Our mission: educate, encourage, enrich and help hurting people and animals and unite patients and the medical community in awareness of cryoglobulinemia a rare blood disease that Diane Dike has battled for 25+ years.
We champion advocacy programs regarding the care, treatment, research, diagnosis and the use of service dogs for those suffering from cryoglobulinemia and associated conditions.
Volunteers from all over the world share gifts and talents through our outreach teams-Join us today!
This banner is dedicated to my friend Matt Barrett. Moments ago he took his life.
With tears rolling down my face, I try to write this. Incredibly, I felt moved to finish this banner last night and post for todays awareness not knowing his plan. I Love you Matt. I'm sorry the hardship, pain, loneliness and exhaustion made you want to go so badly. It's been a LONG fight for you. Rest now. I've been afflicted with cryoglobulinemia, a chronic, painful and rare blood disease for 25+ years.
In the beginning, when I suffered for 3 years not knowing what was wrong with me and then my legs turned black and they were almost amputated, I wanted to give up. I couldn't imagine life getting any worse. But then, I went through a divorce and lost everything and everyone who meant the world to me.
I existed, just barely, sleeping in my car or on friends couches or floors until I ended up in the hospital. After, moving back in with my parents; God helped me begin to learn how to accept this daunting challenge. I've been leaning on Him every second of everyday since.
Please don't give up. Thank you for caring and sharing!
Ruth 3 10 Then he said, “Blessed are you of the Lord, my daughter! For you have shown more kindness at the end than at the beginning, in that you did not go after young men, whether poor or rich. 11 And now, my daughter, do not fear. I will do for you all that you request, for all the people of my town know that you are a virtuous woman. 12 Now it is true that I am a close relative; however, there is a relative closer than I. 13 Stay this night, and in the morning it shall be that if he will perform the duty of a close relative for you—good; let him do it. But if he does not want to perform the duty for you, then I will perform the duty for you, as the Lord lives! Lie down until morning.”
Ruth had gone to Boaz under Naomi's instruction. Boaz was her kinsman redemmer and as such was obligated by Jewish law to provide and protect Ruth. When Ruth uncovers Boaz's feet she is showing submission and obedience to Boaz and is asking for him to step in as her kinsman redeemer. Boaz comends Ruth for being virtuous and promise to redeem her. Then he sends her home with six ephahs of flour. He has already begun to supply Ruth and Naomi's every need. Like Ruth we too have a Kinsman Redeemer. When we earnestly seek God's face He promises to redeem us through our Kinsman Redeemer, Jesus. Not only does He promise to redeem us but He also supplies our every need, protects us and has provided and inheretance for us in heaven with Him. Just as the blessings for Ruth from Boaz affected Naomi the blessings God gives us when He redeems us are meant to affect the lives of those around us. Share His message of hope and redemption with those you encounter today!
Father, Redeemer, Provider, I seek Your face today! I long to know You more! Give me the courage to share You with all of those I encounter today, to give them the reason for mu joy and hope, that they to may come to know and trust You! Be glorified in me today I pray, in Jesus redemptive name, amen!
46-48 They spent some time in Jericho. As Jesus was leaving town, trailed by his disciples and a parade of people, a blind beggar by the name of Bartimaeus, son of Timaeus, was sitting alongside the road. When he heard that Jesus the Nazarene was passing by, he began to cry out, "Son of David, Jesus! Mercy, have mercy on me!" Many tried to hush him up, but he yelled all the louder, "Son of David! Mercy, have mercy on me!"
49-50 Jesus stopped in his tracks. "Call him over."
They called him. "It's your lucky day! Get up! He's calling you to come!" Throwing off his coat, he was on his feet at once and came to Jesus.
When Bartimaeus heard that Jesus was passing by he called out to Him. The crowd tried to hush him up. He was a blind beggar and Jesus shouldn't be bothered. But Bartimaeus was undaunted by the crowed and yelled even louder. Jesus stopped and called Bartimaeus to come to him. Bartimaeus threw off his coat and immediately went to see Jesus. I was struck by the fact that Bartimaeus threw off his coat. Why and why was that fact important? Often we cloak ourselves from the world to cover our failures, blemishes and insecurities. Did Bartimaeus use his coat to hide himself as he sat beside the road and now that Jesus had acknowledged him he felt free to shed his coat?
As I drove down the street today I saw two people walking. One was headed north and the other south. One was a teenage girl and the other a young woman. They had not yet met and clearly did not intend to, as each one looked down and away from the other, changing course slightly to create more space as they passed each other. Neither one was over weight and there had never been any danger of them actually passing by close enough to touch but still they each widened the gap slightly. Perhaps they were each having a bad day. Maybe they did not want to bother the other or maybe they were afraid of what the other might think if they spoke. Whatever the reason they passed by each other in silence. I was struck by the sadness of it. Then I though of all of the times I had been in a similar situation in the grocery store, post office, or elevator and done the same thing. Immediately Matthew 28:19-20 came to mind. Jesus told us to "Go" and keep going into our community and all of the world talking to them about the Gospel of Christ. God created us for fellowship with Him and with each other. How sad it must make Him when we blindly walk by each other.
Father we cry out to You today, heal our blindness. Help us to shed our coats of insecurity and reach out to those around us. When we find ourselves blinded by our fears and insecurities help us to cry out to You in faith just like Bartimaeus did. Open our eyes Father. In Jesus
9 “When you come into the land which the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominations of those nations. 10 There shall not be found among you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, or one who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, 11 or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. 12 For all who do these things are an abomination to the Lord, and because of these abominations the Lord your God drives them out from before you. 13 You shall be blameless before the Lord your God. 14 For these nations which you will dispossess listened to soothsayers and diviners; but as for you, the Lord your God has not appointed such for you.
We all want to "fit in". We want to "fit in" at home, at work, at school, at church, in our communities, and even with our activities. Sometimes it becomes so important to us that we are willing to compromise our own likes, desires, or dreams to "fit in". "Fitting in" can look like different things to different people. Some people equate acceptance with prestige, wealth, success and good looks. Others want to be mediocre. To them "fitting in" is not standing out or being noticed. There are even those who see "fitting in" as being the biggest, baddest, toughest person on the planet. We equate "fitting in" with freedom. Freedom from insecurity, hopelessness, shame, hurt and numerous other things. The reality is "fitting in" leads to sin and sin is bondage. We become a slave to the world's way of thinking. We are always striving for the next thing that we need to do, buy, or achieve in order to "fit in". The other problem with "fitting in" is often times the crowd you were so eager to "fit it" with will leave you as soon as you no longer suit their purpose.
God warned the Israelites of trying to conform to the ways of the people He was casting out of the pomised land. He knew conformity with the wold would draw His people away from Him and lead to slavery and misery. Jesus told the story of the Prodigal Son who so desperately wanted to do what looked like fun that he demanded his inheritance and left his father's house. While the prodigal had money he had friends and "fit in". As soon as the money ran out his friends abandoned him and he was left penniless, homeless and friendless in an unfamiliar city.
The good news is God loves us! He loves us so much that He sent His Only Begotten Son to pay the debt we accrued while trying to "fit in"! He does not leave us friendless, He is our friend (John 15:15)! He does not leave us homeless, He is our shelter (Psalm 143:9)! He does not leave us hopeless, He is our hope! The truth is this world is not our home. We will never "fit in" here. Stop trying to conform to this world. Be conformed, by the Holy Spirit, into the image of Jesus. Only then will you know true joy and freedom!
Abba, Father, for too long I have tried to "fit in" to the world's mold. It has led me far from You! Here I am today, Daddy, with my arms open wide towrd You! I repent and turn away from the things of this world. Mold me and shape me into the image of Your Son. Take me in Your arms I pray! In Jesus beautiful name, amen.
