord to the future for each area of our lives.
How can you pray?
1. that I can sleep for more than four hours a night. The
pain is waking me up and I cannot sleep during the day.
2. for all the added financial implications
3. for God’s love and grace to permeate every conversation with all
the doctor’s we encounter
May God continue to give YOU courage over YOUR “walls”!