Posted on 01/14/2026 4:12:33 PM PST by Patriot777
This message was sent to me by my sister yesterday afternoon. It really, really spoke to her, and yes it was the Holy Spirit speaking to her through what she sent me. I don't know who the original author of this message is, but I know it was timely made sure to be before my sister yesterday.
Today, her husband has been found to have had a series of mini-strokes, apparently over the last 48-72 hours, without notice or warning, until very early this AM. He had had two serious main strokes last year in July.
Yesterday she texted me and said she'd been feeling pretty down, depressed and tired. I spoke to her for a while, letting her know that I was keeping her in prayer and how I admired her in every way, shape and form for being the amazing woman that she is, and she and her mate charging on into the future arm-in-arm toward recovery. That she was not alone, I am here for her and her husband Wally, and yes it's ok to admit what she's feeling and it's not being weak. My sister is the most awesome woman I've ever known next to our mom.
Since there is only just enough room to put part of what she sent me in the Thread body area, I'll elect to put the entire of it in the Comment area.
Dear FRiends,
We need your continuing support to keep FR funded. Your donations are our sole source of funding. No sugar daddies, no advertisers, no paid memberships, no commercial sales, no gimmicks, no tax subsidies. No spam, no pop-ups, no ad trackers.
If you enjoy using FR and agree it's a worthwhile endeavor, please consider making a contribution today:
Click here: to donate by Credit Card
Or here: to donate by PayPal
Or by mail to: Free Republic, LLC - PO Box 9771 - Fresno, CA 93794
Thank you very much and God bless you,
Jim
Whether you realize it or not, demons are waging a spiritual battle against you. And whether you realize it or not, the Lord is constantly shielding you from them.
Sometimes you feel tired for no clear reason, like something has been pressing on your heart all day.
You wake up and you try to be steady. You make the coffee. You do the chores. You answer the phone. You smile when you can. And yet, underneath it all, there is a quiet heaviness. A little fear. A little fog. A little pull toward worry that does not match your life.
And you wonder, What is wrong with me?
Sweet friend, you are not weak for feeling that. You are not "too sensitive". And you are not alone.
The Bible reminds us that there is more happening than what our eyes can see. There is a real spiritual battle. There is an enemy who love to stir fear, shame, division, and discouragement. He cannot steal what Jesus has sealed, but he tries to steal your peace. He cannot break God's promise over your life, but tries to pull your mind into panic.
Sometimes the battle looks loud.
But more often, it looks quiet.
It looks like the sudden wave of dread when nothing has changed.
It looks like the old memory that shows up out of nowhere.
It looks like the harsh thought that says, You are failing.
It looks like the worry that circles your family like a hungry bird.
It looks like the temptation to give up on prayer because you are tired.
And if you have ever felt that kind of attack, you do not need to be afraid of naming it.
Yet, here is the tender truth that changes everything. Whether you realize it or not, the Lord is constantly shielding you. All day. All night. In ways you do not notice.
There are arrows that never reach you because God says, "No." There are traps that never catch you because God makes a way out. There are dangers you never see because heaven is watching. There are words you almost spoke that God held back with His gentle restraint.
There are moments you could have fallen apart, but strength came that was not your own.
Some of the greatest protection in your life has been quiet. So quiet that you called it luck. Or timing. Or "it just worked out".
But it was God.
Sometimes you will not know what He saved you from until you stand with Him one day and see the whole story. But you can trust this now. Your Father does not sleep. Your Shepherd does not look away. Jesus is not careless with you. You are not walking through this world uncovered. And when you start to see it, even a little, gratitude begins to rise.
Not because life is easy.
But because you are held.
Not because you never struggle.
But because you are not fighting alone.
Not because the darkness is not real.
But because the Lord's Light is stronger.
If you feel worn down today, you do not have to live on high alert. You do not have to be afraid of every shadow. You do not have to spend your days trying to figure out what is spiritual and what is not. You can simply come back to this steady place.
Jesus is Lord here.
So take a breath and whisper His Name.
JESUS.
And if all you can pray is, "Cover me", that is enough.
Ask Him to guard your mind. Ask Him to guard your home. Ask Him to guard your family. Ask Him to place peace where fear has been sitting. Ask Him to set angels around you. Ask Him to help you forgive quickly and rest deeply. Ask Him to help you notice the lies and replace them with truth.
Then do the most powerful thing you can do in a battle.
Give thanks.
Praise is not denial. Praise is agreement with heaven. Praise is saying, "God is still good, even here." Praise is saying, "Lord, You are bigger than what I feel." Praise is saying, "I trust Your covering more than I trust my worry."
And, sometimes, praise is the moment your heart starts to breathe again.
So today, lift your eyes. Not in panic, but in faith. The Lord is shielding you in the ordinary. The Lord is guarding you in the unseen. The Lord is strengthening you where you feel weak. Praise His Name and give thanks.
If you need a simple prayer to pray right now, pray this with me.
A Prayer For God's Covering
Lord, thank You for being my shield. Thank You for guarding my life in ways I cannot see. When fear tries to rise, place peace in my heart. When dark thoughts try to settle in my mind, speak Your truth louder. Protect my home. Protect my family. Protect my sleep and my steps and my spirit.
Jesus, cover me with Your Presence. Help me stay close to You. Help me walk in love, not in panic. Teach me to praise You even when I feel tired. Teach me to give thanks even when I do not know the whole story. Thank You for Your constant care. Thank You for Your Mighty Hand. Thank You that I am not alone in this battle.
Praise Your Name. I trust You. I rest in You.
Amen.
Nice
Four months ago I suddenly awoke at 3 AM with a massive chest pain. I’ve felt perfectly fine for the longest time. As this had never happened I wasn’t sure what was going on.
My daughter is a CNA and was working night shift. I had the grandkids. I immediately called my son to come over and then called an ambulance. Upon arrival at the ER I was told I was having a heart attack.
Three days in ICU and numerous follow-up appointments and I haven’t had any symptoms since. I have an appointment tomorrow to get the results of my ultrasound of my heart.
I think the heart attack was God’s way of telling me to start doing things healthier.
The days before my heart attack my mother (age 92) was admitted with pneumonia. My entire family was shocked that I had a heart attack. But nowhere near as shocked as I was.
No reassurance like Romans 8:28, and resting in the knowledge that God works in our lives to glorify Himself
I’m so very glad that you’re doing well and have had no additional symptoms, and I ask The Lord Jesus right now that your ultrasound shows an excellent and healthy ejection fraction of your heart.
That your daughter is a CNA and was there at the hospital that very shift was God working in the midst of that storm.
I hope your mother is doing ok as well, pneumonia is such a horrible thing.
What you experienced sounds so much like what my husband went through April of 2025, except he has congestive heart failure and symptoms that hit him quite frequently.
God Bless You, your mom and your daughter, son-in-law and grandbabies. What a wonderful and sweet legacy.
My Dad had several mini strokes a few years ago. Doctors put in a pacemaker. Has not happened since. Now 92 and doing fine.
Bkmk
My understanding is that strokes can be caused by blood clots which can form when the heart doesn’t pump correctly, allowing the blood to pool and for mini clots, which then break loose.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.