Failure to Thrive

“He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.” Psalm 1:3 ESV

“My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor and some style.” Maya Angelou

I have a dear friend who is described by her doctors as failure to thrive. A syndrome of global decline in the body. She’s 84 years old and has had severe pneumonia twice, can’t walk much, on oxygen and she’s losing weight, even though she eats. Leukemia survivor and widow. She won’t be with us much longer but she still smiles, does what she can to participate in life and loves to have coffee with me when she’s able.  I brought her some of my homegrown roses and a stuffed toy German Shepherd dog (her favorite dog breed). Spiritually, she is thriving though her body is declining.

I lost a friend, a talented, pretty and intelligent woman a couple weeks ago to alcohol. My son dated her for years until her drinking, along with the drunk behavior, forced him to end the relationship. She refused to seek help. She refused spiritual and emotional counsel. She died from liver failure from alcohol September 26th. Painful and such a tragic way to go.

When we numb ourselves, deny, blame or avoid, we fail to thrive.

When we don’t take wounds, fear, grief to the Father, we toss out hope, faith, love, self-esteem, goals, purpose. FAILURE TO THRIVE.

As Paul once stated, “Though our outward self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed each day.” And who is doing the renewing? The Father through the Son and Holy Spirit. Without the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, we starve. We fail to thrive. Something as simple as, “I am the Bread of Life” who renews and enriches us beyond what we can imagine can keep us from fading away.

Musings

Without Christian friends and counsel, we can’t thrive. Without touch, we can’t thrive. Without prayer, we can’t thrive. Without “the Bread of Life” we can’t thrive.

Prayer

Dear Father,

Give us this day our daily bread, the Bread of Life. We thank you we are being renewed each day with purpose, love and hope. Help us to love those who are failing to thrive. In you is everything for thriving in this life and in the future.

Amen.