Once more, my life has taken a major turn. Yet, my earnest desire is to follow Him regardless of where He leads me. Let this be said of me, that I shall not be put to shame in anything but with all boldness let Christ be exalted in my life. All the years that have come before led me to trust God and really desire with joy to follow Him wherever He may lead me.
Sorry that I have not written for a while and have left all my readers waiting, but there is a lot I wish to tell you now. I have been in the process of both a major move and some major revelations concerning my health. Yet, now, as I settle into my new lifestyle and position, I am fully at peace. Hope and Joy arise within my new adventure in life. I feel the presence of God surrounding me as though living precisely in the verse so beautifully written by Zephaniah.
“The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.” Zephaniah 3:17 KJV
His Hope and Strength Fill Me, His Holy Spirit Guides and Protects Me
What an amazing thought! A reminder of WHO HE IS and that He surrounds me. Almighty God is there to save me. He rejoices over me with His Joy. All this resting in His Abounding, Overflowing love for me, of all people. He sings over me with His joy. Furthermore, He abides within me. That is the earnest promise of the Holy Spirit.
“For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us. Now He which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.” 2 Corinthians 1: 20-22 KJV
I am sealed in Him! The Holy Spirit abides in me as the “earnest” (the deposit proving my position in Christ). What have I to worry? Nothing. He is my Provider, my Savior and my Hope.
Desire with Joy to Follow Him
My life has taken me down many roads. Those who have followed for a while have journeyed with me through part of this. This website I began in 2010 just to tell my story, as I walked with Christ. Sometimes, my struggles laid bare as I did not ever want to hide the truth, as the Holy Spirit worked to transform my wayward heart. My website being based on 2 Corinthians 3:16-18 (YLT) Young’s Literal Translation by Public Domain
“whenever they may turn unto the Lord, the vail is taken away. And the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord [is], there [is] liberty; and we all, with unvailed face, the glory of the Lord beholding in a mirror, to the same image are being transformed, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.”
I am being transformed into His image by the work of the Holy Spirit. Day by day, glory by glory, little steps, tiny transformations. It is His work. He will complete that work in me. His way and His timing. As Paul wrote to the Church in Philippi.
“And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” Philippians 1:6 (ESV).
This is true of each of us who know Christ. Therefore, I desire with joy to follow Him wherever He leads me. Only He knows what is best.
All Things Work Together
“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover, whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified” Romans 8: 28-30 KJV
Is there anything too difficult to face if that is what will transform me to His Image. How I long to one day fully have His heart. Therefore, I trust God and really do desire with overflowing joy to follow Him regardless of the road I face. So, let me catch you up a little on my journey. I hope it encourages someone along the way in their journey.
The Journey to Really Desire to with Joy Follow Him
Naturally, it begins with salvation which for me was many years ago. Each step of my journey after that has been His transforming work, often despite me. Every failure, sorrow, joy, heartbreak, pain, success all used by Him to inch by inch change my heart, my desires, and my faith. If I were to tell you the whole story, it would be a new book. So, let us just look at the last year for a moment.
My job as a Cardiology Nurse Practitioner provider in the Veteran’s Administration was a job that I loved. It often was long hours and a lot of work with constant demands. Yet, such a rewarding job. There is no better group of patients to serve. Noble, honorable, patriotic, men and women who each have their own stories to tell. So, I thought I would at least work until December of 2025. It would certainly financially as well be the smarter thing to do.
Yet, in mid-July of 2024, I felt the urging that I must retire the last day of December 2024. That urging so strong, I knew it must be from God. So, I started the process. That would hopefully allow my bosses to have the time to replace me. I did not want to be a burden to them. My superiors were the most sacrificially dedicated Cardiologists I have known. They always went the extra mile caring for the Veteran population. For that reason, I admired and loved them dearly.
So, you can probably realize that choice was initially hard to make. Each patient was to me like a family member whom I cared for. Still, knowing this was what God commanded, I marched forward fearlessly to really desire with joy to follow Him wherever He chose for me to go.
Little Did I Know Why
I was totally unaware of all His reasons. Yet, after all the years and journeys, I knew I could trust Him. How did I know it was Him? Well at the beginning of January, 2024 I began to fast and pray one day per week. This became a constant in my life, because I so desired to be in His will. I wanted to know Him more. Normally this would be on a Saturday as I prepared the lesson for the week. If Saturday was going to be impossible to a change in my life schedule I would fast on Friday instead. I wish I could tell you how incredibly that simple act transformed everything! Suddenly, I could see things clearer.
Although sometimes that did mean I could see my own failures and sin with such clarity. Yet, that allowed me to confess them and ask for the Holy Spirit to teach me how to overcome the tests and trials.
Fasting prayer is a powerful tool when praying for your country, your family, and your friends. Well somewhere in September or October my sister-in-law in Mexico fell and broke her help. It has not been an easy process to heal. The first surgery left her with a lot of debilitating pain. I knew it was my journey to move to Mexico to be there for her. So, that is where I am now. What a blessing she is to me! I am learning so much from her about life and faith. Her faith and love for Christ strong.
Then there were the sudden changes in my own health journey.
Really Desire to with Joy Follow Him, wherever.
My health issues began with a very aggressive breast cancer in 1998, followed by a relentless Ulcerative Colitis. I had complicated surgeries, chemotherapy, a year of high dose steroids, too many to relate here. In 2002 it was discovered that I had auto-immune chronic pancreatitis as well. September of 2023, this began to progress more rapidly until I was no longer able to make my own enzymes and began taking them orally. I was blessed to discover this and to have insurance to assist with the costs. There were newly forming cysts also on the pancreas.
These are pre-cancerous cysts and even more notable now in my last tests with some enzymatic components that demonstrate their potential to becoming cancer at some point. These markers have worsened. Therefore, I need close surveillance. There is a newer procedure that involves removing the pancreas to avoid cancer. They at the same time auto transplant the islet cells to avoid a severe brittle diabetes. I went to be evaluated for that surgery. However, I am not a candidate as too high risk of possibly have some cancerous cells lurking. Furthermore, I have had way too many abdominal surgeries with a large unrepairable hernia. Would require specialty surgeons to reconstruct my abdominal wall. Only if a cancer is detected could I be considered for a partial pancreatectomy.
Pancreatic cancer is not where I want to go. It is not the journey I want to embark on. But if He determines it to be the future, I desire to Joyfully follow Him wherever. I have learned to trust God, no matter what. How? Years of walking with Him.
A Change of Pace to Follow Him
Did He not know it was best for me to retire? Not only that, to retire to Mexico instead of anywhere in the states at present. I arrived on March 8. My life is drastically different. I walk everywhere I go as currently I have no car. If I need to go further, my niece or brother-in-law can take me. If not, there are taxis, conveys and a great bus system to get me anywhere else I need to go. I am truly blessed.
Food here is mostly from the open market. Therefore, the food is healthier than the processed foods in the states. There is a beautiful park nearby to exercise walk and I have everything I need.
God knew in July that this was what was best for me. What about you? Can you trust Him fully? Do you really desire with joy to follow Him wherever He may lead?
If not, how can you learn to trust Him?
- First, do you know Him as Lord and Savior of your life? If not it begins there. Jesus Christ came to earth to live the perfect, righteous life I cannot live, to die the death that I deserve. As such He paid the price for all my sins. Then, He rose again, conquering death and sin. Salvation occurs when you first recognize that you are a sinner and cannot save yourself. Then all you need do is look to Jesus Christ, believing He is the only begotten son of God who paid for your sins. Accept His gift of salvation. He will send His Holy Spirit to indwell you and guide you each step of the way.
- Faith is knowing God IS (Sovereign, Almighty, Creator of the World, Perfect Righteousness, and Perfect Justice). Only to mention a few of His characteristics. And to know that He rewards those who diligently seek Him. Not that always get it right or tries the hardest to be good. He takes the responsibility of transforming your actions, if you truly seek Him. How? Read His love letters left for you (the Bible) every day and even intermittently throughout the day. Therein you come to know Him. Set aside time to be alone with Him in prayer every day and even throughout the day talk with Him.
Results of Having Desire to with Joy Follow Him?
What do you get? Joy abounding, steadfast that carries you through any storm this life can send. Hope overflowing. Strength, you never knew you had. And Peace beyond comprehension. I know, because He has done this for me. I certainly have not deserved this, but it is mine. Therefore, I want to never be ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. My desire is to exalt His name in everything I do and wherever He sends me I desire to joyfully follow Him.
DO YOU KNOW CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR AND LORD? He is our only Hope in Life and Death! Our Joy is found in Him.
Therefore if you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord: I urge you today. Go to my page titled How to Be Saved by clicking on this link. There is nothing more important than this; because He is the way, the truth and the life. Therefore, I urge you to seek Him today.
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©Effie Darlene Barba, 2025
Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. Furthermore, I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned except for my own books. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
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