Some things you choose. And things some you don’t.
You can’t choose the family you’re born into. And of course you can’t choose the physical traits that make people notice who you “take after.” The color of your eyes, the shape of your nose, and even the sound of your voice are traits that are passed down from one generation to the next.
Generations woven together by common threads.
Have you ever noticed that sometimes the Lord prepares us in advance for the testing that is yet to come?
There is a truth that I have been pondering for years–decades even–that has recently become more meaningful to me than ever before. It’s not that this truth didn’t mean something to me before. It’s just that during the seasons of life when the Lord was writing the truth on my heart, I didn’t fully grasp my great need. And consequently I didn’t fully appreciate the magnitude of the truth.
As soon as the shock of seeing a post from me wears off, all six of my regular readers will no doubt be asking why it’s been so long! Actually, I have been blogging—just not here. But more about that in a minute.
On December 11, 2012, after experiencing some troubling symptoms for about 1 week, I went to see my doctor and she ordered an ultrasound. To make a long story short, two days later I had surgery and was diagnosed with stage 3 ovarian cancer. In a matter of 3 days, my entire world turned upside down. I spent the next three weeks enjoying (as much as possible) the holidays with my family, then began an 18-week regimen of chemotherapy on January 2nd. Chemo ended at the end of April, and now, six months after being diagnosed, I finally feel like life is getting more or less back to normal. Right after my diagnosis, we decided it would be good for me to “blog” about my cancer journey. CaringBridge provided a great way for us to stay connected with family and friends through regular updates concerning my health and treatment.
Throughout my 4-month battle, writing about the ups and downs of facing a cancer diagnosis and the necessary treatment was exactly what I needed. It gave me a place to share all that was going on in my heart, mind, and body, and to reflect on all the lessons the Lord was teaching me through it. It also provided a means of sharing prayer requests and answers to prayer. I was overwhelmed by the prayer and encouragement that I received from those who followed my story on CaringBridge. But I am also so grateful that sharing my story allowed me the opportunity to be an encouragement to others. Through it all, I was continually reminded of one single truth.
Below is an excerpt from my most recent post from CaringBridge, written on the 15th of June:
“The last six months have definitely been a trial. But through it all, I have become more and more sure of this truth:
God is good…ALL the time.
He is good when things are easy. But his goodness doesn’t cease when things get hard. In fact, if anything, it is when things get tough that his goodness becomes even more evident.
- I have seen His goodness through His provision of outstanding medical care in an incredibly timely way.
- I have seen His goodness through the amazing love, encouragement, patience, and humor of my husband, Jim. He has been with me EVERY step of the way…at times crying with me and keeping me laughing at others. What a blessing!
- I have seen His goodness in the way He comforted me through my most difficult days and nights.
- I have seen and been encouraged by His goodness as revealed in His Word.
- I have seen His goodness in the acts of love and kindness shown to us by His people.
- I have seen His goodness in the words of encouragement shared with me by so many friends and family.
I am so thankful.” (Read more…)
And I continue to be so incredibly grateful to the Lord for all he has accomplished in my life through this trial.
Life is returning to normal—albeit a “new” normal. My embattled body is feeling better and stronger every day. I am adjusting to a new (and wonderful!) job with All About Learning Press. I am getting used to a new diet and exercise regimen prescribed as part of a 2-year long clinical study for ovarian cancer survivors that I was invited to participate in. I am also learning to live with the reality of the unknowns that lie ahead. And that is only possible as I cling to that simple truth:
And now, once again, I blog. I realized when I was writing my CaringBridge posts how much I had missed blogging. So here I am resurrecting my long-abandoned blog and hoping that the Lord will use it to encourage those who find their way here.
Thanks for reading…I hope you’ll be back!
