God's Ever-Present Remnant in Our Lives

God's Ever-Present Remnant in Our Lives

 

Life often takes us through seasons where it feels as if God is far away. Whether through personal struggles, unexpected detours, or even a slow drifting of our faith, we sometimes feel like we've been pulled far from His presence. Yet, Scripture reminds us that no matter how far we may go - or how lost we feel - God’s presence and purposes remain steadfast. There is always a remnant of faith within us, and God is always working, even in the midst of what feels like chaos.

This week, I’ve been reflecting on Daniel Chapter 1 and the story of Daniel and his friends in Babylon. Their journey is one of profound faith and resilience. Despite being taken captive, exiled from their homeland, and subjected to cultural indoctrination aimed at erasing their faith in God, they remained steadfast.

At the very beginning of the chapter, we read:

"In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. And the Lord delivered Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, along with some of the articles from the temple of God. These he carried off to the temple of his god in Babylonia and put in the treasure house of his god" (Daniel 1:1-2).

This scripture points out something critical: God delivered Judah into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar. While it might be easy to focus on the defeat and destruction, there’s a powerful truth woven into this moment: God was still in control. Even when it seemed like everything was falling apart—when the sacred articles from the temple were taken to a foreign land—God’s plan wasn’t thwarted.

Similarly, when Daniel and his friends were brought to Babylon, they faced a systematic attempt to erase their identity as God’s people. They were given new names, taught Babylonian culture, and pressured to conform to a pagan way of life. Yet, they thrived. Why? Because no matter what their captors tried, they couldn’t remove God from their hearts.

This brings me to the idea of the remnant. There is always a remnant of faith within us. It’s the small, unshakable piece of God’s presence that remains no matter how far we’ve been dragged from His plans or purposes.

Even in the darkest moments, when we feel like our circumstances or choices have distanced us from God, He is still there. His presence cannot be erased. Like Daniel and his friends, we may find ourselves in situations that seem designed to strip us of our faith. But God’s promises endure, and His Spirit remains within us, giving us strength, wisdom, and the ability to remain faithful.

In my own journey with cancer, there were moments when I felt distant from God. The physical pain, emotional exhaustion, and uncertainty about the future weighed heavily on me. Yet, even in those moments, I saw glimpses of His presence—through the kindness of others, the peace that came during prayer, and the unshakable hope that I wasn’t walking this path alone.

Daniel and his friends remind us that faith isn’t about avoiding challenges; it’s about standing firm in the midst of them. They didn’t just survive their time in Babylon—they thrived, serving as living testaments to God’s power and faithfulness.

As we reflect on this story, let’s remember:

• God is always with us. Whether we feel close to Him or far away, He never leaves.
• Our circumstances do not dictate God’s power. Even when we face challenges, God is still working for our good.
• Faith is resilient. Just as Daniel and his friends kept their faith alive, we, too, carry a remnant of God’s Spirit within us, sustaining us through every trial.

No matter where life takes us, or how far we feel from God, His presence is unshakable. Like Daniel and his friends in Babylon, we can thrive because we serve a God who never abandons us.

As I write this post this week, I am reminded of just how fragile we are. I have a few friends and family members who are truly struggling with their health and personal matters. One of my dear friends is about to walk out of her oncologist’s office with hopefully a positive plan of treatment. Another friend was to find out if she needed a full knee replacement.

My heart is with them this week and with everyone else who feels lost in the midst of their chaos. I hope this post reminds them of the true power and breadth of God.

Love you all, 

April

Source: Daniel: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Daniel%201&version=NIV

Surviving Election Day Madness

 

Surviving Election Day Madness

I am not giving in to the hyper-alarming nature of the media and fearmongers that will populate all the forms of traditional and digital media and social platforms today. The truth is whatever will happen will happen. As an ardent believer in Jesus, I accept that He alone is in charge of what happens to me, not a political leader. That said, I examined my tendencies to give in to anxiety and nervous fear and have come up with my own escape system for the day.

1.      Prayer—Yes, God and I will be in constant communication today, not just because I need his guidance in all things, but by staying in communication with Him all day, I can tune out the crazy talk going on around me. Also, it never hurts to pray for unity, peace, and kindness because however this plays out, we will all need unity, peace, and compassion.

2.      Music – Here is where I needed to go old-school.  I can’t listen to my favorite Podcast, because it is inundated with political ads. I can’t listen to my faith-based sermons on YouTube, because YouTube only runs one-sided political ads, and it drives me insane. I can’t listen to the radio, because all they want to do is interject with voting, polls, and result hypothesis – so that is a no. I also can’t listen to Amazon Music, Spotify, or anything else that runs ads, because all the ads are disgusting (political ads). So, I recalled that I had music (old MP3s) on my portable drive at my desk. The good thing is there are no ads with this! Yea!  The bad thing is that I have not purchased music in years and what was on there was not what I wanted to listen to. Then I saw a folder called, “Christmas.” Yes, I know it is only November 5^th, but honestly what better genre to swim in today than uplifting positive Christmas carols?

3.      Noise Cancelling Headphones – I don’t care what excuse you have to make, but if you are surrounded by chatty, loud office mates who are doing nothing but discussing the election, find your headphones and drown it out.  Mine are not exactly noise canceling, but turning the volume up a bit fixes the background of negativity.

4.      Spot on the Wall – I know you’ve heard it before, “to focus on a spot on the wall, or something small,” well when my mind starts to focus on the what-ifs and the chaos that is likely to exist after today, I just focus on the picture of me and my mom at my desk. It immediately takes me back to a time when things were more civil and simpler.

5.      Jesus – Yep, I am concluding this list by circling back to God. If we were honest about the complete picture of Jesus, we would see that he was non-political and stood for things that glorified God and aligned with God’s morality and plans. Focusing on Jesus today reminds me that no matter what happens today, no one can take away my faith in Him – NO ONE, because He is in my heart and mind, and as such, He can’t be removed from me. 

      So, if you are like me and you struggle with anxiety over days like today, find ways to soothe your mind and ground your soul!

 

God bless,

 

April

 

Photo Credit: https://christfollowerlife.com/products/jesus-lion-american-flag-of-faith-wall-art-canvas

So, You Want to Write!

 

SO, YOU WANT TO WRITE!

First, I want to thank each and every single one of you for remaining loyal subscribers, even as I have reduced the number of posts while finishing my degree. I’m at the end of the tunnel, and soon, my focus can return to this blog full-time!

Since starting Blessings from Cancer, I’ve received countless encouraging messages, and one of the most common questions is: “How do you select your topics, and how do you tie them to scripture and cancer?”  Today, I want to share some insight into my writing process, focusing on research and how I incorporate sources. Whether you’re writing a blog, a journal, or just personal reflection, I hope these tips inspire you to start writing, too!  

RESEARCH, RESEARCH, RESEARCH!

When starting any project, especially one that involves faith-based topics, it’s crucial to have a clear plan. I always begin by praying for inspiration. Once I have a direction, I narrow down my focus. For example, when I began writing my series, “Seeing God in Secular Movies,” I knew I wanted to focus on movies from my childhood. From there, I narrowed down my research to specific films, which allowed me to plan how many blogs I wanted to write and what messages I wanted to draw from each movie.

Tip: Start broad, then refine. For any topic, ask yourself:

·       What is my central message?

·       What details do I need to support that message?

·       How many parts or posts will this project require?

Research is essential not only for non-fiction, where accuracy and credibility are paramount, but also for creative fiction (fiction, poetry, prose). In non-fiction, it helps ensure that the information is factual and supports the writer’s message. For example, in my blog, I rely on research to connect scripture with everyday experiences. In creative writing, research adds depth and realism to the story or characters. Whether you’re writing historical fiction or world-building fantasies, researching locations, historical events, or even cultural norms helps make your writing more authentic and immersive.

FINDING SOURCES

Finding credible sources is key to crafting any well-researched piece. For example, when I write about a movie, I start by looking up basic information like summaries and reviews. Then, I search for articles or blogs that explore similar themes to ensure I have a variety of perspectives. Websites like JSTOR and databases from my college library provide scholarly articles, while Google and platforms like IMDB give quick references for movies.

For Bible passages, I rely on resources like Enduring Word and Logos to ensure I am interpreting scripture in context. It’s important to find sources that are trustworthy and accurate, especially when dealing with scripture.

Recommended Places to Search:

·       Scholarly articles from JSTOR

·       Bible resources like Logos and Enduring Word

·       General information from Google (look for .edu or .org for credibility)

CREDIBLE AND APPROPRIATE

Not every source is equal. To determine credibility, look at the author’s qualifications, the website’s domain, and the publication date. For instance, I trust .edu and .org websites (Educational and Not-for-Profit Organizations) more than commercial ones (like .com), unless I know the author is reputable. For my blog, I only use sources that have clear author credentials or that cite reputable experts.

When writing about scripture, context is crucial. Make sure the Bible passage you’re referencing fits the topic and isn’t being twisted to fit a narrative. I use Enduring Word to get deeper insights into context and application because they quote from Christian sources that are generally accepted by all denominations of the Christian faith, like Charles Spurgeon.

INCORPORATING THE RESEARCH AND SOURCES

Incorporating research into writing is a balancing act. You want to enhance your message without overwhelming the reader with too many facts. In my “Seeing God in Secular Movies” series, I weave scripture and research naturally into my analysis of movie scenes. For example, I might reference Yoda’s quote from The Empire Strikes Back alongside Galatians 6:9 to draw parallels between perseverance in faith and the perseverance taught in the movie.

The key is to smoothly integrate quotes and facts without overloading the reader. Use sources to support your thoughts, but don’t let them take over your voice. You can also paraphrase sources, and make sure to properly give credit where it’s due.

MORE, PLEASE!

Here are some resources I recommend if you’re looking to dig deeper into research, writing, or finding reliable sources:

·       Writer’s Digest: Offers great tips and tricks for writing in any genre, including non-fiction.

·       Purdue OWL: Excellent for basics on how to structure writing and cite sources properly.

·       Enduring Word: A fantastic Bible commentary resource to ensure you’re interpreting scripture correctly.

·       JSTOR: Perfect for accessing scholarly articles on various topics.

 

For this post, I consulted:

Holy Bible, ESV, 2007 (esv.org)

Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back: Quotes (IMDB.com)

Logos (logos.com)

Enduring Word (enduringword.com)

JSTOR (jstor.org)

All Children are God's Children

 

All Children are God’s Children

In today’s culture, children seem to be the red flag on a long tug-of-war rope. Our political system has declared children as a tool to win or lose elections and our media and news outlets have removed the rights and voice of parents. I can no longer sit and keep quiet. I am not apologetic for what I am about to say, it needs to be said, boldly, loudly, and to whomever I have at my disposal to reach. I rebuke the current administration’s approach that says “All children are our (as in the US Government’s) children”. No, all children are God’s children, and as such we must inform, raise and educate them not only of that fact but of what it means to be a CHILD OF GOD.

INFORM THEM – WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS:

In Matthew 9:14, Jesus says “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” His love and concern for the innocent children baffled his disciples and challenged Jewish tradition and understanding of the importance of children. Jesus showed that the protected innocence which is reflected in youth is to be our compass to heaven. Children are inquisitive, imaginative, expressive, innocent, thirsty for knowledge and reason and have the ability to see things as they should be – this is what we are to aim to be like.

RAISE THEM – WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS:

Be vigilant in what goes into your child’s head. There are so many distractions the evil one has at his disposal to get into our children’s heads and hearts: social media, television, school, etc. Allowing after-school satan clubs to take place in public schools is insulting to me as a Christian. However, if evil wants to educate my children, then I must fight back by petitioning for an after-school bible club. We cannot defeat evil by being quiet – no more being still in the presence of disobedience and evil. Stand up to it! Fight back (the right way) – insist on equality. For every evil program, there should be a righteous program. Disconnect them from social media. Interact with them. Make talking about God fun and exciting. Go do nature things and experience the truth that is in all of God’s creation.

EDUCATE THEM – WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS:

The Bible teaches that every child is formed and known by God, as written in Psalm 139:13-14: "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made." What an incredible reminder that God intimately forms each child and already knows them before they are born. We must stand firm in educating them that they are made in the image of God and that he made them as they are to be. We should not be allowing children (whom we as parents are called to mold, teach and bring to God) to mutilate and question God’s design. It is unholy and direct disobedience to God when we reject how he made us. He is our creator. He is our architect. Physically altering one's body to reject the created plan of God is equivalent to spitting in the face of God.  

As Christians, we are called to model Jesus' heart for children. Ephesians 6:4 says “Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.” We must guide kids with patience, compassion, and grace.

The Bible assures us that children have a special status in God's kingdom. May we nurture each child as the wondrous, worthy human being they are. When we look at every young person as one of God's beloved children, it changes how we see and treat them. Our kids need to know they are children of God.

In order to do this we must take a stand for children. We must do everything we can today – not tomorrow – to protect the innocence that was naturally created in our children.

 

Check the following fighters:

https://www.momsforliberty.org/

https://www.facebook.com/CaseyDeSantis  (she is fighting to protect children)

I would love to share more – but Google has limited search parameters allowing me to copy links or to find them all.

 

 

A Season of Thanks

(Halloween 1983 - 4th Grade - that's me in the Witch Mask)

 A Season of Thanks

There is something so majestic about this time of year. Autumn is the season of being grateful and living off the fruits of your season of sowing (Spring) and your season of growing (Summer). I know that my Lord and Savior created each season with care and design, but deep down, I believe Autumn must be his favorite as well.

This time of year, memories are always flooding my mind and they warm my heart and usually give me insight and wisdom. Whether it is the memory of my mom making candied apples for Halloween, or the many years gathering with her family for Thanksgiving, or the setting up and working the Christmas Tree Lot with my stepdad and his parents (Papaw and Mamaw). This is the season of blessing and love.

I know that I wanted to do a deep dive into faith and secular movies, but then CANCER reared its head again and I have been going through radiation. Just like Chemo and Surgery, Radiation has taken a lot from me, but unlike Chemo and Surgery, I haven’t had the downtime, as Radiation is an everyday relentless treatment. My body and mind have been unable to rest on Jesus this go-round. Maybe it is just the exhaustion that has kept me away from my bible readings and my nightly devotionals, or maybe something in me just checked out. I know that this treatment season, I have rested solely on the prayers of those around me, and like my Autumns of yesteryears, I have once again acted like a child, a bit helpless and a bit dependent.

Nothing could be more fitting right now in the month of being thankful than to realize how many people I am blessed to have in my life. Whether it was the countless prayers from my church, the food and financial gifts of my bible study group, friends, family, and strangers, or the generosity of my employer in allowing me the time I needed to recover.

Even though I have not had the mental acuity, time, or energy to be in constant prayer, I know that Jesus has been by my side this entire time. Do you know how I know this? Calmness and no worries! I have not once agonized over whether this treatment will work, or what the outcome will be. I have not been in despair or held an anxious mindset. I have been at peace this entire time. You cannot walk-through cancer treatments with peace of mind, without GOD! I have been appreciative of all the kindness and every morning when I would drive across the James River Bridge at 6ish in the morning for treatments, God would always remind me that he and he alone is on the throne. The morning sky with the sun rising is so majestic that it brings tears of joy to my eyes each morning. Each sunrise was different and each one was just as majestic as the day before. It was always a little ray of hope to start my treatments with. Another reminder that even in my hurt and suffering, I am blessed, and God is with me.

I have so much to be thankful for right now – and to those to whom I owe gratitude– please know that your kindness and generosity got me through the hardest days. I have one more treatment to go to (next Thursday) and then some scans; no matter the outcome or what lies ahead, God knows it is well with my soul!

There are some passages, some words from the Apostle Paul, that have given me comfort in this season:

1.       1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

2.       2 Corinthians 9:15 “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!”

Have a blessed week!

April

 

Links:

Radiation: https://www.cdc.gov/nceh/radiation/what_is.html

How to be Thankful – when everything seems crazy: https://denisepass.com/cultivating-gratitude-thankless-broken-world/

How to give yourself a restful break - https://bcbstwelltuned.com/2020/10/02/intentional-rest-what-it-really-is-and-how-to-make-the-most-of-it/

The Freedom in Obedience

 

The Freedom in Obedience

              Wow we made it through to the last of my blogs where I use songs from my past to highlight my faith questions and spiritual needs. I don’t know about you, but for me that has been a long, hot and trying summer. There have been tests, many stumbling blocks, tears and pain, but there has also been a renewal in my soul to use prayer to guide me through these times.

              I feel like everyday this summer, there has been one horrible death after another on the news. The deaths have seemed pointless, senseless, and unjust. Whether it was a toddler dying in a hot bus (Richmond, VA), a man being crushed to death on a bridge (Newport News, VA), a young mother dying in her sleep on a plane (UK), school shooting victims (Texas), etc. etc. etc. Sometimes I wonder if this is just a pre-rapture moment in time – because between you and me – these moments are becoming more and more every day. Our innocence is gone. Our earthly dominion is deeply cracked, and those cracks are decaying us at a rapid rate. I truly believe this is all due to our lack of relationship and obedience with God.

              And of course, there’s this disease in my body called cancer. It is back – still small – but still it is back. I had to give myself a time out last weekend to allow myself a safe intimate space to break down and cry. It took all the way until 7:00 p.m. on Sunday for me to let it out and scream and cry. You know who was waiting for that moment – Jesus! I know he was waiting for me to LET IT GO – because when I did, he stepped right in. He calmed me, he reassured me, he wiped my tears and gave me PEACE. Then he started giving me little affirmations.  I leaned in, I listened to his word and he started working.

              Once I let go of my “me thought” and surrendered all of this to God, I began to once again remember that our loudest call is to OBEY. Sometimes we don’t want to obey God when we are not happy about the situation that God has called us into. But in these places we are reminded of Paul’s words “ To live is Christ, to die is gain”. Maybe these words get lost in translation or through the chaos that is our daily lives. These words simply mean as long as I have breath, I have the opportunity to do work for God and to try my best to guide souls to him and that at death, I gain eternal life. That’s it! That’s our call – obey him where we are, do his work for him, guide his lost sheep and be rewarded in Heaven.

              Once this peaceful reminder hit me – well I had no choice but to let go of my fear and doubt. Because it is a reminder that we all have breath today, because Jesus isn’t done with us. When Jesus is ready to let you rest in your eternal salvation, well that will be your last day on this earth. Until then – you must live to the fullest in total obedience and find Joy even in the pain and chaos.

              We always talk about “free will” and how that is the gift we received from God. How we have the choice to believe or not believe. That free will also is given to us as to whether or not we will obey his word. It is the gift within the gift. For as we believe, truly believe, we are compelled to want to please God. That pleasing comes from our obedience. I know some of you are waking up to hurt, confusion and a sense of loss. You are questioning whether your prayers and devotion to God mean anything to him. I have been there. I walked a very long season in what I called “What’s Up God”. I lost both of my parents, my marriage and was diagnosed with Stage IV cancer in just a short span of time. I was truly lost.

              But if I had not walked through that long dark valley, I would not have God. I found him to be just and faithful. I found him to be gracious and loving. I found him to be my rock and my provider. He has never let me down. He has pulled me out of the valley and given me many mountain top moments. Yes, I am going to get treatment again, but that’s just part of life. I recall, and hold dear to my heart, that in the book of Job – God had to give permission to Satan to “touch” Job. God didn’t give this permission because he wanted to hurt Job – but he believed that Job could endure and that through the endurance his relationship with God would be even better.

    That’s my hope. That’s my plan. That’s why I choose to Obey HIM today and every day.

    The song for this week, once again comes from God. I was trying to figure out a song that ties together love and obedience, and this song title floated in my head. I dismissed it; I could not remember the words minus the main chorus. Then this morning the song played on the radio and I knew! So this is definitely an early birthday present to me from God – because I LOVED this artist growing up. So much so, that my daughter has “threatened” to play “Purple Rain” at my funeral (y’all are forewarned). I feel Prince is truly misunderstood by many. He was a very active and very devout Jehovah’s Witness and although I disagree with many of their teachings, I do recognize it as a form of Christianity. Prince had an entire album written and recorded based on his beliefs “Rainbow Children” – which isn’t all about God. He has a lot of songs about faith and God. One even titled “God”. Song’s like “The Rainbow Children”, “The Work”, “The Cross” – many songs.

    This song this week is probably one of his more known hits and surprisingly about faith. It was part of the movie “Purple Rain” and the video directors and movie producers took it out of context and converted it into a love type song. But it isn’t. It was actually written around the same time as “God” (which did not make the cut for the movie or soundtrack).

Song: I Would Die for You  - from 1984 – Songwriter Prince

I’m not a woman

I’m not a man

I am something that you’ll never understand

I’ll never beat you

I’ll never lie

And if you’re evil I’ll forgive you by and by, ‘cause

You, I would die for you, yeah

Darling, if you want me too

You, I would die for you

I’m not your lover

I’m not your friend

I am something that you’ll never comprehend

No need to worry

No need to cry

I’m your messiah and you’re the reason why, ‘cause

You, I would die for you, yeah

Darling, If you want me too

I would die for you

You’re just a sinner, I am told

Be your fire when you’re cold

Make you happy when you’re sad

Make you good when you are bad

I’m not a human

I’m a dove

I’m your conscious

I am love

All I really need is to know that you believe

Yeah, I would die for you you, yeah

Repeat

 

    I am not posting a link this week to the video of the song for a couple of reasons, one there is no official video to the song, there is footage of the song via the Movie and since the movie was Rated R – and I don’t know the age of audience, I just feel safer not posting it.  The second is that I really want you to soak in the message of our savior, Jesus Christ, dying for us – I want to end my music and message series with that – after all – that is the foundation of our faith.

    I hope you enjoyed this series. I will take a week or two off (to deal with medical stuff) and then I will return in September with a new series “Movies and Faith”. Until then, enjoy the remaining weeks of summer and keep your heart and mind rested in Christ.

Love all!

Let Your Struggles Be Your Testimony and Praise

 

Let Your Struggles Be Your Testimony and Praise

I started this Blog years ago when I had conquered the beast named Cancer the first time. I wanted to share with everyone how my belief in God allowed me to view Cancer as a blessing. Then I got cancer again and by the grace of God I beat it a second time. Now I write this post today to say  - I will battle it a third time and will beat it a third time.

As I have only ever wanted to be honest with you about the ups and downs of cancer and the strength I draw from Jesus to get through this disease, I continue to promise to be honest, even now when I am not fearful, but angry, I am not in the depths of despair, but determined, when I am no longer seeking isolation but reaching out to many for their strength and comfort. I have learned a lot in these four years with this disease. I don’t honestly know if this “different” approach is going to net me a “different” outcome, but I do know that even if cancer takes my body, it can never take my joy and peace of mind that I have only through Christ.

Two days ago, I opened up a fortune cookie and my fortune was ironic (now that I know my cancer is back). It said, “Your fears will become your greatest strengths soon.” Read that again – is that not the greatest comforting phrase. God tells us repeatedly in the bible that we are not planned and purposed for fear and doubt, that we are designed to have faith and believe that he alone has worked this all out.

I told friends recently that I felt like I was living in the “bonus”. I have seen with my own eyes how God has kept promises to me, promises he gave me when I was battling the cancer the first time and desperate to see things in my daughter’s life. I have seen them. If my “bonus” time ends sooner than I would like, I cannot allow myself to be angry at God (I am angry at Cancer), because he has never let me down.

To any non-believers please hear this out: Yesterday I am sure my report was able to be sent to me early in the day. However, my doctor waited to send it to me at 6:30 p.m. when I was pulling into the church parking lot to have my weekly bible study with my lovely Vessels. I have been teaching (and co-teaching) the Gospels and now Acts the past few weeks and it has been amazing to spread my knowledge and the ministry of Jesus with these ladies. God knew that I was going to be angry, that I would need to process “bad news” and instead of me being alone with this news, he gave it to me at a place filled with hope, love and comfort and most importantly a room full of BELIEVERS that got down on their knees (well some – let’s be honest we are some old gals and that knee thing isn’t always doable) and called out to God for my healing, in my presence and wrapped me up with hugs and encouraging thoughts and prayers. I was exactly where I needed to be. AND THAT WAS ALL GOD!

I can’t tell you that I won’t have moments of fear and doubt as I go through this again, what I can say is that I am definitely more determined, more focused and more hopeful this time. I don’t doubt that this process is meant to teach me something, show me something, teach someone else something. Nothing is by chance or unplanned. I have full faith and belief that God is about to work again on my behalf. The struggle is real, the pain will be real, the physical toll will be real – but I believe in God’s love, grace, will and timing. I don’t have to know the outcome or worry about this anymore, because he’s got this and he's got me.

Even though this disease is a part of me – let me shout it out – this CANCER DOES NOT DEFINE ME. Nope! JESUS DEFINES ME. You see getting to the part of your life, where you count it all as “Bonus” means that you accept death. Finally accepting the realities that are inevitable for all of us, frees me to live completely in this moment, plan for this moment and give this entire moment to Jesus. I live now to spread the joy of the WORD to others. I live now to demonstrate how good our GOD truly is. I plan now for joyful moments. I give nothing to the enemy. I give no time to things that try to steal my JOY. Afterall life is so precious and so fleeting. None of us are promised a tomorrow, but you woke up today and that means God still has purpose for you.

So, I am going to keep smiling about all the joys God gives me today, while laying seeds down for my future tomorrows. I trust completely in the timing of God and he knows that I have already seen my earthly blessings (the things I most wanted) and he knows how thankful I am to him for those and that I see this as the “BONUS – THE EXTRA BLESSING”, and that as stated in Psalms 23:5 “My cup runneth over”.

Don’t stop believing in miracles. Don’t stop believing in the power of prayer. Don’t give up on today, because God has so much planned for you and if he calls you home sooner than you would like, hold on to the promise that is Heaven and Eternal Salvation.

This week’s song is from Poison. LOL – I know this may shock some, especially those that think all heavy metal is bad. But I have to say I understand the song writer’s pain and anguish. The song “Something to Believe In” was released in 1990. Bret Michaels (the band’s lead singer) wrote the song after learning of the death of his friend bodyguard. The lyrics are deep and I think they express our shock and grief when bad things happen. I believe God is always looking for ways to show us “Something to Believe in”.

Lyrics:

Well I see him on the TV

Preaching ‘bout the promised lands

He tells me “believe in Jesus”

Steals the money from my hands

Some say he was a good man

Lord I think he sinned, yeah yeah

 

Twenty two years of mental fears

Cries a suicidal Vietnam vet

Who fought a losing war on a foreign shore

To find his country didn’t want him back

Their bullets took his best friends in Saigon

Our lawyers took his wife, his kids, no regrets

In a time I don’t remember

In a war he can’t forget

He cried “forgive me for what I done there

‘Cause I never meant the things I did”

 

And give me something to believe in

If there’s a Lord above

And give me something to believe in

Oh, Lord arise

 

My best friend died a lonely man

In some Palm Springs hotel room

I got the call last Christmas Eve

And they told me the news

I tried all night not to break down an’ cry

As the tears rolled down my face

I felt so cold and empty

Like a lost soul out of place

And the mirror, mirror on the wall

See my smile it fades again

 

Uh, give me something to believe in

If there’s a Lord above

Uh, give me something to believe in

Oh, Lord arise

 

Sometimes I wish to God I didn’t know now

Things I didn’t know then

Road you gotta take me home

 

I drive by the homeless sleepin’ on a cold dark street

Like bodies in an open grave

Underneath the broken old neon sign

Used to read “Jesus saves”

A mile away live the rich folk

And I see how they’re livin’ it up

But while the poor they eat from hand to mouth

The rich are drinkin’ from the golden cup

And it just makes me wonder

Why so many lose and so few win, ha

 

Give me something to believe in

If there’s a Lord above

Give me something to believe in

Oh, Lord arise

 

Yeah, sometimes I wish to God I didn’t know now

Things I didn’t know then, yeah

And give me something to believe in

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5uamDMoW4o

 

Peace be with us all!