Firmly Anchored

I hope you had a nice Easter weekend.  I had some sweet talks with the Lord over those 4 days of rest.  I'm so grateful for all He's done for me - and for His goodness and faithfulness.  I thought back over all the years I've had cancer.  I'm not in "remission" because I still have a cancerous tumor that's inoperable, but in a sense.....I'm healed.  That may sound strange, but I couldn't have made it all these years (12 years in June) without His healing touch.  I'm so grateful.  To go from the 8 1/2 pound tumor I had in the beginning to the small one I still have - it's amazing!

I've started a new medication to help with some of the cancer impact on my body.  It's gotten me thinking a lot about cancer.  I came across the following list and wanted to share it.  It is attributed to Phyllis Ten Elshof and/or Sarah Hupp in their books on courageous cancer stories.

What cancer cannot do - cancer is so limited:

-  It cannot cripple Love.

-  It cannot shatter Hope.

-  It cannot dissolve Faith.

-  It cannot destroy Peace.

-  It cannot kill Friendship.

-  It cannot suppress Memories.

-  It cannot silence Courage.

-  It cannot invade the Soul.

-  It cannot steal Eternal Life.

-  It cannot conquer the Spirit.

Cancer is awful - and, yes, it can be strong.  But as we walk through it with the Lord, it's power is limited in the important things.  Our faith, hope, love, peace, soul, and courage is firmly anchored in the Lord's hands.  It's our place of security!

"In Him we live and move and have our being.  As some of your own poets have said, 'we are His offspring.' "  Acts 17:28

"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they will not overflow you.  When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, nor will the flame burn you."  Isaiah 43:2 NASB

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.  I do not give to you as the world gives.  Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."  John 14:27

"As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him; for He knows how we are formed, He remembers that we are dust." Psalm 103:13-14

The Lord has been my Rock on my cancer journey.  He has held my hand and comforted me in hard moments.  He is so good and true and trustworthy!  I love Him.

The Oxygen of Hope

A very big key ingredient of my journey for the last 10 years has been hope.  I remember the day I was diagnosed with the big C word (cancer).  It was devastating!  Floyd and I sat in the car and cried together - and then we prayed.  We gave the burden of it to the Lord.   We asked for healing.   We asked for grace for the path ahead.  And we asked for hope to be planted in our hearts.  I believe it was - a kernel of hope was deposited deeply and securely in our hearts.

Through the ups and downs.  Through the good days and bad days.  In the day, and especially in the nights - hope was there.  It cried out to the Lord for healing relief and for strength to carry on. We breath oxygen to live.  Hope became a kind of oxygen that helped my heart survive.  

My oncologist says that hope is a key ingredient in her patients that make it through cancer treatment.  She said some of her patients just give up as soon as they hear the word cancer.  And others gear up for the battle and cling to hope in their hearts.  She says without hope, they don't make it. 

I picture that kernel of hope growing into a tree in my heart.  It's been fed by the Lord as its grown.  I continue to cling to it as my journey goes on.  I couldn't have made it without hope.

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."  Romans 15:13

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope."  Jeremiah 29:11

"Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer."  Romans 12:12

"For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from Him.  He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken."  Psalm 62:5,6

During this month as I've thanked the Lord that I'm still alive after 10 years of living with and battling cancer, I am so aware of the hope that God put in my heart all those years ago sitting in that car.  Thank you, Lord, for the oxygen of hope in my heart!   It's been a lifesaver.