I spent Saturday afternoon reading. We have received so much material from doctors, pharmacists, treatment centers and other places I felt like I needed to read everything before we actually get started on treatment. Now I feel confident that we have made the right decisions about doctors, hospitals, and treatment. I believe that we are in good hands.
A lot of this material includes numbers: 5 year survival rates, prognosis numbers, chance of recurrence, and many others. The numbers can be scary when you read about rectal cancer. They don’t look particularly good.
And then God reminded me…
“You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. “ Psalm 139:16
God decided how many days I would live before I was ever born. This cancer has absolutely no impact on how long I will live. It can’t shorten my life. God has already numbered my days. This is a very comforting thought for me. My life has always been in Your hands. Cancer is not in control, God is. Glory, honor, and power belong to You! Thank you, Lord, that you are my God.
Please add Africa to the list of places where people are praying for you. A few weeks ago, while on a mission trip to Nairobi, Kenya, you were on my mind and I shared a few pictures from one of our mission trips to Costa Rica. You were serving the children as usual. Please know that you are in my prayers and that I thank God for you and your ministry. Praise God that Lalo's note was in my box this morning so that I could let you know. Remember Zeph 3:17 "The Lord your God is with you. He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you. He will quiet you with His love. He will rejoice over you with singing."
ReplyDeleteLove,
Rita
Lagos,Nigeria
I read a comment yesterday that made me think of you. It said a butterfly doesn't count months, but moments and still has time. The prayer was for us to turn to God and not worry if we have enough time but to know that God is in control. I think of all the time you are spending traveling to doctors, talking to all those different people, you must feel out of time and want you normal schedule back - at least, I think I would feel that way. But knowing that God is our time keeper is a peaceful peace of information. God Bless you Laura!!! Every day when I drive to work, I pray for you and Dave and now for Andie & Chris. Thank all of you for getting me to pray more!! God is in control.
ReplyDeletecindy Baughamn
Dear Laura,
ReplyDeleteI just heard this news from my dear friend Diane Jones. You are going to be in Terry's and my constant prayers. Remember our youngest daughter, Christi, who had Mark marry her and Adam Wulf, 4 years ago this Wednesday? (Time flies!!) She just got diagnosed April 5th with a brain tumor (yeah, Sheila AND Christi, my only children BOTH have brain tumors...weird), but Christi's is the most aggressive, Grade 4 glioblastoma. She's now at MD Anderson going through her radiation/chemo and is beginning week 3 (chemo pill, like you). We are SO confident that God is the determiner of our days and we are so uplifted by His promises of healing every day, though if you look at the stats, like you said, it doesn't look good. I'm encouraged by your comments, which sound identical to Christi's, which is that you are looking to God for your strength and peace. We have a lot of humor in our family and that certainly is a great soothing balm for us, as well~! We love you and Mark and we want you to know that you're in great hands with our common Healer, our Lord. God bless your family.
Sweet Laura, I continue to pray for you daily. We will all do that in Africa. We will pray for Mark as well. I can see on his face much heartbreak. We will take good care of your children and so will God. Mark will take good care of you, and so will our Savior.
ReplyDelete"Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you and anoint you with oil in the name of the Lord." James 5:14-15
Marilyn Lewis
Laura, what beautiful words of the Lord and what perfection (His) in your perspective (also His). I believe we mistakenly feel we have more control over things when we do not and only have the choice of the attitude we choose for ourselves. Thank you for reminding anyone who reads that God is sovreign and in control. He will give you the grace to endure.
ReplyDeleteYou are in my daily prayers (sometimes more than once a day), I lift you up to the Lord for grace, mercy, comfort, healing. God bless you, Laura.