Patti’s blog

                     This is the day the LORD has made be glad and

                                                                  REJOICE in it!

Cold Lemonade

"Thank You" to all of you who have been praying for my son, Jake.  It has been 30 days already since he first walked through those Rehab doors!  My heart is bursting with gratitude and hope for his future!

Today was my first time to see him since his release on the 28th and he most definitely looks like a new man, he looks like my son only different, better, does that make sense?  I praise you God for the mighty work you are doing in him right now, and that he is walking towards you with all his heart, he can do all things through Christ who strengthens him, I am sure of that! 

My son surprised me today when he sat down beside me during our church service, I say surprise because he does not live close by any longer, he is currently residing in a "sober living" home that is quite a drive from here, but not only that, he does not have a job yet or a car, let alone gas money, so the Lord totally blessed our family today by making a way for him, Thank You again Lord! 

Jake is sharing a room with another Christian who he became very close to while in Rehab, I do believe God brought these two together as their religious beliefs are the same and he is strong where my son was weak and visa- versa.  His name is David and he is the one responsible for bringing my son to our church this morning and as it turns out he loved it there so much that we just might see more of the two of them in the future!  Lord, I am very humbled by your grace and very humbled by your unconditional love and forgiveness. 

I realize Jake has a long way to go, there really is no countdown to sobriety, it is something that requires work for a lifetime, one day at a time, but with the tools given him in Rehab and being as active in chasing his sobriety as he once was chasing his "high" AND with Jesus holding him close to his side for now, I know he can make it!

I ask for your continued prayers for Jake AND David and that one day soon they will both be a testimony for the Glory that is God's.

God, have I told you lately just how much I LOVE YOU?!  You are an AWESOME, AMAZING DAD, I will never be able to thank you enough! 

Psalm 18:16-19 

16 He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters. 

17 He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me. 

18 They confronted me in the day of my disaster, but the Lord was my support. 

19 He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me.

Psalm18:28

28 You, O Lord, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light.

You're in the light now son, WELCOME BACK!  I LOVE YOU!!!!!!

                 Happy Dad's Day to the #1 GREATEST DAD ever,                 Our Heavenly Father! Thank You Lord for loving us through it all!

                                                                                AND

           Happy Father's Day to my boys, "Thank You" for my beautiful grandchildren, you make me so                                                              proud to be called Gramma!

Well it has been two weeks now since my son has entered recovery!  It has been 14 days of rest from this terrible disease that has no mercy, rest for me, rest for our family and rest for him.  Right now I imagine God cradling my son (HIS son) in his arms and holding him close, sheltering him from what waits for him just outside those rehab doors.  It will be a beautiful day when my son is released back into the world, a day of hope and optimism, a day of new beginnings, but also a day of caution.  I know God is with my son, yet I know the enemy lies in wait.  I pray for God's continued protection and that my son will not become lazy in his recovery, but seek it with all that's within him.  I pray for all those in recovery with my son, who are there fighting the same fight along side him. 

This has been such a journey, meeting all these people who are battling their addictions just as my son is battling his. Two weeks ago you would not have recognized them as the same people that they are today.  It truly is a miracle witnessing the transformation that is taking place in their lives, seeing them come out of their darkness, smiling, laughing, embracing and encouraging one another and talking of their hopes and dreams for their futures, it's as if someone turned on a switch.  If you ever want to experience God at work I suggest you visit a rehab, God is everywhere, though there are some people there who still have not accepted Him as their Lord and Savior,  there is no denying HIS presence!  The world is full of people like these, these are not bad people, only lost! 

I thank God for centers like the one my son is in which reach out to these people and I pray for those out there who have been tricked by the devil into thinking there is no way out.  God HAS made a way for you and regardless of what you have done and how unlovely and unworthy you think you are GOD DOES LOVE YOU!  As I told my son who not long ago was believing in all the lies Satan was telling him, it is easy once you fall into the hole to keep falling, especially if you keep looking down, but if you'd just look up, you will find God is still with you placing footholds in that hole with you, life rings for you to grab onto, in the form of people who reach out to us.  But it is our choice, we can choose to extend our hands to them and let them help us up step by step or we can choose to keep falling.  God has given you a human chain to help lift you up into the light, my son, but God also gives you the freedom to choose and it's up to you which it will be. 

There IS a bright light at the end of this tunnel and that light is JESUS!  "May the light of Jesus shine on you richly," "HE is the way, the truth and the life!"

2 Thessalonians 3:3  The Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.

1 Corinthians 10:13  No temptation has seized you except what is common to man.  And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.  But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. 

Psalm 27:1  The Lord is my light and my salvation--whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life--of whom shall I be afraid?

I LOVE YOU SON!

I awoke this morning to these words playing LOUDLY in my head and I was "encouraged" to share---------I know they were not meant just for me to keep for myself:

Encourage! Encourage! Encourage!  LOVE and FORGIVE!  GOD rewards those who are faithful and obedient to HIS word.

II Thesolonians 2:16-17

16 Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, Who loved us and gave us everlasting consolation and encouragement and well founded hope through [His] grace (unmerited favor),

17 Comfort and encourage your hearts and strengthen them [make them steadfast and keep them unswerving] in every good work and word.

Encouragement is a powerful gift.  When you need encouragement remember that God Himself is always ready to encourage you, to bring comfort to you and to strengthen you.  I believe God placed this on my heart this morning because He knew, as He always does in His infinite wisdom, that I needed this reminder today of all days just as may some of you reading this.  Sometimes all we need is a little reminder, whether it comes from a friend, a stranger or from God Himself and to recognize that IT IS His free gift to us!  So receive it in Jesus name and Pass It On! 

Kind words cost nothing, but when spoken at the right time, they can be priceless!

What's on your "To-Do" list today? What are you most looking forward to and what are you most dreading?

My "To Do" list is short now that it's almost dinner time, so I guess what's next on my list is to figure out what to make for dinner!  I am looking forward to the idea of going out for dinner and I am dreading having to cook one if I don't! LOL!

For those of you wondering why I am counting the days it is for my youngest son Jacob.  He is 22 years old and before he was introduced to and began abusing a horrific drug (oxycontin) a little over a year ago he had always been happy and full of life, he was filled with passion for playing baseball and had even been accepted to a college because of it.  He was and still is a very bright light in my life, but the drug use has dimmed the fire and passion he once had for living.  This drug has literally hijacked my son and I desparately want him back! 

The past 1 1/2 years has literally been a living hell for our family and everyone who knows and loves him.  This drug has taken my son down a dark path and has had him doing things I never thought he was capable of doing.  He has tried several times to get off this drug, with no long term success.  He has been through rehab once already last fall and has "white knuckled" it in between, but the drug (Satan) will not give him up without a fight and he (Satan) is enjoying the destruction he has been causing in the wake of my son's weakness.  But I will not give up and my son desparately wants to be released from this, not only for himself but for his beautiful 21 mo. old son, but until he is the damage keeps mounting physically, spiritually, financially, in his relationships, his character, integrity and his reputation.  The only good that has come from all of this is it has brought him to his knees and lead him to the Lord, Praise God! 

So it is day 7 of a new beginning for my son, he is currently going through rehab once again and I believe he is being healed and released of this once and for all, I see him approaching it differently with a spark in his eye that he never had before.  He is sharing the gospel with those who don't know God while he is there.  He has actually thanked me this time for finding a way to get him there ( I can't take the credit for that, it was all God, but I will save that for another day).  So there it is and even though we look forward to the day of his release the fight for his sobriety will never be over it can only be maintained one day at a time.  I can truly say without a doubt it is a disease and like cancer which sometimes returns I will not turn away from him if it does all we can do is trust in God and that he has a plan for his life and HE is more than enough!  I ask that anyone of you reading this to please pray for him and I will keep you posted, thank you all!

                                          John 8:36 Who The Son Sets Free Is Free Indeed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am so proud of you my son!  It was nice to see the fire of determination burning in your eyes!  Remember, "Greater is HE who is in you than he who is in the world" and "You can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens you"!  Till I see you again keep your eyes on HIM, HE has made a way for you!  Psalm16: Keep me safe, O God, for in you I take refuge.  In Jesus name I pray.  I Love You!