Well, I saw a nephrologist the other day, a kidney specialist. My kidneys are functioning properly and the doc feels they are in good health. As for the cyst on my kidney, he recommends getting another CT scan in six months, which is what my primary care physician suggested as well. The nephrologist also told me about a secondary, smaller cyst, and a spot on my liver which was insignificant because of how small it is. My primary did not tell me about those.

So, for now, I am considered very healthy, save the pain I have from my degenerative disc disease, and constant pinching of nerves as a result.

I like to believe that the Lord is in control of my life, that he looks out for me. If the cyst turns out to be something that needs to be dealt with, we will have caught it in the early stages. Had I not had such back pain that the ER thought I might be passing a stone, there would not have been a CT scan which discovered the cysts.

I am not worried. I trust the Lord to keep me healthy. And I try to do my part, taking the best care of myself possible. A few years ago I might have been somewhat frightened about a cyst on my kidney. A few years ago though, I was not as sure as I am today that the Father loves me as deeply as I know He does. I am in Christ. We all are. Some of us just don’t know it yet. When I began to know what it means to be “in Christ,” my spirit became calm. My body relaxed and most of my stress was gone. My trust in the Lord has gone way up.

What does it mean to be in Christ? I am shielded from darkness because there is no darkness in Christ. I am sharing in the righteousness of Christ. I share his relationship with the Father. I am in communion with them both through the Holy Spirit. I actually feel their love and warmth as they shield me from my own fears, recklessness, and decisions I make that may not be in my best interest.

The grace of God seems like a scary prospect for some. Some people believe grace preachers are somehow endorsing a sinful life. When I heard the grace message and gave up trying to live a “righteous life,” the exact opposite of sinning happened. The habits I fought so hard against for years and years have simply fallen away. They no longer interest me nor are they able to tempt me the way they used to. Doesn’t mean they don’t resurface on occasion, but I am no longer plagued by them now that I am not fixated on trying to control them. Knowing the Father, Son and Spirit interests me more than it ever has. It is amazing how easy it is to be free when you know that God loves you no matter what.

I didn’t give any scripture references here. However, you can find the teachings of grace in the Pauline letters; Romans, Galatians, Colossians, Ephesians, 1 & 2 Corinthians,  and also 1 & 2 Peter. Also, check out some of the books I’ve read and recommended; The Misunderstood God, by Darin Hufford, The Great Dance, by C. Baxter Kruger, Grace Walk, by Steve McVey. One of my favorites is a fictional work, The Shack, by W. Paul Young.

I hope you find grace as freeing as I have. Jesus has done everything for us. All that is required is a little bit of faith. And don’t worry about making mistakes. The transformation is real.