Keeping the faith...

With 8 days until surgery, I came across two particular quotes late last night and early this morning that spoke volumes to me. They are from two totally different people talking about two totally different things - one from the past, one from the present - but their similarity is in how they describe or define "FAITH."  Martin Luther King once said, "Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase."  Well if that doesn't sum it up i don't know what does!  Life happens (and will continue to happen) just as it should: good - bad - or indifferent, according to His plan, God's plan.  Not necessarily OUR plan (or MY) plan - because God only knows i have a plan (or atleast a colored highlighter!) for just about everything in my life and signing up for these two surgeries was NOT in my plan.  But it was in His plan.  And slowly (painfully slowly) but surely, i'm getting that.  Faith really IS taking that first step, not knowing where you're going or where those stairs will lead you.



Now, I'm not exactly the most religious person in the world (but i do consider myself a very spiritual one) and although i don't follow Joel Osteen, I did come across this quote when looking for some uplifting and motivating words of wisdom.  He said in his book, Your Best Life Now: 7 Steps to Living at Your Full Potential:  “No matter how many times you get knocked down, keep getting back up. God sees your resolve. He sees your determination. And when you do everything you can do, that’s when God will step in and do what you can’t do.” And to me, THAT is what faith is all about.  Knowing that God has a plan and the He will carry me through this - He will "step in and do what i can't."  Because i can't get through this without Him.  And until recently, (and i mean very recently), i never really understood and/or believed that, sad as it is to admit.  This whole situation with needing "extensive," "complex," "huge" and "risky" surgeries as so many of my doctors have stated over and over, has been a real test of faith for me.  The more i think about it, the more i realize that i was meant to find these quotes and take something from them because they're exactly what i need at this point in time...on this day...at this moment.   In the (very few) quiet spaces of my racing, overwhelmed, crowded-with-a-million-thought's mind, I try to remind myself of this.  And it helps :)