Lord Make us Courageous

The first time I met Dr Rachel Armstrong Thomas was when my sister was pregnant with her first child Shawn over 44 years ago. What was really interesting to me at the time was that Rachel herself was pregnant with her first child who would be born one month after Shawn and the nurse during delivery was also pregnant with her second child who was born in February so imagine that picture while my sister was giving birth.

I really got to know Rachel when my son Zach was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. I cannot express how much she helped our family during this most difficult time. She visited Zach numerous times while he was in and out of the hospital at both Hermann and MDA. Countless times she came to our home to listen to Zach’s lungs, administer a shot he needed or just talk to him about moose (she was from Canada). She was a delight to all of us. Some of the best advice I received came from her. At one point early in Zach’s diagnosis, I grieved to her in wanting to know what the future held for Zach. Now I do realize that we as followers of Christ should not engage in this kind of thinking. Our trust is in Christ. I am being very honest with you. I wanted to know if Zach would still be with us even a year from that date. I still remember her response – “Sheri you don’t know what you are asking for. Think about it. If we knew what the future held, we might not have the strength to get out of the bed in the morning.” Perhaps this is why our Lord who loves us so, instructs us not to seek mediums, fortune tellers to know the future. Our complete trust is to be in Him.

It’s been I believe three years since Rachel departed this life. It was quite a blow to a huge community of people who loved her and cherished her friendship. Her advice lives on in my mind. Tomorrow I will share something else she told me that stuck with me all these years later.

We are often blessed with a multitude of people in our lives who I believe God uses to encourage us, strengthen us and often redirect our thoughts of where they should be. This is another example of His grace. We are all so blessed to have known such people as Rachel who encourage us to be courageous and trust God in all things.

One of the things I felt led to do after my own miraculous healing from cancer was to start a ministry that would help others also battling this dreaded disease. My last chemo treatment was December of 2015. The remission of my cancer was stunning to my doctors at MD Anderson but I must also confess overwhelming to me. God had granted me more days. I did not deserve it. I was not entitled to it yet God in His infinite mercy and grace, granted me more days in this life. I wanted to share that hope with others and the ministry was born in March of 2016.

My local church has the pleasure of sending out boxes that contain a blanket that we pray will comfort those receiving it and a hat with a few other things. The most significant thing in the package to me is the testimonials that individuals in our church submitted with their own battle and overcoming of cancer. Most of us when diagnosed are looking for hope. These testimonials help in giving that hope. Each persons lives are rebuilt and the ashes become beauty.

Isaiah 61:3 contains the beautiful verse beauty for ashes. It is about hope. It shows where true hope comes from. If you have not read this verse and you are in a battle that feels overwhelming, take a look at this verse. Meditate on it. In it you will find where true hope arises and it will enable you to be courageous to face what you must face. You are an overcomer through Christ.

Back in the 1970’s there was a brother/sister duo called The Carpenters. They were very popular then and especially to this gal when she was a young girl. I use to dream of being able to sing like Karen Carpenter. Alas it was only a dream. Rainy Days and Mondays was one of their hits. One of the lines in the chorus read “Hanging around, nothing to do but frown. Rainy days and Mondays always gets me down.” Does this chorus describe what you are feeling right now? In Columbus, Texas this morning it almost does. It is Monday and it is definitely raining outside. A double whammy – Monday and rain.

For a lot of people at different stages in their lives, it does feel like the world is caving in. For some it is the struggle of relationships whether lost through death or a strain of not speaking. Some people obsess over politics and the fear that the world is about to end. They do not trust in God or His timing for the world to end, only in what they read in the news.

I have been there. I have felt the world collapsing both with the year we fought cancer along side our son Zach and from the point that my own cancer diagnosis was given in 2015 without much hope. I understand and anyone reading this blog understands as well. All people if they live long enough face a certain amount of pain and challenges. Praise God that our hope is ultimately in Him. He holds our future in His hands. He knows every hair on our heads. If we choose to submit to His authority and trust in who He says He is, He will strengthen us to finish the race and endure what we must face. I know. I’ve been there. Do not put your trust in the things of this world. Focus on God. Read His promises. Memorize them. He is the true source of courage. Remember that this is not our home. There is something so much better still to come.

“If your worried and you can’t sleep, just count your blessings instead of sheep. And you’ll fall asleep counting your blessings.” Anyone remember this line from a song rightly entitled “Count Your Blessings.” It’s often played around Christmas time but its theme is one that should be incorporated year round.

One of the greatest weapons we have to combat depression, anxiety, anger, etc is gratefulness. It’s such a simple term and yet so powerful. If we are not careful, we can become bitter due to the events that happen in our lives in this world. Two of the greatest weapons I ever used to fight bitterness was praise and gratefulness. In reality we all have something to be grateful for despite our circumstances. On Fridays, I will be posting what I am grateful for regarding the preceding week and I strongly encourage you to do the same.

This weekend I will have four of my seven grandchildren. I have been exceedingly blessed as you can read that I have seven grandchildren. All of you that are grandmothers know the joy of when you became a mother and the joy of becoming a grandmother. I am grateful for the opportunity to spend time with each of them to create memories not just for me but also for each of them. I am grateful for the opportunity to bond with each of them in a special way. That is my blessing to reflect on for this week. Praise God today. Count your blessings today! Meditate on the goodness of God. Be courageous!

I will make a confession to you. One of my favorite foods that I could easily gorge on all day is nuts. Many people love chocolate. Many people love ice cream. There are people who love vegetables! I am not one of those though I wish I were. I love nuts. The problem is that nuts are healthy but also full of fat. Fat packs on calories which of course packs on weight. I realize that though I love nuts, I must limit how many I consume each day.

We all battle things in our lives partly because we have a desperate desire to control. We want to control our families, our jobs, as many of circumstances that we face as possible. This is not necessarily a bad thing. There are limits as to what we can control. I can control how many nuts I eat each day. Sometimes that is not easy but I can do it. There have been circumstances in my life that I could not control. This is where trust is so important. Trust in someone so much greater than ourselves. Believing that the God of the bible is the true and only God. That He had a son named Jesus. That the Holy Spirit is the third person of the trinity. That they are separate and yet three in one. That Jesus died for my sins and yours and if I believe all of this to be true, there is a place for me in His kingdom when my time here is done.

We will all face events in our lives that we cannot control. Isn’t it wonderful to know that we can trust an authority so much greater than ourselves to navigate us to the destiny that our Lord chooses for us to go. Let go of the control. Trust God. Be courageous.

One can certainly tell that we are in an election year. A lot of you probably do keep up with politics if you are unhappy with the rapid rise of inflation and concerned that the country is “going in the wrong direction.” We hear this a lot from party members on both sides.

Jesus warns us in Mark 4:19 “And the cares of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.” kjv

This is very important to remember. What we meditate on whether it is fear of the unknown, grief over death or loss of job will consume our thoughts and move us from the one thing that truly comforts us. For me personally when I was diagnosed in June of 2015 and told I had only 18 months on average to live, I removed all things political from my vision. This was difficult for me as all of my life I had followed politics. I was a history and political science teacher for years. It consumed me. I realized in 2015 that I needed to allow God’s Word and His promises to consume me. I had to prepare myself for whatever was to come. This decision strengthened me and comforted me.

If you are going through an event that is trying for you whatever it might be, I encourage you to not allow the cares of this world to consume you. Hold on to the one thing that will strengthen you the most. Make a conscious decision to limit what the world says and spend more time in what God says. It will make all the difference and make you more courageous!

When my sister and I were young girls, our favorite band was the Osmonds. That I know is really dating me! Of the Osmond band, our favorite singer was of course Donny Osmond. We had their posters, especially Donny’s, all over the bedroom we shared. One of the songs Donny sang on one of his albums was entitled “Life Is Just What You Make It.” Now in reality this song was another silly love song but the title speaks to a certain amount of truth.

We have absolutely no control over many things that will happen to us during our lifetimes. Deaths of people we love will come if we live long enough. To a certain extent one could make the argument that our health problems are of our own creation but there are some conditions that occur that we did not actively participate in to create. Car accidents often occur because of someone else’ negligence but can still have devastating effects on our lives.

How do we respond when tragedies occur? That is always the universal question. Grief is normal and expected. How long it continues is really completely up to us. Whether we intentionally seek joy is up to us. One of my favorite mental exercises during especially tough times is to praise God in all things. I do not understand why things occurred but I choose to trust that God does. Remember that this life is not for the weak or faint of heart. It requires each of us to be courageous in knowing that this is not our home and something so much better is still to come. We are also reminded through scripture that we are not alone in what we experience. Trust God and be courageous!

Recently I posted that I would not be blogging on holidays. Today is the birthday of slain civil rights leader Martin Luther King. I did make an exception for today for a special reason. Today is also the birthday of my oldest granddaughter Ariana Jane.

In 2012 my husband, myself and our family went through the most painful experience we had ever encountered. Our youngest son Zachariah had passed from this world into his heavenly home at the age of 17. Scripture warns us not to grieve as the world does. To be honest with all of you, my husband and I did in fact grieve probably more so then what scripture states. In reality on reflection our grief occured in waves. We knew as best we could that our son had trusted Jesus with his salvation. Based on that decision, Zach was healed in God’s presence. We knew Zach was happier than we could imagine. We knew that if Zach had a choice, he would not want to return to this world even though he loved us greatly. To be in God’s presence is beyond anything this mother could ever write. I believe that as I believe God’s Word is real 100%. However the reality of not having Zach here created waves of pain that would ebb and flow. Some of you reading this may be able to relate to what I am trying to write.

In 2012 our oldest son Aaron met a girl who would bless him and us. Her name is Betty and we love her dearly as one of our own children. She became Aaron’s wife in January of 2013 and a year later, blessed us with our first grandchild. It is so important to see God’s mercy and grace in our lives, especially in the midst of our grief. We need that and God is so faithful to provide. Though one young life was gone two years prior, a new life began and the cycle continues and God’s grace carries on.

If you are reading this and you also have experienced the painful loss of someone you loved deeply, please know from one who has also experienced that kind of pain that God is faithful. Look for the joy in everyday living. Praise God in every aspect of your life. Remember that this is not our home. The most important decision we can ever make is trusting Jesus with our lives and knowing that He is who He said He was and He will do what He said He will do. Stay courageous and keep going! In the meantime happy birthday Ariana Jane sweet girl

Jeremiah 17:14 is a beautiful reminder of one of many of God’s promises. Before I write any further, I want to make one thing very clear. All of my thoughts and writings are from a biblical perspective. Healing in today’s world is very controversial due to a lot of teachings that can be seen on many televangelist programs. One thing to always keep in mind, healing is not guaranteed in this life. As my sister explained to me many years ago, complete healing takes place in the presence of God. When Jeremiah writes about healing, if God chooses certainly healing will take place in this life for a period of time. The true promise is knowing that ultimate healing rest with God whether our number of years in this life is 17 as my son Zach’s was or 86 years as my dads was. Scripture is clear that those who trust that Jesus is the son of the living God and that He gave His life for each of us and overcame death through resurrection will have eternal life with Jesus and in God’s presence. Sadly, for a multitude of reasons, people often don’t make this decision even when facing death as with an advanced cancer diagnosis.

When I was first diagnosed with stage 4 LMS in June of 2015, this verse with many others was extremely comforting to me because I knew that either the Lord in His mercy would extend my days here or that my healing would take place in His presence. The entire verse reads as “Heal me O Lord and I shall be healed; save me and I shall be saved for thou art my praise.” If you are facing a health crisis, I would encourage you to read scripture and reflect on what this scripture means. It is not a mantra or a chant that will get the healing in this life that you may desire. It is a promise that healing will come whether here or after death for those who choose to submit to Christ.

Remember that this life is not an easy one to navigate. It is not intended for the fearful but for those who choose to be overcomers through Christ. Lean on Him, trust Him, submit to Him. Be courageous!

If any of you are as old as I am, you may be familiar with a christian artist by the name of Carmen. Many years ago, Carmen wrote a song entitled “Sundays On The Way.” In the chorus of the song, the lyrics go as follows: “if troubles try to conquer you and make it hard to pray, it may seem like Friday night but Sundays on the way.” The song was a clear reference to the crucifixion of Christ on Friday and His resurrection on Sunday. When my son Zach was diagnosed with stage 4 Ewings’ sarcoma in 2011, it was a very rough beginnng. He began to shut down before treatment could even begin. He was placed in a medically induced coma and had to be moved from MD Anderson in the medical center to Hermann Hospital because Hermann was the experts on what was happening with his lungs. During that time I started a Caring Bridge account so family and friends could know what was going on and how to pray. The lyrics to the above song kept going through my mind. Have you ever done that? It was comforting to me because that was one of the hardest and most challenging periods of my life which reflected the sadness of what Jesus did on Good Friday. Hope however flourished on Sunday as Jesus had overcome death. I was looking for that “Sunday” moment in regards to my son.

Please know that I plan to update this blog daily Monday through Friday except on holidays and when my husband and I travel. My purpose in writing this is to encourage each of you in Christ as viewed from the perspective of one who has been on both sides of the cancer experience. It is my prayer that you will become stronger in your trust in Christ regardless of what you have faced and are currently going through. In my opinion our true strength is in God alone. Lord please make each of us courageous to face what we must face and do what we must do.