Rev. Katherine Liu Bruce (M.Div. & M.A.) Christian Arts Ministries: Biblical Precepts & Gospel Music Email: Christianartsministry@ymail.com or KatherineLiuBruce2014@gmail.com www.biblicalprecepts.blog.spot.com www.youtube.com/c/KatherineLiuBruce www.pinterest.com/KatherineLiuBruce
Rev. Katherine's Thanksgiving Notes-2024 Nov.1,2024
Give thanks to the Lord, call on His name; make known among the
nations what He has done. Sing to Him, sing praise to Him; tell of all His
wonderful acts. Glory in His holy name, let the hearts of those
who seek the Lord rejoice. Look to the Lord and His strength; seek His face
always. Remember the wonders He has done, His miracles, and the judgments He
pronounced. (Psalm 105:1-5). It is good to praise the Lord and
make music to your name, O Most High, to proclaim your love in the morning and
your faithfulness at night, to the music of the ten stringed lyre and the
melody of the harp. For you make me glad by your deeds, O Lord; I sing for joy
at the works of your hands. How great are your works, O Lord, how profound your
thoughts. (Psalm 92:1-5)
Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, His
love endures forever. He sent forth His word and healed them. He rescued them
from the grave. Let them give thanks to the Lord for His unfailing love and His
wonderful deeds for men. (Psalm 107:1, 20-21). He heals the brokenhearted and
binds up their wounds. (Psalm 147:3). Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving; make
music to our God on the harp. The Lord delights in those who fear him, who put
their hope in His unfailing love. (Psalm 147:7, 11).The fear of the Lord is the
begging of wisdom, all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him
belongs eternal praise. (Psalm 111:10). Those who fear the Lord shall lack
nothing. I will praise the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as
long as I live. (Psalm 146:2).
ICU Dr. Cearras said, “During these 5 days, keep
talking to him, wake him up, and if there are any families or friends who want
to see him, this is the time to come and visit him.” My heart was so anxious
about his life, in the sleepless nights I fasted and prayed to lift him up. In
my distress, the Word of God comforted me, “Do not fear, for I am with
you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God, I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. For I am the Lord, your God,
who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, do not fear; I will help
you.” (Isaiah 41:10,13). I started to call and texted my former
church pastors, church friends, and Robert’s siblings, and his friends to pray
for him. I also called CBN Israel (700 club) twice to pray for a healing
miracle. For I have been supporting CBN Israel. On September 8, 2024, Sabbath
day, while I worshipped, sang out “Faith”, “Yahweh”, “Jehovah Jireh” and served
our weekly Holy Communion, Robert was awake, opened his eyes, and looked at me,
I was so amazed that God’s healing miracle. On September 11, 2024, Respiratory
Doctor removed the ventilator and feeding tube from his month, however, on
September 12 reinstalled it again, for his breathing was too fast and failed to
pass the respiratory test. Doctors put him in Medical Induced Coma again until
September 18, 2024, removed the ventilator and feeding tube. Robert passed the
feeding test and started to drink liquid. He was discharged from ICU to regular
patient room on September 21 and September 27, 2024, he was discharged from
Advent Hospital East.
During his hospitalization in the ICU4111
Advent Hospital East, he was treated chronic heart failure with preserved
ejection fraction, kidney injury superimposed on CKD, Chronic respiratory
failure with hypoxia, anemia of chronic disease, Aspiration pneumonia, benign
hypertensive kidney disease w/ chronic kidney disease, mixed hypertension. He
had been hospitalized 23 days resulting in a wound in his perineum area. He was
continually treated by a Nebulizer compressor breathing treatment and Oxygen
compressor to keep his SpO2 normal at home. Home Care came to
do wound care, physical therapy and O.T. from Sept 28, 2024, to Oct. 4, 2024.
We give thanks to the Lord for He is good.
Let those who fear the Lord say: “His love endures forever.” O Lord, I
will give you thanks, for you answered me; you have become my salvation and my
song. The Lord confirmed His words, “Blessed is he who has regarded
for the weak, the Lord delivers him in times of trouble. The Lord will protect
him and preserve his life; He will bless him in the land and not surrender him
to the desire of his foes. The Lord will sustain him on his sickbed and restore
him from his bed of illness.” (Psalm 41:1-3). Every day early
morning, I humbly bowed down to pray for Robert, anointed his head with fine
oil, played guitar, keyboard and worshipped the Lord in ICU and each patient
room that he was hospitalized, lifted him up to the Lord and declared Psalm
118:17 upon him, “I (he) will not die but live, and will proclaim what
the Lord has done.” For the Word of God says, “Everything is
possible to those who believe”. Jesus’ healing miracle to
Lazarus in the book of John 11 is the same yesterday, today, forevermore.
Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the
glory of God?” (John 11:40) and “This sickness will not end in
death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.”
(John 11:4). The word of God is trustworthy. The Lord affirmed, “I will
bring health and healing to it; I will heal my people and will let them enjoy
abundant peace and security.” (Jeremiah 33:6) And Jeremiah 30:17 & 19
says, “But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds. Declares the
Lord... From them will come songs of thanksgiving and the sound of rejoicing.
As Thanksgiving is approaching, with a
thanksgiving heart, I write this letter in order to give thanks to all of you
who have been faithful to pray for Robert and I. We give thanks from the bottom
of our hearts, thanks for your sincere love, care, concerns, prayers, comfort,
and encouragement.
1) Giving thanks to CBN (700 club) for the
prayers support.
2) Giving thanks to my former pastors of Taipei
International Church- Pastor Beyer and Martha couple; Pastor Kim &
Stephanie Cruchfild couple and his church; Pastor Mike and Pam couple and his
church; Paula and David Perkins couple; Fred & Paula couple; and Brother
David Chou and his church for the prayers support.
3) Giving thanks to my ministry’s supporters -
Brother Han, Gem Juo & Erica family came to visit Robert; Mrs. Lin (Wang
Xin); Mr. & Mrs. Wang Wu & Fung-Ping couple ; Tina Chen family; Mr. &
Mrs. Chen couple; Kiki (Kuei- Xin) Liu family; Lena & Alfred Prekaj couple;
for y’all financial support and added gas on my tank.
4) Giving thanks to Robert’s siblings- Julia
& Chuck couple and Terry & Amelia couple came to hospital to visit
Robert and prayed for Robert, Clack Bruce, cousin Bonnie Bruce, cousin Larry
& Sylvia Lunsford couple and cousin Ben Waller for the prayers support.
5) Giving thanks to our friends – Bill &
Candy and her church, Property management specialists- Debbie Alder, Terri,
Carlo, Rebecca, and landlord Evelyn Bush. Carlyn, Jason Smith for the prayers
support.
6) Giving thanks to Robert’s friends and RMA
classmates - Chip & Pam David couple came to hospital to pray for Robert
and thanks for his church prayers support. Jon & Christie Dunwell couple;
Glenn Stepp II; Jeff Harper; David Myer; Mark & Katy Lunetta; Chris Doss;
Alan Christopher; Woody Cartis; Robbie Patterson; Gerald Glynn William; Eric
Webb; Mike Wyatt; Chuck Fields; Harry Austin; Bill Shillington; Doug Sulivan;
and Jim Zirkel for the prayers support.
7) Giving thanks to all the physicians and
nurses who were assigned to take care of Robert during his hospitalization.
Thank God for prolonging Robert’s life, rescued
him, delivered him, healed him and saved him. This circumstance draws us closer
to God, humbly lean on His divine resurrection power, and surrender our life to
His sovereignty. We acknowledge God’s love, mercy, and faithfulness endures
forever. Most importantly, God changes our hearts to love deeply and cherish
life, for each breath is the gift of God. He delights us to love each other and puts our hope in His unfailing love.
My friends and families, by y’all faithful
prayers support and financial support which enabled us to grasp the grace of
God, and His loving-kindness. Today, we are home to celebrate Robert’s
birthday, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Our hearts fill with joy and thanksgiving.
As Psalm 103 says, “Praise the Lord, O my soul, all my inmost being,
praise His holy name. Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His
benefits who forgiving all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems
your life from the pit, and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies
your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s”
(Ps. 103:1-5). Thank God for His compassion, unfailing love, healing, mercy and
faithfulness. His words are trustworthy as Psalm 91: 9-16 says, “If you
make the Most high your dwelling even the Lord, who is my refuge. Then no harm
will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command His
angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in
their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. You will
tread upon the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the
serpent. Because he loves me, says the Lord, I will rescue him; I will protect
him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call upon me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. With long life
will I satisfy him and show him my salvation. (Psalm 91:9-16).
May the Lord bless y’all with a peaceful, delightful, and bountiful
thanksgiving and Christmas! May the Lord bless you and increase you
so that you can bless more people. To God be the glory in all He has done.
Prayerfully Yours!
The Bruce Family,
Robert and Katherine