Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is an offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139:25-26 Difficulties in life bring out the best in us. And the worst. This was certainly true of my experience with cancer. I prayed and practiced surrender and took in the love and support of others and of God. And I was resentful and … [Read more...] about Take Inventory
Realize What Is Happening to You Is Happening To Everyone in Your Life
Just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort. II Corinthians 1:7 A diagnosis of cancer can have a way of immediately drawing a person into a place of fear. Fear for one’s life, fear for one’s health and well being, fear of loss of control and fear of the unknown may all surface. All this fear left me rather self-focused. A very big event is suddenly taking place in my … [Read more...] about Realize What Is Happening to You Is Happening To Everyone in Your Life
Notice Your Reactivity
The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. Galatians 5:22 The first responses I received when I told people about being diagnosed with cancer were usually responses of shock and compassion. I felt tenderness from most people. And I was soothed by that tenderness. Within days, however, I wrote in my journal that I was … [Read more...] about Notice Your Reactivity
Practice Surrender
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4: 6, 7 A few weeks after I was diagnosed with cancer, a music CD arrived in the mail from a friend. Several years earlier this friend had been … [Read more...] about Practice Surrender
Pray
Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge. Psalm 62:8 When we are faced with difficulties in life, we need support from friends and family. We also need God’s help. Perhaps the most direct way to open ourselves to God is through prayer. Prayer can be many things. Prayer does not need to be long or complicated. When we are afraid or distressed we need … [Read more...] about Pray
Take in Support
Two are better than one, because they have good return for their work. If one falls down, his friend can help him up. Ecclesiastes 4:9, 10 On the evening of September 11, 2001 my husband and I watched Gwen Ifill of PBS interview Mr. Rogers. Gwen was asking Mr. Rogers to give people advice about how to talk with their children about what had just happened. That day we had watched images of … [Read more...] about Take in Support
Feel What You Feel
Whoever humbles himself like this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 18:4 After I was diagnosed with cancer I felt everything. I felt fear. I felt shock. I felt grief. I felt shame. I felt numbness. I felt resentment. I felt jealousy. I felt anger. I felt gratitude. I felt peace. These feelings seemed to come and go of their own volition. Sometimes the feelings were … [Read more...] about Feel What You Feel
Feel What You Feel
Whoever humbles himself like this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 18:4 After I was diagnosed with cancer I felt everything. I felt fear. I felt shock. I felt grief. I felt shame. I felt numbness. I felt resentment. I felt jealousy. I felt anger. I felt gratitude. I felt peace. These feelings seemed to come and go of their own volition. Sometimes the feelings were … [Read more...] about Feel What You Feel
Gather Information
Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise. Proverbs 19:20 Knowledge is power. That is what I was taught as a twenty year old nursing student. We learned to empower our patients wherever we worked by sharing information with them. Whether we were preparing people for a procedure, or for a surgery, or for having a baby, or for living with a chronic illness, one of … [Read more...] about Gather Information
Keep Breathing
The Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life. Genesis 2:7 Keep Breathing. These words stood in bold lettering on a card I gave a close friend. She had just received some painful news and was very distressed. She told me several days later that she carried that card with her everywhere she went so she would be reminded to take a few … [Read more...] about Keep Breathing