Wednesday, November 26, 2008

I Thank God... My Mom's Cancer


Day 26... I thank God. This month has made me really think. Thank you Sue at Country Pleasures for suggesting this theme for the month. Last night, I was talking with my children and praying with them after our company left. I amazed them by thanking God for my mother's cancer. It was a most painful time in my life, in her life, and in the lives of our family members. But God!

I thank God for my mother's cancer because He used it for so much good. Here is a list of just a few of the things that I know God did with Mom's cancer.

My mother, Barbara, dedicated her life to God, and sought Him with all her heart, mind, will, and strength. She had known about God all along. Now, she gave her life to Him and set about searching the Holy Scriptures to know God. She was saved by accepting the sacrifice of Jesus for her sins and believing in Him and His word, the Bible.

My step-father accepted Jesus and was saved.
My little brother, Brent, accepted Jesus and was saved.
My mom had the opportunity to witness to people in the hospital. She was always as happy and chipper as she could be when she went for chemo. She called her doctor Eyeore and wouldn't accept his bad news that she had only a 2% chance of beating her bone cancer. She loved life and tried to enjoy even that part. She lived much longer than she was "supposed to" by pressing into God and by exploring herbal supplements in addition to the chemo.

Bless her heart, I'd been a Christian for many years, but before she died, she told me the entire Plan of Salvation. She wanted to make sure that I'd be with her in Heaven one day. She wasn't willing to leave it to chance. God bless her for it.

Mom's cancer was not a tragedy. It was a victory. She fought the good fight. She ran the race. She won. She ran into her Father's arms.

Mom's cancer gave a God fearing woman, who had been single all her life, a new husband in my step-father. She helped him through mourning and helped him continue to grow in the Lord. It was hard seeing him marry so quickly after Mom passed, but it's been a good for him.

Mom's cancer allowed two more babies to be born to be raised for God.

There are many things I'm not even aware of. In my heart and emotions, it was so painful. I miss her so much. I sometimes pray and ask Jesus to give her a message, because I don't believe in talking to the dead. I figure I cannot go wrong if I go through Jesus. I hope He'll read this post to her. ~smile~

So cancer was and is a tragedy. But God!

"And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28, The Bible

I used to think that meant for me personally. I'm coming to understand that God has a different overall view than I do. He's looking at what is best for all His people according to His purpose. I'm not going to necessarily feel like it's best at the time. I'm not necessarily going to like it. But God is going to work with it and use it all for His purpose. I thank God that He loves me so much, I am part of His purpose. With God, everything may not be alright in my circumstances; but with God, I will be alright in my circumstances.

Thank You God.




aura

2 comments:

  1. Wow, what a precious way of viewing a hard thing. God's ways are best...and yet, they are not always what we would choose. Thank you for praising Him. :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks Gentle Joy.

    Blessings to you from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,

    Laura Lane
    Harvest Lane Cottage

    ReplyDelete

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Your blog friend,
Laura Lane
5 Year Cancer Survivor