It's Always Been Stained with Blood

Probably a little over a week ago when I left the hospital and we got me settled into our living quarters at my training center, it struck me that I hadn't seen my Bible in awhile. Now usually I try to be in the Word every day, but in the midst of sleeping, medicines, blurred vision, and pain I hadn't been able to read. It concerned me that I hadn't seen my Bible because I love this purple thinline NIV Bible I have. I've had it since my freshman year of college, and it's been through alot with me. It's even been the Bible I've slept with on those nights when I really needed to feel God's presence with me... what a better way to be with God than with His Word. I wasn't sure where it was because I knew it had been on the car wreck with me.

After asking about my Bible my mom told me that we did have it, and she gave it to me. I immediately noticed something different about it. My Bible was stained on the edges and on the inside with blood from the wreck. For whatever reason this caught me off guard as I began to cry. I guess because I can't remember the wreck it hasn't emotionally affected me a ton, but at this moment the seriousness of it all hit me. As I was tearing up my mom gave me some words of wisdom. She said, "You know I was thinking about how this Bible has blood on it, but if you think about it, it's always been stained with blood." How beautiful is that? Jesus' blood has always covered the Bible and has always covered us when we trust in Him. It gave me a new perspective on my now blood stained purple thinline NIV Bible. It's a good reminder to know that abundant life that we are promised costs everything, but God saw that the price was paid in full and with Jesus' blood.

As of now I'm doing well. My spirits are still high, and I know that's by God alone that I'm at peace. I do have times where my legs hurt or where it's a weird feeling that I can't walk right now, but our Lord is faithful. The bruises on my arm and face are fading, and my eye is looking alot better considering at one time you couldn't see the white of my eye. My mouth will be shut for 2 more weeks, so pray that I can continue to eat enough. I have dreams at night where I'm walking, then I wake up and am like... wait a second!

Please pray for safe travel since we'll be going home this weekend. I'm still going to be commissioned this Thursday WOOO WOOO! I'm so excited and overjoyed that this is just a bump in the road! God is victorious always. Please continue to pray for my family and for me. We are doing well, but I want to continue to give God glory even on the hard days. Pray for my pain, and pray that all of my paperwork to go to Spain works out okay. Right before my wreck I applied for my visa, so we are hoping my visa comes later instead of sooner so I don't have to start the process over again.

Thanks to everyone for the encouragement, the texts, the emails, the facebook messages, and so much more. Sorry I can't respond to them all, but know you have lifted me up to the Lord in such a strong way. I love to hear from you guys and hopefully I'll be in better communication now that I'm getting stronger. I'm even starting to look more like myself again! I'm so thankful that none of this is permanent... I'm truly blessed.

Love you all!
Taryn