And Then There is That Thorn in the Flesh...

Today I am struggling with the fear of "what if" and am thankful that I know God is purposeful in all things.  In the night I got up to make a trek to the bathroom and my heels hurt in a big way and were swollen.  Fear gripped me.  Now, occasionally I would have stinging in my heels over the past 10 months of going to the gym, and Wednesday morning they were stiff, but I have not felt the intense pain and swelling that I had felt for several years because of the bone spurs under my Achilles tendon. Today I am icing and resting my heel as well as putting my open back shoes back on.  I am not sure if my tennis shoes have just broken down enough (they are only 2 months old, but I have worked them pretty good), if I am pushing it too hard on the elliptical, or what is going on so would you help me by praying for me to know what to do from here?  Thankfully I can still use the pool and tread water, but I really hate to lose the ground I have gained on that elliptical.  I know that since there is purpose in every change God allows, that I will reap if I faint not.  God is good like that.

On the up side, my weigh in was an encouragement.  I am down 2 pounds for a total of 33 lost.  Very thankful for that!  Plus, I have slept very well every night this past week.  Another benefit I have noticed is that the bile reflux that I struggle with almost constantly has not been so painful lately.  I am thinking that is because of increased fiber intake that helps soak up the bile that backs up into my stomach (ok, maybe that is too much info, but it is a reality in my life).  This is only my theory, but it makes sense to me. The pain that I get is similar to the pain I felt when my gall bladder flared a few years ago, so if you have ever had gall bladder pain, you know what I am talking about.  It is not pleasant.  I can rejoice, however, because even though I don't have a duodenum to prevent the bile back up, I am still alive when statistics of 1968 state that I only had a 10% chance of surviving even a week after birth.  God, even in that instance, had purpose for me to accomplish and I can trust Him with my heel pain as well.

2 Corinthians 12:7-10

⁷ And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure.

⁸ For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.

⁹ And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

¹⁰ Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.