Reflecting 3

Perhaps the most special part of God’s faithfulness to me through this journey has been His constant presence. I have not once struggled with being angry at Him or questioning His goodness. My heart towards Him has really been protected. From the moment I received the diagnosis, I’ve known that I’d be okay but that this was just a rode I had to walk.

I know that God’s hand has held me up these past months. He’s given me strength for every treatment and perseverance to keep going. He’s filled me with joy even in the midst of the hardest parts such as losing my hair. I think He has even protected me from too many side effects. Back in April, God kept putting the book of Daniel on my heart and I've come back time and time again to the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego being thrown into the fiery furnace. After being removed from the furnace by the king, Daniel 3:27 says, "They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was the hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them." I believe that God has done this in me. He allowed me to go through the fire but has kept me from any real harm.

I am now only 2 weeks from the end of my radiation treatments and going home. My doctor has given me clearance to fly back as soon as the treatments end and I am literally going to do that! My last treatment is the morning of October 7 and I plan to fly home that night. With each passing day I find myself filled with more joy because each passing day is a day closer to going home. . . back to the ministry and boys I love.

Reflecting 2

It is so evident to me that God’s hand has been on the financial side of my treatment. I’ve joked with friends that Masana, my ministry in Mozambique, is actually making money off of my cancer! When I first arrived back in the States, I was given a gift towards my medical treatment and told that if I didn’t need it for medical purposes, I could put it towards our project in Mozambique. And I haven’t needed it! God has completely covered my treatments…every doctor’s appointment, scan, surgery, chemo drug, and radiation treatment. Even my flights to and from the States for treatment have been paid for.

I see the hand of God in my team of doctors. God blessed me with a great medical team who have been 100% behind getting me back to Mozambique as soon as possible. They have been so encouraging throughout my treatments. They have taken time to get to know me and to find out more about my ministry in Mozambique. Some of them have even gone back and read my old blog posts. My radiation oncologist connected me with some friends of hers that were preparing for a mission trip to Mozambique just so I could answer any questions they had. One of my radiation nurses has on a few occasions shared with me what she believes God is doing in me during this season. It’s meant so much to have a team of doctors who are truly invested in me!

Reflecting

As I near the end of my treatment, I have tried to reflect back over the past months. God’s faithfulness has been the theme to this journey…and my life really. I am blessed to be able to look back over the years and clearly see the hand of God. It is so evident that He has directed my steps. And with that knowledge, I can trust that He is directing my steps even through this battle with cancer.

Not long after I arrived in the States for treatment, I was at a worship service with Athens Link and they spent time praying over me. One of the women prayed that a greater anointing would be on my life in Mozambique because of what God would do in me during this battle with cancer. She prayed that this hard season would produce fruit for my boys. That is a prayer I have clung to these past months and I look forward to returning to Mozambique and seeing the impact that this time away will have on my ministry there.

I don’t think I’m far enough away from this journey yet to see clearly all that God has been doing. . . but I am able to see a few things and I'd like to share those over the next couple of days.

When I first received the news from my doctor that it was cancer, I had a team of visitors from a church visiting me in Mozambique. They were such a blessing as they surrounded me and prayed for me and gave me freedom to hide away and cry a little when I needed to. And that was just the beginning of God’s faithfulness in providing a great cloud of witnesses to encourage me all though this journey. I’ve been overwhelmed by the cards, emails, scarves, movie subscriptions, and random gifts given to me since I arrived back in the States. Friends have been great about inviting me to lunch or a movie. I’ve even been able to reconnect with a couple of friends that I grew up with and spend quality time with them that we haven’t had since I moved to Athens in 1998. God has surrounded me with a “great cloud of witnesses” like I’ve never experienced in my life.

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith." Hebrews 12:1-2

Thank you for being a part of my great cloud of witnesses!