Battle at the Swing Set

“This Is How We Fight Our Battles” – UPPERROOM

Alzheimer’s is a cruel disease because it is continuously changing. Just as you feel you have adapted to the new normal, it shifts and there is another loss and a new sorrow. To watch Dale lose more of who he was every day was heartbreaking and soul crushing. One night in March I was feeling especially anxious. I knew I needed to get out of the house for a while. I walked to the school at the end of our street. It was dark and rather cold for that time of year, so no one was around. I sat on one of the swings and felt the weight of the world on my shoulders. I didn’t swing, but just sat there slumped over. My body language was a reflection of my heart. I was done; weary and weighed down.

I could just sense that Satan was having a party at my expense. I felt like I was literally his punching bag as he bombarded me with thoughts of fear and despair. I worried about our future, our finances and how our children were coping. Satan loves to see us discouraged with self pity.  That thought made me angry and I knew there was only one way to strike back. I summoned what felt like my last ounce of strength and started to quietly sing a worship song. I sang just loud enough so I could hear the words. Honestly, in that moment, my motivation was more to annoy Satan than it was to worship. But an amazing thing happened. I began to feel better; a lot better! I felt a weight lift off of me. My body language even changed. I sat up straighter, lifted my head up and sang louder.

As I was marveling at this development, the Lord showed me a picture of what was happening. I saw Satan with his hands over his ears, trying to block out the sound. You see, Satan really does HATE our worship to God. As much as he loves to beat up on us, he cannot stand the sound of praise and must cover his ears. Well guess what; you can’t punch someone and cover your ears at the same time. Praise really is a powerful weapon. There is a reason the Levites went out in front with the musicians in some of the battles in the Old Testament. 2 Corinthians 10:4 says; “the weapons we fight with are not the weapons of this world….” We carry with us a weapon that is powerful. It is our mouth that is ready to sing his praise.

This is my sweet friend Ethan singing his version of “This is How We Fight Our Battles.” Enjoy!

The above story is best told in person to capture the visuals. I hope you could picture it in your mind. I would be delighted to share this and other stories with your group. Just go to the contact page to email me.