I am a Christian, a retired teacher, a mother and a grandmother. I love to read and I love the Lord Jesus Christ! Unless otherwise specified ,all visual illustrations are from the YOU VERSION APP of the Bible.
www.bible.com/reading-plans/44313/day/1
“Trust” is my faith word for the year and I had an inkling when I prayed about it and chose it that this would lead to some testing. Well, of course, it has, but that is okay, because it has also led to my pressing in closer to God and being more willing to wait for Him and to listen for His voice. Trust isn’t an easy thing for me, but I am learning what it means to trust and planting seeds of trust along my journey of life’s challenging and bumpy road.
www.bible.com/reading-plans/13952/day/24
How often do we pray, wait impatiently for a few days for an answer and then seek our own solution? I have read the story of the Israelites looking for help in Egypt many times, but this is the first time that I applied it to my own life. I want God to work in my life, but then I try to help Him out or prod Him to use the solution that I have already worked out in my own mind. I need to rely on God, step back and just be willing to wait. When I do wait, the answer is always exactly what I need even though it may lead me in an unexpected direction. Trusting that God wants and knows what is best for me is hard because I am a controlling type personality. But leaning on God takes the pressure off of me and allows me to see His awesome love for me and His power at work on my behalf.
www.bible.com/reading-plans/13952/day/23
This devotional really spoke to me about not being wrapped up in circumstances but rather clinging to the hope that we find in God. Yesterday was a tense day around our house since we knew Isaac was seeing his specialist and getting his test results back. Our son Scott called as soon as Isaac was done at the doctor’s office and we were all on speaker discussing what the doctor had said.
First, the good news. Isaac’s CT scans and bloodwork were clear, showing no malignancy currently present. So, there was rejoicing when we heard that.
The doctor presented three options for treatment because the cancer they removed is extremely aggressive. According to the doctor, this type of cancer most often attacks the abdomen and all of the organs there. The first option is testing every two months. Isaac will have to have bloodwork and or CT scans every two months, regardless of whether he chooses to do the other options or not. The second option is preventative chemotherapy. Of course, there are numerous side effects. Isaac plans to discuss this option with the oncologist when he sees him tomorrow. He is leaning towards just option one and hoping (praying) for the best outcome. The third option is very radical in that they would do surgery and remove his lymph nodes in his abdomen as well as part of his intestines, the area that they think the cancer would head for next. The doctor did not recommend that but he said that if what the cancer attacks is no longer there, it cannot survive, so it is an option. Isaac definitely does not want to do surgery again unless it is necessary. He is still suffering from being sore from the first surgery.
So, in the good news department, clear tests and more to follow. Apparently, this cancer does not just disappear as the doctors had originally reported. So, vigilance is key. Isaac will talk to the oncologist tomorrow and listen to his recommendations before he makes the final decision, but he is leaning towards just getting tested every two months and dealing with the cancer problem if it rears its ugly head again. I would prefer the preventative chemo, but that does interfere with his normal routine and I can understand why he doesn’t like that idea.
Isaac is handling this well, if a bit stoically. He is resigned to whatever comes next and needs a big faith boost. I would like to spend more time with him feeding him with the Word and prayer, but so far, he has no time or interest. His “why, me” attitude has not turned into bitterness, just a resignation that somehow he is under a dark cloud that he cannot escape. I should say here that Isaac had a tough childhood because his sister is non-verbal autistic and from the time he was six, Iris became the priority. So, this is another blow for him and I want to be able to reassure him that God loves him all the time, in all ways and that He didn’t send the cancer to punish or pick on him. Please pray that my husband and I get the time to share truth with Isaac and that God will open his heart to hear and accept it. He has always been curious about our faith, so I pray God will open the door and let us in to help him through this.
I appreciate all of the prayers so far; your love and caring have helped me to face each day’s new challenges. I will post what Isaac finds out from the oncologist and what he recommends once I know anything. I am not enjoying this journey, but I am so thankful that I am not taking it alone.
By the way, my son sent me a nice photo of Isaac in the doctor’s office, looking out the window and wearing his eclipse glasses. He got to see part of the eclipse anyway. And he is really looking forward to his trip to Austin the first week of May. I am happy that he has something to look forward to that will be fun for him. God is good, even when the situation stinks.
www.bible.com/reading-plans/28752/day/1
In my younger days, I was known as an “Eeyore” type person. I looked at the positive but spoke about only the negative. I could see the positive clearly enough, but I just couldn’t seem to focus on it. God has dealt with me repeatedly about this tendency and I have worked diligently to overcome this weakness. I am here to report that God is helping me to see positive things in a new light and to focus more on them. Yes, Isaac has cancer, but the good news is that they found it early. He has good doctors who are on top of the situation. He is getting a lot of support from his parents, especially his dad. And he is focusing on his future and not what is happening to him right now. When we look at bad situations and ask God specifically to show us something good in it, He comes through. It’s not because the situation is good (it isn’t) or everything is fine (not true), but it is because we know Who is in control, even of cancer. I once told Isaac my mantra for life: “Nothing will happen today that you and God cannot handle together.” These days, God seems to be testing me on my belief in this…I hope I will pass the test and be a good encourager for Isaac and his family.
www.bible.com/reading-plans/26710/day/3
I have listened to this song repeatedly, letting the lyrics minister to my heart and soul as I cling to the hope and truth that it offers. We saw Isaac yesterday, but he wasn’t feeling too well so we didn’t get to talk to him much. He was silent, saying he was tired and just wanted to go back to sleep. I also talked to our son, his dad, while Isaac and my husband went to a nearby bookstore. Scott told me that Isaac got another blood test back without any malignant markers on it. So, praise God! He also told me that Isaac already has an oncology appointment scheduled for this Wednesday. Scott is hopeful that the news they receive from the scan tomorrow will allow them to cancel the oncology appointment. I am joining him in faith and hope. Finally, he told me that Isaac has to have a scan every three months for the next five years. I am approaching the whole thing with cautious optimism, knowing that this is not my battle, but God’s, and He loves Isaac more than I could ever conceive.
The last news Scott gave me is that Isaac has reservations to go to Austin, Texas, for a gaming conference on May 7th. I asked what if the doctor advise that he not go because he needs to be here. Scott said, with a stern face of a daddy-warrior, that Isaac deserves some fun and should be allowed to take a few days off to attend something he has looked forward to all year, especially since he doesn’t get to see the eclipse as he had planned. Isaac is excited about the prospect of traveling to a new place, meeting new people who share his interest in video games and getting away from the medical reality of his life for four days. And I am content, knowing that God will go with him.
Today’s devotional was all about recalling all of the victories God has already granted us, even as we prepare for another battle.
https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/26710/day/2?segment=0
www.bible.com/reading-plans/26710/day/1
I am the person who gets overwhelmed easily when there is no way that I can make a plan to get out of a situation or solve a problem. I want a solution to present itself readily, a problem that I can attack and then work it out to a satisfying conclusion. Unfortunately, Isaac’s cancer is not such a situation or a problem. I don’t see what the end may be and I have nothing to do with the solution. However, I can “fight on my knees” and let God know how I am feeling about this whole “Big C” thing. I want to be a source of strength and encouragement for my son and his family, especially our grandson. We are going to make the trip tomorrow to see Isaac and take him to lunch. We have tried to see him before but he has been busy with his college classes, medical appointments and just life and dealing with it. When my husband finally got in touch with him last night, he said he is free tomorrow, so we made a plan to take him out and spend some time with him. I want to be a good listener, a heart that reaches out in love with the same unconditional love that God shows me. May this be the first of many times that we get to spend with Isaac, sharing and caring and listening to his heart’s cry. If all I can do in this battle is be there to listen, may I be the best listener that God could ever use! Let us be a support system for him when his world and the plans he made for this future seem to be cracking apart. God is still right there, and we want Isaac to know His presence and His love without a shadow of a doubt!
www.bible.com/reading-plans/13952/day/16
Jesus actually has many more names than this. Which one do you need to call on today? He is always ready to answer your call.
www.bible.com/reading-plans/13952/day/15
When I look at all that is happening in my family right now, I have to right-size God to get the correct perspective on things. Yes, cancer is a terrible diagnosis. But it is a hynena or a bear in the face of an awesome and omnipotent God. Isaac is at the hospital now having his bloodwork and CT scan done. We don’t know what the results will be, but God does. I am praying for God to be close to Isaac and to reassure him of his love. You know, I have said before on this page, when things go wrong, it’s difficult to see God’s hand in it. But God never moves, never stops loving, never stops reaching out. So, I am believing that even in this, God is right there, right beside Isaac and his dad, giving them the comfort of His presence that they need.
I do appreciate all of your prayers and hope that I am not wearying you with this topic. I cannot focus on anything else these days, and I ask that you bear with me as I process this new bump in my road. Thank you for your patience and lovingkindness. I do appreciate all of the thoughts and prayers even when I don’t reply to each of them.
Happy Resurrection Day! God does not fear honest investigations and questions. He welcomes them, for in our curiosity, we approach an empty tomb and find that Jesus is indeed alive. His Spirit lives inside us while He is preparing a place for us in Heaven. Rejoice! He is alive, just as He said!
Vickie's Book Nook and Meditation Corner 