musings of a thankful cancer survivor

Author: Dana

reaping

March 3, 2016

—

Dana

Reaping is the fun part. Preparing the soil, planting, tending, weeding, watering… these are reasons people don’t plant gardens.

John and I planted a garden last spring at Taylor’s house. He has a great location in his backyard where the previous owner was known for growing prize vegetables.

Not so with us. We started off strong with rows of tomato plants, peppers, and squash… we dreamed of the harvest. Taylor watered the garden faithfully and when little green tomatoes started showing, we all got excited.

The problem came one summer day when I noticed a large green tomato half eaten. “Taylor, we have a problem,” I moaned. The next time I visited I saw a critter running away from our plants. John had the solution: “Dana, we gotta get a trap.” So that’s what we did and the next day Taylor sent me a picture of the defeated culprit.

“Great job, men!” I encouraged, but sadly our enemy had friends and before we knew it, 90% of our tomatoes were gone. We were disheartened to say the least. To make matters worse, Kinsey sent pictures of several nice tomatoes she and Jordan grew in their backyard in Birmingham.

Our experience makes me not take for granted my parents’ wonderful summer gardens. When we visit and my mom asks me to go pick some ears of corn or okra or tomatoes, I have a renewed appreciation for the work that took place before the reaping.

Jesus used such language to talk about the Kingdom of God: “Do you not say, ‘Four months more and then the harvest’? Even now the reaper draws his wages, even now he harvests the crop for eternal life, so that the sower and reaper may be glad together. Thus the saying, ‘One sows and another reaps’ is true. I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefit of their labor.” (John 4:35-38)

God wants us to do our part. If we are to sow His Word, we should share with faith, love, and enthusiasm. If we are to water, we should realize the necessity of our assignment and be faithful. If we are to stand against the enemy, we should pray in the Spirit with God’s armor in place, knowing the devil wants to destroy anything that leads to the Father. And if we get to reap, we should remember that others have participated in the harder parts of the process and that God deserves all the glory.

“Neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. For we are God’s fellow workers…” I Corinthians 3:7-9
sowing

February 25, 2016

—

Dana
“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.” (Galatians 6:7-8)

As a junior high disciplinarian I can honestly share with students that poor choices eventually lead to destructive consequences. I need to also share the positive aspect of sowing and reaping.

Throughout his letter to the Galatians, Paul teaches how to sow to please the Spirit:
- “The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.”
- “Live by the Spirit.”
- “Let us keep in step with the Spirit.”
- “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control.”
- “Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying one another.”
- “Carry each other’s burdens.”
- “What counts is a new creation.”
- “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”
Paul’s secret was to know that when Christ died on the cross, Paul died. “For we know that our old self was crucified with Him so that the body of sin might be done away with…” (Romans 6:6) Now Christ lives in us!

On earth, Jesus was led by the Spirit. He listened to His Father and obeyed what His Father told Him to do. With all the fruit of the Spirit, Jesus found His joy in His Father’s will. “My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work.” (John 4:34)

As children of God, we have been given the Holy Spirit. So let’s fearlessly follow the Master!

“For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship, And by Him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’ The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.” Romans 8:15-16
heartshot

February 18, 2016

—

Dana

My friends Troy and Tammy, their four daughters, and twin sons moved to Iowa a year and half ago to continue a ministry Troy’s dad Dave began. An avid outdoorsman and hunter, Dave loved to share the Lord with younger men. Using archery and hunting as connections, Dave’s outreach resulted in beautiful fruit.

I stayed pretty close to Troy the months after his dad died suddenly of a brain aneurism on the way home from a cold January morning of hunting with a friend in 2014. Jesus, the Author of faith, hope, and love, has given comfort and direction to Troy and his family through many answered prayers and through countless acts of kindness from the Body of Christ.

The ministry, Heartshot, has two major goals. The first goal is to use archery as a platform to teach God’s principles for living. A heart for God is our aim is the motto. People of all ages come to the range to enjoy a sport and to hear God’s Word explained in practical ways. The second goal is to invite anyone to join Heartshot team as they serve widows in the area.

Of course Troy’s ‘favorite’ is his own mother who he says helps him more than he helps her. Seeing his mom in the distress of loss, Troy understood clearly the reason for God’s instructions to care for widows and to help those in need.

Each member of the Heartshot leadership team is one of the men mentored by Troy’s dad. These are ten rugged guys who put their Christian faith into action by serving others. In times of need, many in their church and many from the community who visit the Heartshot archery range join to serve their community in the Name of Christ.

Eleven-year-old John and I visited Troy and his family this past weekend. Troy’s mom treated us to dinner the evening we arrived and later we got to meet many of the friends who shine the light of Jesus in this part of our country. Of course we also experienced the subzero temperatures of the Midwest. The day we left, it snowed several inches and Heartshot pulled together four teams to shovel the driveways of widows and to help anyone else they saw in need.

I was reminded once again of the beauty of the Body of Christ. When we let Jesus shine in our lives, people who may not even know God at the moment give thanks and glorify our Father in heaven. “You are the light of the world…”

“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” James 1:27
light

February 11, 2016

—

Dana

“The Light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.” (John 1:5)

In the darkness of racial violence and dissension, the Light appeared at Woodlawn High School in Birmingham, Alabama and many did not understand. As a spokesman for God concluded his remarks at a team meeting early in the 1973 season, almost every single football player accepted the invitation to follow Christ.

The impact was immediate. And while teachers, parents, administrators, coaches, and other students did not comprehend, they could not deny that white players and black players had unified in a dramatic way and that the atmosphere of the entire school was improving. As it became apparent that the only explanation for change was the commitment to Jesus, more and more people (including the head coach) surrendered their lives to Christ.

The sports community truly didn’t understand when it learned that the players from Woodlawn, knowing that Jesus said “Love your enemies,” set up a meeting with their rival opponent, Banks High School, to share the new life Christ brings. When the head coach of Banks and most of his team began following Jesus, people just shook their heads.

The true story is portrayed in the movie ‘Woodlawn,’ and the real people are interviewed in a bonus section of the DVD. In 1974, the undefeated Banks and Woodlawn football teams played before 42,000 people at Legion Field in Birmingham. Officials estimated between ten and twenty thousand spectators were turned away as the stadium was filled to capacity. In a city that needed healing and peace, the Light shone.

The world may not comprehend, but the world notices change. Darkness may recoil at the entrance of Light, but Light brings Life. Jesus said, “I am the Light of the world,” knowing full well the darkness wanted to kill Him. But Light reveals Truth, and Truth leads to freedom.

Now Jesus tells those who have received Him as Savior and follow Him as Lord: “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on a stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14-16)

When Jesus spoke again to the people, He said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12
life

February 4, 2016

—

Dana

Speaking as the Good Shepherd, Jesus said: “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10)

A peculiar blessing of living with a terminal disease is that I know that the full, abundant life Jesus gives does not mean you are always ‘healthy, wealthy, and wise.’ It was often that Jesus spoke life to those who were suffering (like Mary and Martha who had just lost their brother Lazarus). “I am the resurrection and the life… Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26)

Even today, Jesus speaks life and calls His little ones to believe in Him and follow Him. “Very truly I tell you, a time is coming and now has come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son also to have life in Himself.” (John 5:25-26)

Life comes from the Spirit and Jesus teaches that His words are full of Spirit and life. “The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you – they are full of Spirit and life. Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” (John 6:63-64)

As we listen and believe and follow, we find ourselves in the safest arms. “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.” (John 10:27-28)

So whether we are in a time of plenty or scarcity; whether our family is healthy and strong or struggling with sickness or disability; whether our relationships with others are thriving or rocky… Jesus is life.

The picture of a mother or father with child (or in this case a grandfather with grandchild) points to the abundant life that Jesus knows God intends. Susan keeps Wilkes three days a week as Emma and Taylor are working. When I step in the house after getting home from school, the ten-month-old can barely contain his excitement. He swings his arms and kicks his legs and smiles as he hears my voice and sees me approach. I don’t know who has more joy… the baby or me!

We are the little ones. We can have unbounded joy in the Father’s love. And we can know He finds great joy in us.

“Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son may glorify You. For You granted Him authority over all people that He might give eternal life to all those You have given Him. Now this is eternal life: that they may know You the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom You have sent.” John 17:2-3

Random Post

Author: Dana

reaping

sowing

heartshot

light

life