Sunday, November 15, 2009

Life-transforming Friendship


We had a great weekend at Community of Faith. We are busy making plans for our 2010 trip to Burundi, Africa. Two years ago we began a partnership with the Batwa people of Burundi. This partnership has turned into a life-transforming friendship for the Batwa as well as for the people of COF. We have learned so much from them about community, about gratitude, about sharing, about perseverance, about worship, and about hope. Sometimes God's blessings and teachings come in the most unexpected ways and in the most unexpected places! We know God is going to do great things again in 2010 as we continue to grow deeper in friendship with our Batwa family.



My road may not lead me to Burundi in 2010. In spite of that, God has definitely been teaching me about friendship, love, perseverance, and hope right here at home. Just today a sweet friend, Amy, brought me homemade ginger bread cookies to help calm my stomach during chemotherapy this week. It is amazing what the thoughtfulness and kindness of a friend can do to strengthen your spirit! These guys will definitely be going with me tomorrow as I head back to the doctor's office in the morning.





I begin my fourth round of chemotherapy Monday morning, and honestly, I am dreading it. I don't look forward to feeling sick and exhausted all week. I don't look forward to drawing blood and needle sticks. For several days I have been fighting a mental battle in preparation for this week. When I even think about walking into the infusion room I immediately feel nauseous. I am telling you this because I need you to pray for me. Please pray for physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual strength this week. Pray that I will recognize God's presence with me and that I will trust in His goodness. Pray that He will shine through me every day. And please pray that I will learn this lesson of perseverance and faith. 


The doctor is planning to give me a new anti-nausea medication this round. I have heard from other cancer survivors that this medication should knock out the nausea, so I am praying that it works as well for me as it has for others. 


Thank you, to all of you, for teaching me what it means to truly be a friend, and what it means to be the body of Christ. 


"There is no room in love for fear..." 1 John 4:18

Lord, please help me not to fear.




5 comments:

  1. No fear my friend, no fear. Hope they give you the good anti nausea drugs (call me if you want my first hand two cents!) You are almost a quarter of the way done!!!! As I told myself so often during my treatment...just keep walking foward, one second at a time and don't forget to breathe.
    Love and prayers to you
    Debbie

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  2. I will pray now.

    The cookies are so sweet! Friendships are so so so beautiful.

    May God keep you strong and courageous and the nausea be battled with medicine that will knock it out the door.

    Much love!

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  3. I pray for you this Monday morning and all day. No reason for tears today. "My grace is sufficient for you Laura, for My power is made perfect in Laura's weakness. Therefore Laura will boast all the more gladly about her weakness, so that Chirst's power may rest on Laura!!"
    I love you my sweet friend. Marilyn

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  4. Be determined that you are bigger than the needles and bigger than the drugs and bigger than the nausea. We are made in the image and likeness of God and He is big...so that makes you big and bigger than all these things that you face. And dealing with things that are temporary pale in comparison to what is eternal...our Father, Jesus, the Holy Spirit and all of our brothers and sisters in Christ. So together with our God, your bigness, and our brothers and sisters, you can do all things! You are more than a conqueror and you have the armor of God on you!

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  5. Been praying for you today, Laura!
    So sorry you are having to go through this, but know God is taking you through it one day at a time. Praying the new nausea medicine works, and that He will show you that His grace is sufficient!
    Ellen

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