Dana's Christian Journey

musings of a thankful cancer survivor

Author: Dana

  • security

    —

    Dana

    A Chinese preacher observed two mothers in the animal kingdom. In a forest in southeast Asia, he saw a rather large monkey with several babies piled on her back like acrobats in a circus. When she would swing from one tree to another the little monkeys would lose their grip and fall to the ground. The mother would jump down, let the little ones pile on top of her and try it again.

    In a village, a mother cat was observed. When danger was sensed, she quickly put a kitten in her mouth, ran to a safe place, then went to get another. There was no way any kitten would be dropped as the mother cat hid her babies.

    After sharing these stories, the preacher would ask, “Which illustration best fits our relationship to the Heavenly Father? Are we to hang on with all our might, wondering when we might fall? Or are we in a grip that cannot be broken?”

    In John 10, Jesus talked about being the Good Shepherd of His sheep. Before He spoke of being a Shepherd, He claimed to be the gate for the sheep. “I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.” Many listeners thought this Teacher had gone off the deep end. “He is demon-possessed and raving mad. Why listen to him?”

    But Jesus is no lunatic. He knows He is the only safe place and He wants His sheep to know they are eternally secure in Him. Only faith in Jesus brings such a position. I have learned I have no strength on my own. Without His grace, I could have never been saved and without His grace, I will not be able to finish the race. Thankfully, hope does not rest in me. Hope rests in the secure grip of a Father and Son. “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”

    “To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy – to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.” Jude 24-25

  • miracles

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    Dana

    I told Susan last spring, “If I can make it through a summer of camp then we’ll declare it a miracle!” We run camps during the summer at Greater Atlanta Christian School and the work can be quite draining. We had a great summer! I had full energy and I am so thankful.

    So is it a miracle? Yesterday, one of my neighbors told me that when she sees me walking around the neighborhood, she wants to get down on her knees and thank God for the miracle He worked. Is that a proper response? I have two other neighbors who are nurses at Emory, where I had the stem cell transplant. They know all the doctors who worked with me and they understand the medical procedures I endured. Would they say my health is a miracle?

    I guess I should not speak for them, but I know they believe they often see the hand of God. They prayed for me with unique understanding as I was sick. Not only would they visit me when I was at Emory, but they would check on me at my house or give me rides to the hospital on their way to work. They know the medical reasons I have health again, but I suspect they would still call it a miracle.

    In our theologies we sometimes argue about miracles. Our definitions are often rigid and limited. It doesn’t make much difference to me how someone defines a miracle, I just know I was once quite sick and now I am quite well. And I know Who is responsible!

    “But what if your next report says the cancer is back?” What if it does? Nothing will take away the miracle of this past year. We don’t know too much about Lazarus after he was raised from the dead. But we can be confident of one thing… he died again. Does that negate the miracle Jesus performed? What if he died of the same sickness that led to his first death? Would it matter?

    If we pray in faith, it seems to me, we all believe in some type of miracle. Is it not a miracle that I can utter words out loud or in my mind and the Creator of all things hears and answers? Lord, increase our faith! I want to pray for the sick with a faith that believes God will bring instant healing. But if God has a different timetable or a different plan, we’ll let Him be in control. That’s the great challenge – to always believe our perfect Father is in control. He is.

    “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” Ephesians 3:20-21

  • thanks

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    Dana

    This is the last day of the school year and a good time to express thanks. I am grateful for your constant encouragement throughout the year. Some are surprised a math teacher can put a thought into words, but God is a God of wonders!

    To my knowledge, our kids haven’t read anything I have written. I told Susan that perhaps one day these things we’ve learned will be of benefit to them. When the late Rich Mullins (who was not married and had no kids) was asked what he would say to his child in this day and time, he wrote some thoughts that led to a song entitled: “Bound to Come Some Trouble”. Here’s the first verse:

    There’s bound to come some trouble to your life, but that ain’t nothing to be afraid of
    There’s bound to come some trouble to your life, but that ain’t no reason to fear
    I know there’s bound to come some trouble to your life, but reach out to Jesus and hold on tight
    He’s been there before and He knows what it’s like
    You’ll find He’s there

    These words are true!

    I also want to thank you for all the prayers you have prayed for me, my family, and our two friends, Sybil and Suzette, who are battling breast cancer. I don’t think God ever expected us to fully understand one another or even agree with one another at every turn. But I do know He expects us to love one another. When we pray in faith and match our words with action, God smiles. The greatest sign of God in this world is the special love He puts within His children.

    It looks like I have a busy summer ahead. If a stirring thought comes to mind, I may send out a note or two, but until then – let us courageously live the life of love God calls us to live and let us give continuous thanks for Jesus… who shows us what love really is.

    “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.” I John 3:16-18

    “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: he sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.” I John 4:7-12

  • boldness

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    Dana

    After Peter and John were released from prison, the believers came together and prayed that they would speak God’s Word “with great boldness.” (Acts 4) Paul, who had been imprisoned several times, asked the disciples to pray that he have boldness. “Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.” (Ephesians 6:19-20)

    Why did Paul write such things? It was for telling the truth that Paul found himself beaten and imprisoned. Such sufferings have a way of chipping away our courage. Paul humbly depended on God’s grace to supply the boldness he needed to finish the race. “I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body; whether by life or by death.” (Philippians 1:20)

    I imagine Jeremiah prayed for boldness. Over and over God gave this prophet hard truths to tell the people. As Jeremiah simply obeyed his God, he was despised and rejected by men. “I am ridiculed all day long; everyone mocks me. Whenever I speak, I cry out proclaiming violence and destruction. So the word of the Lord has brought me insult and reproach all day long.” (Jeremiah 20:7-8) But God would not let his spokesman be quiet.

    I write these thoughts knowing I need boldness. I need boldness to live what I know to be true. I need boldness to share that God has never changed. He is patient, wanting all to come to repentance, but His judgment is coming. I need boldness to remind Christians that Jesus hates lukewarmness. If we are seeking anything ahead of Him we must turn. “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:13)

    It takes boldness to accept such an invitation.

  • Hands

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    Dana

    First, I’ll share that we got a great report from the hospital regarding the tests that were done last week. There is still no sign of cancer in my blood or bone marrow and I thank God!

    As I share such good news about myself, my heart breaks for close friends that are fighting cancer or facing other trials. We probably all have friends that are suffering. We wish we could help some way. We wish we could do something. We know we can pray and we believe God hears us, but there is often a helplessness we feel as we see friends struggle.

    The thing we know we can do is love. The Lord instructs us to love fervently from the heart. Let us be creative in our love for one another. Ask yourself what would bless you if you were in the shoes of your friend… then bless your friend that way. As I lay sick last year, I knew there was nothing any person could really do outside of prayer. But how my spirits were lifted when someone showed love to me or my family! The thing I most needed was God… and I saw God through the love of His children.

    The other thing we can do is trust the Lord. He has blessed my family through the whole time of difficulty. He has brought about good things that never would have happened apart from the trial. Our close friends, Joe and Sybil, have communicated supernatural peace and joy as they are in the midst of the fire. How can this be? No one wants to suffer, but we can trust that God is greater than any hardship. Though we may feel the enemy is destroying us, God can reverse the tables and turn our trials to gold.

    Now our dear friends, Perry and Suzette Price, are entering a similar battle. Suzette has recently discovered she has breast cancer and will have surgery next week. As I have just gotten a good report and Suzette has received such difficult news, guess who is encouraging who? She sent me a note this week that reminds us all of our hope. Let us praise the Hands that carry us through!

    May the HANDS that formed the earth touch your body and heal it… May the BREATH that moved over the waters fill your soul with life… May the HEART that sacrificed to save you surround your heart with comfort… May knowing that you are in the Hands of an all powerful, all loving God bring you peace.

    “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.” Isaiah 40:29

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