It has been a while since I have written anything on this Finding His Purpose site. I couldn’t let the year 2022 finish without writing about some of the highs and lows of this year. God has brought us through the storms and renewed our hope for the future as long as we continue to depend on Him.

We lost some loved ones this year. John’s Mom Anna passed away at the age of 95. She was an amazing woman who raised ten children mostly on her own since her husband (Jacob) passed away so many years ago. She leaves a very large family, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She loved the Lord and her life was an example of it.

My niece’s husband Craig Smith passed away unexpectedly in July 2022. Craig was such a selfless, giving guy. He took care of my niece Julie through all her MS battles. Then after she was gone, always helped extended family when they needed him. He joins Julie now as she passed away a few years ago. They both were so young to leave so early but we are at peace since they knew the Lord.

Our son-in-law Nader’s Mom Dora passed away just this December. She fought a long battle with cancer and longed for as much extra time as possible with her children and grandchildren. We both were very different people and yet in the last few years, we bonded over our children and grandchildren and our desire for them to live the most fulfilled and happy life possible. I shared with her what Christ has done in my life and John’s life. Dora was very receptive to the message. She thanked us many times for leading her back to Jesus Christ. We were humbled and thankful to be there for her. We are blessed to be part of her journey. Remember always that others look at your life even when you don’t notice but it could be the opportunity to start a conversation that ends in securing their eternity.

This year also brought some storms for us as John had some major health issues. Multiple times in the hospital and three surgeries, it was overwhelming. He is now in great shape and with his new heart valve is feeling better than ever. God brought the right doctors to help us in our time of need and so many people prayed for us. Thank you Jesus for healing him completely. In December I ended up in the hospital with an unexpected surgery. This was very difficult since I usually am so well and the caregiver most of the time. God was with me and even brought the amazing surgeon that saved John’s life to do my surgery. That was such a miracle and gave me great comfort during that tough time. I am doing well and thankful for God’s healing.

The year 2022 also had some real growth for us and Finding His Purpose. We were so blessed to be able to host the evening with Jen Bricker-Bauer and Dominik Bauer on September 2nd. This event had many road blocks from the start but God had other plans. We quickly discovered that when God wants something to happen you can’t mess it up. Our group is small but we are mighty! With the help of wonderful friends and family who volunteered, we were able to have a wonderful evening that inspired so many who attended. It was a great success and an evening we will never forget. Jen and Dominik are such wonderful people with an awesome God story to share. We are sure we made friends forever.

We added an addition to our family this year, a Papillon puppy named Indie. He is full of energy with a cute personality. He keeps us busy but we love him and he is settling in well.

So many ups and downs in this last year. We thank all who prayed for us and supported us through this year. Sometimes we just have to take time to rest in Jesus. We look forward to moving into 2023 with new hope and strength to carry on whatever He has planned for us. We are excited to see what new experiences 2023 will bring our way.

Happy New Year

Prayer is such a powerful thing that we use to connect with God. We see him work in our lives and in the lives of others. We go to prayer for many reasons. Prayer for spiritual and physical needs. Prayer for direction and protection. Prayer can be a means of discerning His will. As we pray we demonstrate our faith and trust in God’s word. We have his promise that our prayers are heard. “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.” 1 John 5:14 Sometimes prayers are not answered the way we hope but He has the final say. Sometimes we must wait for that prayer to be answered and stand on our faith that He is working it all out for our good.

Do you go to prayer first? We sometimes tend to take things into our own hands not even thinking about praying. I have found myself in the past few years putting prayer first and that has been a big help in times of trouble. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Philippians 4:6

We have such wonderful prayer partners in our life. These people are amazing and are always there to pray for our situation. I love the term prayer warriors because that really describes what they are. These prayer warriors go to God without hesitation and pray continually for the need. The meaning of a warrior is someone who is experienced and brave. Just the kind of people we all need when we are faced with an uncertain challenge. “Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.” Matthew 18:19

We are so blessed to know many prayer warriors. They are the first ones we go to for prayer. John has recently been in need of those prayers. He has had multiple health issues that has even led to unexpected surgery. As I was writing this, one of those surgeries was taking place. I put out the request to my prayer warriors and know they were praying right away. That gave me so much support and peace to know that they were there. Prayer to God was our first line of defense in trouble. “If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” Matthew 21:22

So the next time you are in need of prayer, pray first, then call on your prayer warriors to pray for you. If you don’t have people you can count on to pray, start making those connections with others so you have that support. You can be one of those prayer warriors for them too. John did well through the surgery and is now recovering. So thankful to God and thankful for our prayer partner friends! Our prayer warriors are awesome and a gift from God. Thank you all. “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”Romans 12:12

John will have more surgery to do in the near future but know God is with us and will strengthen us. “For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.”Philippians 4:13 Thank you Jesus

In the Bible we read that God set the world on it’s foundation. “In the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands.” Psalms 102:25 “He set the earth on it’s foundations; it can never be moved.” Psalms 104:5

When I was young I remember being told you need a firm foundation. What did that mean? It wasn’t too important to me then but now years later I see that is where it all starts. A home builder needs to make sure that the foundation of each house they build is done right and strong to last. “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock.” Matthew 7:24

In the same way we need to have a firm foundation in our spiritual lives to hold us secure when things are crumbling around us. When we have a serious health issue, a challenging disability or when we mourn the loss of our loved ones, where do we go for comfort? When the world is in chaos and there seems to be no clear answers, who do you go to? This is when our established firm foundation comes in to help. We stand on the past blessings and promises that we saw the Lord do. We know where our help comes from and it comes from the Lord! Do not just wait but pray as we see what the the Lord will do. “Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.” Jeremiah 29:12

Focus on Him and trust He is in control and will be with us in all adversity. Fix our eyes on Jesus as we stand on our beliefs, our spiritual foundation. Do you have a firm foundation that you stand on? If so do it and don’t give up, keep trusting and praying. If you don’t, go back to the basics. “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13

Study His word and fellowship with others who can help you grow in your faith. Seek out others who make you better and long after the things of God. Firm up your foundation so when the wind blows it won’t destroy you. Know what you believe and stand on it. Be strong and hold tight, still standing on the firm foundation and promises of God.

3/22/22

*I wrote the previous paragraphs a few days (3/3/22) before a personal storm started. Little did I know that I would need to read my own words for encouragement to get me through some tough days. My husband, John had a sudden life threatening illness and was hospitalized for 16 days. Each day was a roller coaster of confusion on treatment and possible surgery. We both saw God work behind the scenes and saw little miracles along the way. Some days were pretty dark and that is when I really needed to stand on the promises of God more than ever. God spared my husband’s life and will carry us through his recovery and future surgeries that are needed. “In his kindness God called you to share in his eternal glory by means of Christ Jesus. So after you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation.” 1 Peter 5:10 We will put our trust in Him and continue to praise Him in the storm. We are still standing.

Who is in control? God says I am

Who knows all the answers? God says I do

Who will comfort me? God says I will

Today it is 8 years since we had our first Finding His Purpose group meeting. Our first meeting at Calvary Chapel Melbourne was on January 23, 2014. It is hard to believe that so many years have passed already. The start of Finding His Purpose was a desire of my husband John after God put it in his heart to start a group for others dealing with the challenges of disability and pain. I was really just along for the ride first but very soon became involved in planning and knew God wanted us to step out and lead this group. We struggled over the right name but during the first stages of planning we heard God clearly that this group couldn’t just be called a “disability” group but deserved a special name. The name needed to be something that showed what we wanted to accomplish and present a hope for the future. John’s favorite Bible verse has always been Romans 8:28. “ And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” We started to think about that verse and what it was saying to us. We realized that we wanted people to find purpose even now after an illness or injury may have changed their lives. We wanted them to have hope and know that God could make something good out of their pain and suffering. God could give them a purpose. Finding His Purpose fit that perfectly and we were very steadfast on keeping that name. We did come up against some opposition but stood our ground and glad we did.

We were very blessed to have them make a logo for us too. There were a couple of choices but not really what I had in mind. The picture with the pottery in the hands didn’t seem quite right but God quickly showed me that it was exactly what the group was about. It was a powerful example of how God makes each of us unique and molds us into what he wants us to be. God is the one who makes us who we are. He gives us the opportunity to change our hearts and attitude into something beautiful. If we are in pain or disabled in some way we are so valuable and precious to Him. We still can do so much to serve the family of God. We have the ability to pray for others and encourage them in their journey. The journey our Finding His Purpose friends are on might be much more challenging than for others but it is also so rewarding when we are victorious.

God works all things for our good. We must love Him and trust Him. It may not always be evident that God is working it out but we have found if you continue to trust and follow Him, you will be able to look back and see where God has truly been at work.

We give God all the glory for everything He has done at Finding His Purpose. We thank Him for all the people who have joined the group through the years. We ask him to bless their lives and keep them moving forward. We so appreciate the amazing co- leaders and Pastor leaders along the way. We could not have done it without you. Thank you for serving with us. Pray for us as we continue to put God first and serve at Finding His Purpose. John and Cynthia Miller

As we start out in the year 2022, a word for this year was not very apparent to us. I had one that seems to be it but then my husband gave me his list of words. After scanning the list and thinking it over one word really stuck out to me. Reflection was the choice. It really did embody the message we wanted for the year 2022.

Reflection is thinking over your past and seeing where we might have missed the mark but also learning from those times and moving on. We do not want to stay in our past but we don’t want to repeat the same mistakes. God is truly a God of new starts and second chances. Looking over our spiritual life and making sure we are growing and changing things that God has brought to our mind is a very good practice. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! “ 2 Corinthians 5:17

Reflection can also be reflecting on God’s word. When we read the Bible we need to consider what He is trying to tell us and how that can fit in our lives. We learn what we can do to have a stronger faith and share more of God’s love with others. Life can be full of challenges but can we trust God in it all? Reading God’s word and reflecting on it can help hold us up in tough times when we can’t see clearly. “Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.” 1 Corinthians 13:12

One of our main goals in this life should be the act of reflecting God in our lives to others. Reflection of God in us is the best witness to a lost world that we can have. Showing our true faith and heart to others who are in need can be life changing. Many of us know people who had a strong faith and gave us a living example of Christ. People who asked you to church the first time and you could see they had something different. People who lived in a Christ like way, even during stressful times when compromise could have been so easy. People who are real and show their true selves so it might help someone else to not make the same mistake. Caring for the individuals above all else and giving God the glory for it all. “Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.” 1 John 3:18

So as we start off this new year of 2022, let us remember to reflect on these things:

Reflect on the past and learn from it. Move forward with confidence.

Reflect on God’s word daily and apply it to our life.

Be a reflection of God so others will come to know our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” Colossians 3:17

Thankfulness is a word we hear a lot during this time of year. Another word was gratitude or grateful, which kept appearing to me on items and books around me. I wanted to find out the difference in the meaning of these two words. Thankful means to be pleased and being conscious of a benefit received. Grateful means feeling or showing appreciation for something done or received. They both share a very close meaning and can be used in similar ways. Looking for things to be thankful for is the key to being grateful.

My mother was a good example of someone with a gratitude attitude. She had many reasons to despair due to illness and heart problems. She decided to take the high road and be a blessing to others. Her name was Joy and she was always joyful even through all her trials. When depression and worry would sometimes come, she would continue to read her Bible, pray and look for reasons to be thankful even then. She loved the Lord and knew He had all her days in His hands. She showed an attitude of gratitude because of what Jesus Christ did for her. Many people in my life had that grateful attitude and it made a difference in how they saw their situation and what they found to be important. They looked to God for their strength and even when the answers were not what they hoped for, they still thanked Him. The real answer was that thankfulness had allowed them to trust Him no matter what the outcome.

“give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Look for things to be thankful for not only during this Thanksgiving season but every day. Write at least one thing you are thankful for each day and before long you will find you have a good size list. When you feel down look at that list and you will find you are truly blessed. Take it a step further and help someone else who needs to be lifted up. Reach out to others and let them know they are not alone. Use your gratitude to bless others. Being thankful and practicing gratitude can transform your life. It leads to a new outlook and creates happiness in us that overflows to others. Choose gratitude and you choose happiness.

“Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.” Psalms 100:4

Worship can also be another way of expressing gratitude. We show our Lord respect and honor as our creator. Giving Him thanks in the form of praise and worship. Coming to Him humbly and without hesitation to show our thankfulness. Letting our souls soak up the awesome presence of our savior. Nothing can compare to this type of worship and will most definitely make your heart more grateful. As Christ followers we need to show gratitude to Christ for the amazing gift of salvation, He has offered us all. We are first thankful to Him for giving us this gift but later we show gratitude with our actions by following Him. By being thankful we are responding to God’s graciousness and goodness. Gratitude is living out our thankfulness.

My heart has been troubled lately. So much pain and loss around us right now and personally here at Finding His Purpose we have lost some very special people. Jesus speaking to his disciples tells them to not let their hearts be troubled and gives them comfort about what was to come. We must take comfort too. When we have no answers, we must put our trust in Him for what the future holds. “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me.” John 14:1

I want to honor these special people that made a difference in my life and many others. The first one is my brother, Randy Reed. Even though he was nine years older than me it really never seemed that way. Especially when we got older and had families of our own it wasn’t even a noticeable difference. We always kept in touch through all the changes in our lives. He would come visit us in Florida over Christmas time for about a month. We did lots of fun things with the family and had that old fashioned Christmas that he really enjoyed. He liked going with us to Finding His Purpose when he visited and attending the services at Calvary Chapel Melbourne. We always made a trip to the beach and his favorite spots to eat. One year all the family went on an air boat ride together and that sure is a great memory. Randy was a very positive person and always was just “fine”maybe even when he wasn’t, but I like to think that he got that trait from our mother Joy as she was the same through all her trials. He was always polite, kind, and respectful. He had a great laugh and could talk to you for hours about his past career or things he really enjoyed. He got pretty good at sending a text and we did communicate a lot that way. We spoke on the phone often too. My brother had a gift for sending cards for many occasions and never forgot your birthday! It was another way of keeping in touch in this busy world. I will miss these special things. Randy Reed went to be with the Lord on June 27, 2021 and he will be so missed by his family, friends and his church family in Texas. Thank you Randy for being a great brother.

Another person I want to remember is Gerry Lachapelle. We met Susan and Gerry about eight years ago at Calvary Chapel Melbourne. I met his wife Susan first while serving at the women’s information table. When we met Gerry it became a friendship right away for all of us. We all had a great time together and knew God had plans for our future. We were starting Finding His Purpose in 2014 and talked them into being our first co-leaders. Susan became ill and was in and out of the hospital and rehab for most of the next year. Gerry was always there to help and be her advocate for her care. It was a tough time for them but a good example of their strong love for each other and their love for the Lord. They both took every opportunity to talk with someone about Christ. We all remained friends all these years and through all these seasons. Gerry always had a wonderful sense of humor and a joke to tell. He was a great guy and a good friend especially to John. Always praying for others even while facing trials of their own. He showed great courage during his final battle here on earth and always thinking of his wife Susan through it all. He told John when he first got diagnosed with cancer that “ guess what I get to see Jesus first!” He was always looking on the bright side of situations. Yes Gerry you did win, you got to meet Jesus on July 3, 2021. We miss you. Thank you Gerry for being such a good friend and servant of God.

Yet another person I want to remember is Heide Olseen. Heide was always a kind and giving person. She was constantly praying for others and made a priority to ask how they were doing even when she was fighting her very own health battles. She always would light up the room when she entered and left no doubt that she was filled with the Holy Spirit. She had great concern for people who did not know Christ and was always looking for ways to plant seeds leading to salvation in their lives. Heide was a loving wife to Bruce, who would come with her to Finding His Purpose. We so enjoyed getting to know them. Their love for each other was very evident and only became stronger as her health became worse. Heide loved her family, her son and daughter-in -law and especially her two precious granddaughters. She was a proud grandma and longed to spend as much time with them as possible. Her little dog was her constant companion and gave her comfort. I got to know Heide on a much deeper level during the beginning of the Covid pandemic. We started texting each other and found we had so much in common. We talked about our families and shared prayer requests for all. We shared scripture and sermons that we thought each other would like. She had a positive outlook even when things were very challenging. So many thoughts were sent back and forth between us it took me almost an hour to go through just a portion of them. I will really miss the deep level of friendship we had. Heide went to be with the Lord on August 3, 2021. We will miss you my friend. Thank you for being such a great example of a Christ follower and a true prayer warrior.

We will truly miss these wonderful people who were part of our lives. As Christians we know they are safe in the arms of Jesus and seeing the most incredible things. We will love and care for the loved ones they left behind to the best of our ability. Do not have a troubled heart for Jesus tells us we will have trouble but He has overcome the world. “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

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We started Finding His Purpose about seven years ago to help others with disabilities, chronic pain and illness. My husband knew these challenges well. After an accident left him with a broken back in multiple places and the inability to walk, he also suffered with debilitating pain that never went away. This started in 2003. A lot has happened since 2003. I was not there when the accident occurred. We remarried in 2009 after being divorced for 20 years. John was a changed man by then, not physically walking but it was more important that he was walking with God. He knew God had called him to start Finding His Purpose support group. Our life verse was Romans 8:28 and we stood on the promise it held for us. Everything would work out for the best.

Since last October John started having some procedures on his back to hopefully help his back pain that was getting worse. It was not unusual for him to have an 8 or 9 on the scale for pain! The first procedures on the lower back and the right side seemed to work so we were encouraged. The last one was much more complicated, on his left side and included some neck area. The arthritis also set in making it more difficult. We checked with the doctor to make sure it was normal that even after weeks he still was in pain. I know John hoped that this would be the end of his pain journey and was disappointed that it was not turning out that way.

Well on May 27th he was so surprised when the pain was just gone! Praise God! He is pain free for the first time in 18 years. We thank God for healing him and giving him freedom from pain.

We know that each of us are unique and our circumstances are also. There is also other pain we experience that is not physical that can be as challenging. Pain of losing a loved one, loss of a job or a dream, emotional & relationship pain, ongoing illness and mental issues. All pain is seen by God and He can strengthen you to go through whatever you are dealing with. Keep praying and trusting Him for answers and direction. We know that all pain will not be relieved on this side of heaven. Our hope must always be placed only on Jesus. Pray for others and help support them through tough times. If you do get a miracle, like John did, do not waste it! Use it to encourage others and point them to Jesus. True freedom only comes from a personal relationship with Him.

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”
‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭1:3-4‬ ‭

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Hope is such an important thing for us to have. It makes the difference in how we can see events and how we picture our future. Have you ever been in such a dark place that it was hard to even have a little hope of better days? You are not alone in feeling this way. Many people have had these feelings of despair. How do we get past this? How do we move forward when our feet feel like they are stuck in cement?

While reading the Easter story I found some insight about hope. After Jesus was arrested, the disciples and his followers were afraid and confused. Nothing looked like it was going to work out. Jesus was going to be crucified. They forgot all the things that Jesus had said and promised them for the future. In just a few days everything totally changed and hope that was buried deep in their hearts was revealed once again at his glorious resurrection! His promises were true and their Savior was alive!

Remember that not everything is always as appears. God is working behind the scenes and sometimes we need to wait until his work comes to light. Keep praying, keep trusting that hope will be revealed again in your life. Surround yourself with friends who will support you and uplift you. Stay in God’s word so you will be encouraged as you move forward into what God has planned for you and your future.

This Easter thank Jesus for his sacrifice on the cross, so we can be forgiven of our sins and have eternal life. Hold on, hope is coming. Our hope is in you Jesus Christ.

“May your unfailing love be with us, Lord, even as we put our hope in you.” Psalms 33:22

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This year our word is focus. Our desire at Finding His Purpose is that we Focus on Jesus. During these uncertain times we need to go back to our foundation. We must have a firm foundation in Christ so that we are not swayed by every test that comes our way. We need to get back to basics.

As we all Focus on Jesus this year, may we renew our relationship with Him and with His word, the Bible. Strength for our trials can come by the encouragement we get from His word. Let us all continue to grow and learn. Love one another and support others in their struggles.

Remember the main thing- Jesus

“and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” Philippians 2:11

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