Letters by Lizzie

My tattoo is part of my testimony
Faith hope love bracelet

Love-Isaiah 54:10 NIV Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the Lord , who has compassion on you.

I had a severe stroke at age 22 and my world was shaken and all my ‘friends’ removed themselves from my life. I felt so alone and unloved. But looking back God had me wrapped in His arms loving and protecting me.
Example, the doctors were trying to figure out what had happened to me and they wanted to do a risky heart test. Parents said just figure out what’s happening. The doctors got everything set up to do the test and then the machine wouldn’t work. When they finally got the machine to work the doctors said that I no longer needed that test, all other tests say the hearts fine. God even breaks things for his children
Lesson learned:
I used to measure my value by “pleasing” others. Not knowing I was loved by anyone I did very stupid things to please people and to feel loved. But that “love” quickly faded and I’d have to do something else to please them. Even with all I did to please them and make them like me, when I had the stroke only one (my boyfriend at the time) even tried to see why I just disappeared. It took several years of no friends and no more boyfriend and feeling so alone and betrayed that I finally learned that I am loved!! LOVED FOR WHO I AM!!! I don’t need to work for love, I’m already loved NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS. Even after a stroke and I’m not “perfect” I AM LOVED!!

Hope-Psalm 119:50 NIV My comfort in my suffering is this: Your promise preserves my life.

He promises love, joy, peace, comfort, protection, everything I tried to find through pleasing people. God GIVES freely to those that look to Him. He promises to take care of His sheep and knowing His promises and receiving them helps me to live my life as a happy and at peace young lady, even in my current situation.

Faith-Hebrews 11:1 NIV Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.

You may not see God working, especially the way you want Him to, but be assured He’s doing something because He promised to take care of His sheep!!
Example: As a result of me losing 150 pounds I have loose skin that, because I sit all day, has really been an issue. Rashes, bruises, even some open sores. We got a surgeon and they gathered letters from my doctors and took pictures of my sores for the insurance. The insurance denied the surgery because it’s considered cosmetic, so they wrote more letters emphasizing the need for me to have the surgery. The insurance denied it again, this time because I didn’t have weight loss surgery!? So we appealed AGAIN and the insurance denied it again because the skin wasn’t affecting my life. There were no more appeals left, I’m devastated and crying, feeling defeated and asking God “what now”. As I was praying I heard Him clearly say “Stand, just stand” I was very confused, what does that mean? And then I got a note on facebook from a friend saying, “Gods really had you on my heart a lot lately. So extra prayers are coming in, get ready for something good!” And BOOM!! that very afternoon a lady calls saying “I’m your registered nurse from United Healthcare and I saw Elizabeth has health issues and wanted to see if you have any questions or concerns.” Well albeit, we didn’t even know there was such a thing, an assigned nurse from our insurance? So my mom spends 30 or so minutes telling her what’s going on. She looks up my case and says “I’m not promising anything but I have a meeting with my supervisor tomorrow and I will tell her about Elizabeth!” My dad’s work is self insured so it wasn’t United Healthcare denying my request, it was my dad’s workplace. So the nurse and her supervisor go to battle!! She contacted my doctors and my therapists and got all the info together and went to the right people and said this surgery is medically necessary. They got it approved!!!!!!!!
Lesson learned:
Just because you don’t see or feel God’s promises now doesn’t mean He forgot you. Your life might be shaken and seems everything is going wrong but remember His promises! Believe and stand on His word and KNOW that what He says is true!!!!