Ten Thousand Angels

They bound the hands of Jesus in the garden where He prayed;
They led Him through the streets in shame.
They spat upon the Savior, so pure and free from sin.
They said "Crucify Him! He's to blame."

Upon His precious head they placed a crown of thorns;
They laughed and said "Behold the King!"
They struck Him and they cursed Him, and mocked His holy name.
All alone He suffered everything.

He could have called ten thousand angels to destroy the world and set Him free.
He could have called ten thousand angels,
But He died alone for you and me.

When they nailed Him to the cross,
His mother stood nearby;
He said, "Woman, behold thy son!"
He cried, "I thirst for water,"
But they gave Him none to drink.
Then the sinful work of man was done.

To the howling mob He yielded;
He did not for mercy cry.
The cross of shame He took alone.
And when He cried, "It's finished,"
He gave Himself to die.
Salvation's wondrous plan was done.

He could have called ten thousand angles to destroy the world and set Him free.
I could have called ten thousand angels,
But He died alone for you and me.

He could have called ten thousand angels......
Christ didn't have to die on the cross. It would've only taken a few simple words and He would've been in Heaven instead of dying on that tree for me and for you...horrible, wretched sinners. But He didn't. He *chose* to die on that tree. The Bible says in John 19:30 that "When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost." Jesus gave Himself up to die for me...a wretched, undeserving sinner.

Psalm 91:2

This is my verse that I have chosen to cling to through this surgery and recovery time. 

The Lord is *MY* refuge, *MY* fortress and *MY* God. I will put my complete trust in Him. 

My Plans Are Not His Plans

*I* am going to work at Hardees all school year.

*I* am going to save enough money to go to college.

*I* am going to graduate in May.

*I* am going to work at camp this summer.

*I* am going to go to college this fall.

This was my mindset all this last fall. *I* had my senior year all planned out...or so I thought.

That was until December 16 when my doctor called with the news that my foot was infected...again. I had to quit my job at Hardees and have the first of two surgeries on January 13th. The first surgery, they removed the infected part of the tibia and replaced it with an antibiotic-filled cement spacer. They also put a central line in in order to give me intravenous antibiotics for 6 weeks. That surgery was followed by a second surgery this last Wednesday in which they removed the cement spacer and replaced it with a rod and four screws.

Throughout these last three months, the Lord has been teaching me trust. Before I found out my foot was infected again, my whole mindset was "I am going to do this. I am going to do that." I wasn't trusting the Lord at all, I was trying to do everything in my own strength. Then shortly after I found out my foot was infected, the Lord brought to mind Jeremiah 29:11-13 which says:

"For I know the thoughts I think toward you, 

saith the Lord, 

thoughts of peace, and not of evil, 

to give you an expected end. 

Then shall ye call upon me, 

and ye shall go and pray unto me, 

and I will hearken unto you. 

And ye shall seek me, and find me, 

when we shall search for me with all your heart." 

The Lord has really been teaching me to trust in Him for everything. Many people have asked me if I still plan on going to Ambassador for college this fall and how I'm going to pay for it. Honestly, I have no idea where the money is going to come from. I have enough money in savings to pay the first payment in June but beyond that, I don't know. Yes, I have thought and prayed about maybe staying home for a year and working but every time I do, the Lord brings Ambassador back to the forefront of my mind. I am not able to go back to working fast food because of the amount of stress it puts on my feet and the Lord hasn't shown any other job options. Right now I am just trusting the Lord and if He wants me to go to college, He will provide the money and if not, He will show me what else He wants me to do.  

I am praising the Lord that my plans are not His plans and am looking forward to what else He has to teach me through the rest of this recovery time. Prayers would be appreciated as I spend the next six weeks in a wheelchair and then have six weeks of partial weight bearing before I am completely back on my feet. 

Theme Verse & Quote

This last Sunday my uncle did an overview of 1 Peter in Sunday school. I had been looking for a verse to claim through this time and as soon as Uncle Eric read this verse, I knew God had written it just for me. "...Let him glorify God on this behalf." That phrase really struck me...God does everything in our live's for a purpose...but it is our choice how we respond. I have decided that no matter what happens with my foot, I want to glorify God with how I live and respond.  

I have been reading Cary Schmidt's book "Discovering Your Destiny". (I would highly recommend this book to anybody looking for a good solid book on discovering what God wants you to do in your life.) As I was reading the chapter on going through trials and how we are to respond, this quote stuck out to me. We won't enjoy every situation that God places us in but God has a purpose for everything. The hardest part is trusting him and knowing that there is a purpose and a lesson for us to learn to grow and mature us into who He wants us to be. 

This is my theme verse and quote as I go into surgery #20. Please pray as I go in for my medically induced nap at 10:45am. I will try my best to keep everybody updated. 

(Thank you to my dear friend, Ashley, for these beautiful pictures!)

It's Finally Here!!!

2016. It's here. It's now. I have been looking forward to the year of 2016 ever since middle school. 2016...the year I graduate from high school...the year I can work summer staff at camp...the year that I go off to start the grand adventure called college...and many other experiences and responsibilities that come with being an adult. 2016.

Ok...2016 is here....now what?

As I have been thinking back over the years, I have begun to realize that I missed out on a lot. I was constantly looking forward to 2016 that I missed the little things. Sure, I have lots of memories of the big things but I don't remember many of the small things: the times that a family member or friend did or said something to brighten my day, the horrible puns my brother said that would make me laugh and want to slap him both at the same time and all the times of just sweet fellowship with my family and friends (even if they were filled with short jokes and blonde jokes). I was constantly looking forward to 2016 that I didn't thoroughly enjoy life...I didn't pay attention and remember the little things.

James 4:14 says "Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? it is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away."

All those years that I spent waiting for 2016 are now gone, they have "vanished away". Life is short! We don't know how much longer we will be on this earth. It is only by the grace of God that we wake up each morning. Every day is a gift from God, a gift to be cherished.

I want to challenge both you and myself to pay attention to the little things in life...the little blessings. Maybe even buy a journal and write them down so in years to come you can look back on the little things, the little rays of sunshine. Don't do what I did and waste precious time living in the future, looking forward to a certain date, year or event. Live in the present. Pay attention. And don't forget to thank God for the little things in life.

~Ruby James

He's Already in *My* Tomorrow...

I have a Father, the Master of time

He holds the world in His hands

He looks from Heaven and sees where you are 

Arranging your life in His plans

Preparing you now, unfolding the way

To all your tomorrows and whatever you face

He's already in your tomorrow

He's walking one step ahead 

Whether it's joy or it's sorrow

He'll do just what He said

He'll never leave you lonely 

In the land of the great unknown

He's already in your tomorrow

Don't be afraid, keep pressing on

Often you struggle, looking ahead

Dreading tomorrow it seems 

Embracing the present, forgetting the past

Giving up on your dreams

You're stranded between your faith and your fear

Yet no matter the conflict, the future is clear 

He's already in your tomorrow

He's walking one step ahead

Whether it's joy or it's sorrow

He'll do just what He said 

He'll never leave you lonely

In the land of the great unknown

He's already in your tomorrow

Don't be afraid, keep pressing on

As many of you already know....this last Sunday, my ankle swelled up really bad and the wound on the back of my foot was red and warm to the touch (all signs of infection). Monday morning Mom and I went up to Shriners right away to get it checked and my doctor ordered labs and an MRI to be done. Thankfully, we were able to get in for the MRI right away on Monday afternoon. My doctor told Mom and I that he would call us back on Tuesday with the results. Well, Tuesday came and went with no word from my doctor... He called back today and the MRI showed that there is a bone infection that has been festering for some time. I don't have to have surgery right away but I will be having surgery shortly after Christmas. He is going to have to remove part of the bone and fill it with a cement filler. I will also have to have a pic line put in and receive IV antibiotics for quite a while to stave off any other possible infections. 

The song "He's Already in Your Tomorrow" is a song that a friend played on the way to church tonight. It has been a year and six days since my original surgery on my foot. I thought my foot was fine...I'm a senior in high school, working, serving in my local church and just loving life but...God must have more lessons for me to learn. Am I worried about the upcoming surgery and recovery time? (the time most likely spent in a wheelchair...unable to be a "normal" 18 year old) Yes!! But God is one step ahead of me and knows everything that's going to happen. No matter what happens, it is in God's Will and He has a purpose for it. 

~Ruby James Mikula 

The God on the Mountains...

Life is easy, when you're up on the mountain

And you've got peace of mind, like you've never known. 

But things change, when you're down in the valley. 

Don't lose faith, for you're never alone. 

For the God on the mountain, is the God in the valley. 

When things go wrong, He'll make them right. 

And the God of the good times, 

Is still God in the bad times. 

The God of the day is still God in the night. 

We talk of faith way up on the mountain. 

Talk comes so easy when life's at its best. 

Now down in the valleys, of trials and temptations. 

That's where your faith, is really put to the test. 

For the God on the mountain is the God in the valley. 

When things go wrong, He'll make them right. 

And the God of the good times, 

Is still God in the bad times. 

The God of the day, is still God in the night. 

Do you believe God can move mountains? In Matthew 17:20, the Bible says " ...If ye have as a grain of a mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you." All it takes is to have faith the size of a mustard seed!! A mustard seed is pretty tiny! If we have faith in God, He will move mountains for us...no matter how big or small. 

This is something that has really challenged me. I've been thinking about college - where to go, what to go for and where the money is going to come from - and...if God can move mountains, then I have no reason to worry about my future. God has it all planned out and will show me in His perfect timing. 

On that note: prayers would be appreciated as I trust in God to show where He wants me to go to college and what for. 

In Christian Love, 

Ruby James