Friday, March 29, 2013

Day 341 Resurrection

I think that everyone that has been healed of cancer feels in a way that they have been resurrected, that their old life is over and gone and a new life is beginning.  I know that my new life is firmly entrenched in the love and mercy and teachings of God.  Wow.............it took cancer to get me to this point?!   A confession that, yes, it did.  BC - before cancer - I loved the Lord and I would study his word for a period of time and then slack off.  I started books and courses on the Bible and the life of Jesus and never finished them.  All that has changed now.

I am so blessed and so grateful for this second chance to prove to God just how much I love Him and how He is truly the center of my life.  There is so much to learn and so much to share and so much to do.  In Proverbs it is promised that if I keep His commandments, length of days and long life will be mine.  I need every bit of that to do all I want. 

This weekend we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus.  I guess in a way we celebrate His death as well because without it there would be no resurrection.  I don't celebrate cancer but  it brought about my own resurrection ,the change in my life that I was wanting but would probably never have happened without this dramatic event.

Precious Lord, Jehovah Rapha,
I thank You for the miracle that Your son, Jesus Christ, was.  I thank You for the sacrifice that was made for me.  If I am surprised that people pray for me, how much more surprised am I that He would die for me.  I remind myself today that I am a child of the Most High, a beloved heir to the seed of Abraham and that even though the debt was paid for my sins, I owe an even bigger debt to the One who paid that debt on my behalf. 
Let us all remember, not just this weekend, but every day for the rest of our time here on earth how much we love You and how much we are loved in return.
We love You, Lord.  We love You.
I pray in the name of the one true Messiah, Jesus Christ.
Amen

Thursday, March 28, 2013

Day 340 Prayer Angels

Yesterday I stopped by the library to pick up some cd's I had asked for.  A pretty hispanic woman checked me out and said to me, "I've been waiting for you to come in.  I want you to know that I pray for you every day."   I don't know her and don't remember discussing having cancer with her in the past but I must have.  Maybe I stopped in one time when I was hooked up to the chemo pump and we talked about it then.  I just don't remember.  Earlier this week I received an email from an artist friend of mine that I haven't seen in probably five years.  She said that she wants me to know that she prays for me and for Melanie every day and that we are at the top of her prayer list. 

What an incredible feeling it is to know that people that are not family or even close friends speak to God about me daily.  Wow!  It's like they're prayer angels, looking out for me.  I can't even begin to express how that feels.  Why me?  I guess they think that I am worthy of their time and I am so honored by that.  I think God has a special place in His heart for people that pray for others.

In the book of Job, the story is told of how Job lost his family, his wealth, and even his health.  He debated with his friends endlessly trying to understand the reason for all the devastating things that had happened to him.  At the end, the scripture says:

"And after Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before."      Job 42:9-11

I am asking you to join me today in praying for some special people that are in need of healing and I hope you will put them on your list to pray for every day.  First of all, Wendy a mother to two young boys has defeated breast cancer and is now fighting another battle with cancer.  On top of that, both sons have developed brain tumors that are at this point inoperable.  How devastating that must be.  Another "Jo" in my church is scheduled for tests on Tuesday.  Jo was healed from lung cancer twice and there are signs that it may be back.  We are believing that those scans will show no new cancer activity in her body. 

Father God, Jehovah Rapha,
You said in Exodus that You are the God who heals.  We stand on Your word and ask special healing today for four people.  Father, we ask that You erase all signs of cancer from Wendy's body.  She's a young Mom and her children need her so that they can grow up knowing You and the promise loving and honoring You holds for them.  We ask, Lord, that you shrink and erase all evidence of tumors in her young sons, Wyatt and Justin.  Let them grow in You and become a shining example of Your love and mercy. 
Lord, we ask that Your healing hands stay on Jo as she prepares for more tests.  She is 80 years old and has fought the enemy alongside You and twice defeated it.  We ask that You continue to be with her, providing comfort and reassurance until the tests prove that she does not have to deal with cancer again in her lifetime. 
Father, I ask special blessings on every person that reads this page and prays with me for these special people as they go up against the enemy, cancer.  If there is any need in the life of those praying, please minister to them and "restore their fortunes."
These things I pray in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Amen

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Day 339 Healing

"...for I AM the God who heals you."              Exodus 5:26

As I was reading this morning and referring back to connected scriptures, this one jumped out at me.  I think so much about the medical side of healing and I think so much about healing through the foods I eat and I do give God praise for my healing but it seems I always lump His healing in with the other two.

I just want to say now that it is all God and all my good and all my healing is from Him.  He has decided what form that healing takes but it is still all from Him.    In 2Kings, Naaman, an army commander who had leprosy, went to the prophet Elisha for a cure.  Elisha sent a messenger to tell Naaman to dip himself into the Jordan seven times and he would be healed.

"But Naaman went away angry and said, 'I thought that he would come out to me and stand and call on the name of the Lord his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy.' "
2Kings 5:11

Naaman was angry and disappointed that there wasn't this dramatic instant healing that he expected.  When he finally did as he was told and dipped himself into the Jordan seven times, he was healed and his skin was like that of a newborn.  I think, like Naaman, we all want a dramatic and instant healing but sometimes, that just isn't in God's plan for us.

My friend Lisa writes in her blog that she thinks God will use her to bless someone else through her journey with multiple myeloma.  The chemo has had a profound effect taking her blood from 80% multiple myeloma to only 10%.  That's pretty dramatic all on it's own but she still has the stem cell transplant to go through.  To find out more about that, read her latest blog at www.healinglisafromheaven.blogspot.com

Lisa and I both know that God chose for us to be "dipped in the Jordan seven times" rather than simply calling on the name of God for an instant cure.  We both know that God is using this journey for each of us to in some way bless others and we are grateful.

Precious Lord, Jehovah Rapha,
Thank You Father for this amazing journey.  You have shown incredible love and mercy by trusting us with such a journey and allowing us to be a blessing in Your name to others.  Our love for You grows every day as we come closer to you through the pain and discomfort, the fear and finally...the healing.   It is all You, Lord.   All our good is from You and we give You all the praise, honor and glory. 
Keep Your hand on me and on Lisa and on everyone out there fighting this enemy today.  It is only through You that our complete healing comes.  We are healed, not just in body, but in faith and in spirit as well.
Thank You, Father.  Thank You.
In the precious name of Jesus Christ, the one true Messiah.
Amen

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Day 338 Self Control

I wrote earlier this month about self discipline.  Today I need to write about self control.  Is there a difference?  Maybe only in my own mind but I think there is.  For me, this morning while I write, self discipline has more to do with forming a habit of what to do and what not to do.  Self control is the ability to over come that instant urge or desire to do something that I know I shouldn't.  Like yesterday.  Sigh.................

I confess and have asked the Lord and my body for forgiveness.  Last night after a nutritious and delicious dinner, I was seized by a desire for some candy.  I walked and paced and tried to talk myself out of it.  No, I didn't turn to God but instead gave in, drove to the little store by my house, bought two bags of candy, came home and ate both of them.  I know, people will say it's okay to indulge once in a while.  Here's the thing.  I know that an abundance of sugar and chemicals and dyes in my diet causes inflamation in the body.  I know it is not good for my kidney, liver or pancreas.  I know that I will not feel well after I eat it and that I will be draggy the next day from it and yet, I still did it. 

"Be self controlled."         1 Peter 5:8

"Do not merely listen to the Word......Do what it says."          James 1:22

When I sat down at my desk this morning to study, for some reason my Bible was laying open to James.  It's a short letter written by Jesus' half brother.  Then I read 1 Peter which follows it.  These two verses really hit home.  God's Word tells me to be self controlled and, not to just read about being self controlled, but to be it, to do it.  My health and my life are in my hands to care for as best I can.  I can read about it all day and I can write about it all day, but if I don't do it, what good is the reading and the writing?

Precious Lord, Jehovah Rapha,
Please forgive me for lack of self control yesterday that could be so unhealthy for my body.  You have answered my prayers in healing me from cancer and are in the process of healing my liver and yet I show so little gratitude that I give in to urges for foods that I know are full of  sugar and chemicals and are not good for me.
Thank You Lord for showing me the way.  Thank You for opening the Word to just the pages and scriptures that I needed to see this morning to remind me that self control is something I should strive for and, with Your help, something I can achieve.   Keep Your hand on my shoulder today Father as I go through the day, honoring You with my right actions and decisions.
In Jesus' precious name.
Amen

Monday, March 25, 2013

Day 337 Stand Up 2 Cancer

I had an absolutely wonderful weekend with my family.  Melanie and I packed lightly, were in plenty of time for trips so there was no rush, had a nice flight with good neighbors in the seats next to us and it was everything I had hoped for.  Thank You Father.

At the airport yesterday, I went to the news stand to pick up something to read on the flight home.  The cover of the latest Time Magazine is all about a cure for cancer.   I started to pick it up and then decided not to.  I've dealt enough with cancer and didn't want to end the trip thinking about it, even if it was a hopeful article.  So, I picked up a gossip magazine and delved into the senseless lives of celebrities and wannabe celebrities.  Totally enjoyable and valuable to nothing. 

This morning I started to look for information on the Time article and ended up at the www.standup2cancer.org website.   This organization was started by Katie Couric and some other "celebrities" with personal experiences with cancer.  As you may or may not know, Katie's husband died with colon cancer back in the late 90's.   Anyway, there is so much interesting information there.  Referring to the Time article, I gathered that it is mostly about the uniting of huge groups of specialists to research together rather than individially looking for a cure.  There is an article on SU2C of over 900 women being cured of breast cancer by the use of a new treatment that can target only the cancer cell without requiring debilitating chemo and damaging healthy cells.   The number of colon cancer patients can be cut in half with timely exams.  That and so much more.  A cure is on the way. 

God would never have created this most intricate of designs that our body is without including a way to correct whatever might go wrong with it.  I know that in my heart as an absolute fact.  Day by day, He is inspiring researchers and guiding them in the right direction to discover the solutions that will defeat this hated enemy forever.  What an exciting time we are living as the cure to killing cancer totally is just beyond the horizon.

Precious Lord, Jehovah Rapha,
You are the God who heals and I know that right now you are showing the way to healing cancer with new medical discoveries every day.  I ask Your blessings today on each of those researchers as they open their minds to Your inspiration.   Father, I thank You for the supernatural healings that are happening every day as we open our own minds to the healing Spirit that You have place within each of us.  Teach us better how to access that healing through faith and belief in what You can do and what You have enabled us to do. 
No matter which way our healing comes, Lord, I just thank You for showing us the way to it.  You are the God who heals.
I ask these things in the precious name of Jesus Christ, the one true Messiah.
Amen

Thursday, March 21, 2013

Day 333 Restoration

I woke this morning in a deep blue funk.   Have no idea why... I just did.   I have a huge case of the "donwannas" but I managed to shove it aside to study His word and to read a couple of daily devotionals.    It didn't totally restore me to my normal good humor but I'm on my way.   I have no intention of giving in to it and letting it ruin the rest of this gorgeous day for me. 

My precious daughter and niece are treating me to a trip to Atlanta this weekend.  We're leaving very very early in the morning and back Sunday so I won't be journaling tomorrow.   My poor Chipper will board at the vet and I'm already dreading trying to get him into the car.  He's so old and his hips are bad but I'm sure we'll manage.  I've been dreading the flight as well but my church family prayed for me last night for a safe and easy trip and that eased my concern a little.  I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that I've spent so many months here in my house it has become a sort of refuge and I feel vulnerable leaving it.

I grew up in Venezuela and at a very early age started flying regularly between the US and Maracaibo.  Back then the airplane seats were comfortable with lots of leg room, no carryon luggage, good food, happy stewardesses as they were called and every one looked forward to a trip and dressed nicely for it.   Another story today.  Rush, crush, and pray for a quick trip. 

I'm looking forward to spending time with my daughter.  She and I share a special love of the Lord and our time together is so precious to me.   Okay, thinking about that, now I'm starting to get excited and I think I'm looking forward to the trip.  Not just that but visiting my sweet Jamie in Atlanta and seeing her children for the first time in years is going to be great.  Thinking about tomorrow, my good humor is now restored and I think I'm ready to get on with a blessed, creative and productive day.   I wish the same for all of you.

Precious Lord, Jehovah Rapha,
You are the God who heals and Your healing isn't just for our bodies but sometimes for our spirit as well.  Thank You so much that I have this journal and friends that I can turn to so that I can reason out what is bothering me and then You take it and turn it around for me.  
Lord, there is so much illness in this world of yours and so much of it is our own doing.   Please forgive us for not honoring You with our bodies.  Please continue to enlighten us as to what we can do to be at our best always, both physically and emotionally.
And help us today, Father, to slow down and just love You.
In Jesus' precious name,
Amen

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Day 332 A New Beginning

When I met with Dr. Manji last week, he told me that having contacted colon cancer at my age and, obviously having had it for a while, I am lucky to be alive.   This morning I woke to the sound of rain and then the sun came out, flowers were smiling, birds were singing and the skies were blue and I knew how lucky and grateful I am to be alive. 

"I will send down the flowers in their season; they shall be showers of blessings."  Ezekiel 34:26



I am sometimes overwhelmed by God's goodness.  People at church know that my eyes leak ........a lot.  I cry at the beauty of God's earth, I cry at His goodness in giving me healing and allowing me more time here on earth to serve Him.   I feel like I am showered daily with His blessings and I am so grateful. 

Today is the vernal equinox, the first day of spring.   I almost feel like January 1 should come in the spring when everything around us in a state of renewal.  What a glorious time for new beginnings and starting over.  God reminds us over and over that no matter how far we stray,  He is always there waiting to welcome us back into His loving and forgiving arms,

Father God, Jehovah Rapha,
Thank You for giving us chance after chance to do it over, to start over and to correct our past mistakes, leaving them behind as You erase them from Your mind.
Forgive us Father for the lapses we have made in honoring You with our good health and for taking it for granted.   Thank You for giving us each a chance to learn from all the knowledge You are inspiring and for changing our ways so that we can better serve You.
Lord, please touch each of our friends and loved ones fighting cancer today.  Show them how they can best support the treatment they are receiving from the medical staff.  Instill in their hearts the courage to fight this hated enemy so that cancer is erased from their body completely never to return.
And remind us daily Lord, in our busy days, to slow down.........and just love You.
In Jesus' precious name, the name above all names.
Amen

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Day 331 Length of Days

When I see the word "length of days" I always think of long life.  In a devotional that I read recently, it was pointed out that since God used "length of days" and "long life" together in this verse in Proverbs, "length of days" must mean time or hours in the day.  That thought has stayed with me.

"My daughter (pardon me for personalizing), forget not my law, but let your heart keep my commandments.  For length of days and long life and peace shall they add to you."  Proverbs 3:1,2

My days still seem to end a lot earlier than I would like them to as the effects of chemo are slowly but surely clearing out.  I had plans yesterday to go to the Y to walk on the treadmill and when I got there I just didn't have the energy to get out of the car so I drove back home and hit the couch.  My prayer this week will be for longer days so that I can squeeze in the prayer and study time, paint time, and exercise.   Notice I conveniently left out any reference to housework. 

For the past two weeks while Pastor RO was on a mission trip to Romania, Rosemary, who leads the music ministry, has delivered the Sunday morning message.  Let me say first of all, that we don't have a quickie service at our church.  There is an hour of praise and worship music followed by the message which usually runs about an hour.  So that means that for last Sunday's service, Rosemary planned an extensive music program, practiced with the singers, and put together a wonderful message about loving God.  All this while working a full time job.  That, to me, is a pretty good example of God lengthening someone's days. 

So, for each of us this week, I am asking for, not just long life, but length of days so that we have more time to do what we need to do and time to do what we want to do and then time to slow down and just love Him.

Father God, Jehovah Rapha,
We thank You Lord for this gorgeous day and each and every hour in this day in which to do more, to accomplish more and to just love You more.
You are the God who heals and we thank You for that healing, giving us another opportunity to make the best of our time here on this wonderful earth that You thought into existence.  Help us to honor You as we learn to better care for our health, doing our part in gratitude for the life You have given us.
You are great.  You are wonderful.  You are our all.
In Jesus' precious name,
Amen

Monday, March 18, 2013

Day 330 Don't You Know...........?

In Paul's first letter to the church in Corinth, he said:

"Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you?  ...For God's temple is sacred, and you are that temple."  1Corinthians 3:16

I have to keep reminding myself of what I have been through and the gift that good health is.  How easy is would be to go back to old ways of eating drive thru and drinking diet sodas thinking that because I wasn't overeating and because the sodas were "sugar free", it was okay and that it was doing my body good.   Silly girl.

I only have this one body but God has given me another chance to prove to Him how grateful I am and to do what I can to care for it as best as possible.  There is so so so much information available to us through the internet and even through Facebook, for goodness sake.  I saw a post this morning about fighting cancer attributed to Johns Hopkins.  It wasn't from Johns Hopkins but I agree with every single thing on the long post.  It was about eating to establish an alkaline environment in our bodies instead of acid, eating fresh fruits and veggies, limiting sugar and salt, avoiding meats full of hormones and antibiotics, exercising to oxygenize (not sure that's a word but works for me) our blood and body.  

I have watched The Bible for the last three weeks and was so excited that it covered Daniel last night.  I first came to love the Old Testament through the book of Daniel.  There is so much more to the Old Testament than just interesting stories and lots of killing and this is a good place for anyone to start to find that out.   When Daniel and his friends were taken from Jerusalem back to Babylon along with other healthy young men that were being groomed to serve the king, they were fed food and wine from the king's table.   Daniel asked the guards to bring him and his friends only vegetables to eat and and water to drink for ten days and at the end of the ten days they looked healthier and stronger than any of the other men who had been eating from the king's table.

God is so good to show us even through these ancient writings the benefits of eating plant based diets.  I'm not saying that everyone should be vegan.  What I'm saying is that it seems to me that there is more and more proof every day that a diet based primarily on vegetables can have a huge positive impact on our overall health.  Hmmmm...........what to eat today?  I love roasted veggies.... peppers, onions, carrots, sweet potatoes, zucchini sprayed with a little olive oil and salted and roasted in the oven to bring out their natural sugars and flavor.   What are you eating today?

Precious Lord, Jehovah Rapha,
Thank You for revealing more and more to us every day about the healing properties of the foods you have created.  I believe that in the divine order You put into place in the universe, You placed healing for every disease.  Help us to keep those foods You have given us pure and free of harmful chemicals and dyes whose only purpose is to encourage us to eat more than our body calls for.
Father, You are Jehovah Rapha, the God who heals and we thank You for that healing.  We thank You for the knowledge You have given the medical community and the self control and self discipline You have placed within each of us to treat our bodies with respect and to honor You with the care that we give ourselves.
We love You, Lord, and we give You all the praise, honor, and glory.
In the precious name of Jesus Christ,
Amen

Friday, March 15, 2013

Day 327 PRAISE GOD!

I guess you can tell from the heading that I received good news yesterday.  I have felt like I had a cloud over me the last few months and yesterday I emerged from under it with God's glory on the other side.

At the halfway mark through chemo, the cancer markers in my blood went up instead of down and the enzymes in my liver started to go up.  A petscan showed no new cancer but both indicators of trouble stayed up.  At the end of chemo in December, cancer markers were down just a tiny bit but liver enzymes up even higher.  Two months off from chemo and cancer markers were down but liver enzymes had shot up to three times where they should be.  Both my oncologist and Dr. Manji thought I had chemo induced hepatitis.  Sigh........ 

The results yesterday were unexpected and still expected.  Dr. Manji said the ultrasound showed no abnormalities and my liver is functioning fine.  Six vials of blood and ten blood tests later, no sign of hepatitis and, even though enzymes are still high, they are way down from two weeks ago.  He is astounded by both the high enzymes and the lowered enzymes.  He said the only thing he can think of is that it is from the chemo and it has taken longer than expected for it to clear my body and quit effecting me.  Isn't it strange that after healing from surgery and cancer, I had to heal from chemo. 

I see God's hand in this.  I prayed for that healing and my family prayed and my church prayed and my friends prayed and unknown friends who follow this journey prayed and I had the elders of the church anoint me with oil and pray over me.  In the meantime, I did my part taking the best care of my body that I could.  God heard the prayers and blessed me with these good results and I am so incredibly grateful.  I feel like my life has been on hold waiting for the results of yet another test and at this point I don't have to wait any more. 

Of course, I'll repeat the tests in another month but I'm sure they'll show even better results and in May more tests for my oncologist but I know those will show still better results. 

Thank you to everyone who prays with me and has prayed for me.  Know that your prayers were heard and answered.  And don't forget.....slow down and just love Him.

Precious Lord, Jehovah Rapha,
You are indeed the God who heals.  You knew my fears and you comforted me.  You knew my disease and you erased it.  You have given me a new life, one of greater love, greater faith and greater understanding.  I bow before You in humble gratitude for all that You have done for me. 
It is all You, Father.  All You.
In the name of Jesus Christ, the living God.
Amen

Thursday, March 14, 2013

Day 326 Today's The Day

This afternoon is my appt with Dr. Manji to find out what damage the chemo has done to my liver and whether it is in the process of healing itself by God's hand or if my healing is going to come again through medications.  Here's the strange thing about it.   I feel good.  I know that hepatitis has been called "the silent killer" but so has cancer and the Lord and I kicked that so I'm sure we will kick this as well.

I do have to admit I'm a little nervous waiting for the appt this afternoon.  It was in this same office and same doctor that I first received a diagnosis of colon cancer last April 23rd.  What a lot has happened since then.   Surgery to remove six inches of colon, then six months of a debilitating chemo.  Three months off chemo and here I am back waiting to hear what the tests reveal.

God always puts words of encouragement in front of me whenever I need them.  Early in my diagnosis, my art friend Cliffa sent me a leather bound copy of a beautiful book called Streams in the Desert by L. B. Cowman.  Today's devotional said this:

"Do not be afraid to enter the cloud descending on your life, for God is in it.  And the other side is radiant with His glory."

Then I was led to a scripture in Joshua but one near it jumped out at me telling me:

"Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and courageous.  Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."  Joshua 1:9

How great He is to always make sure that I am comforted and reassured of His loving and healing presence.  And I am.   So lunch today with my dear friend Terri who loves the Lord as I do and then off to see Dr. Manji. 

Precious Lord, Jehovah Rapha,
Father I thank You for Your presence in my life, Your healing spirit that You have placed within me and the increasing faith that You give me every day as I study Your word.  Thank You Lord for Your word that comes to us inspired, transcribed and a answer for every care. 
I thank You Father for the healing I've experienced along this journey and thank You for the continued healing as my body heals from the effects of the chemotherapy.
You are Jehovah Rapha, the God who heals.  I surrender all my cares and concerns to You today Lord.  I thank You that by Your stripes, I AM healed.
In Jesus' precious name.
Amen

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Day 325 Self Discipline

It's difficult.  I know exactly what I need to do.  I know the foods I need to eat to starve the cancer cells in my body.  I share that knowledge here and as often as I can, but do I do it?   I try.  I try hard.   I keep those thoughts with me daily but still it isn't easy.   I am tempted by the smell of fried food when I pass McDonald's, fried chicken when I go past a KFC, and my car wants to pull in every time I pass a Sonic for a large Diet Dr.Pepper with extra crushed ice.  I want to turn to donuts and candy and ice cream when I'm stressed.   I don't have to search for knowledge about what healing food to feed my body and what foods to avoid.  The information comes to me from all directions, telling me what these foods do to strengthen my body and enhance my health.  It tells me that too much protein and meals high in sodium can damage my kidney, liver and heart and too much sugar can damage my pancreas.   I know that the chemicals and dyes man puts into my food can damage my body.   Yet I long for those things.  I am not saying that what we eat is the sole cause of cancer, disease and organ failure but I am saying it can be a huge contributor.  Why, then, don't we all do everything we can to keep our bodies as healthy as possible?  We probably all know the answer to that.

"Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self control."   Proverbs 25:28

For me, I am finding it easier to not focus on what not to eat and instead to focus on what is best for me to eat.  As I bring more and more of the antiangiogenesis foods into my diet, I am automatically eliminating those that either do nothing for my health or harm my health.

 
Daniel eliminated foods that didn't contribute to his health and instead focused on those which made him healthier and stronger.  More and more is being proven that certain foods help eliminate the blood supply to cancer cells which means a lot to me.  For more information about these foods, go to www.eattodefeatcancer.com .   Just try daily to bring more and more of them into your diet.  God's food heals and if we ask, he'll give us the self-control, the self-discipline, the strength to back off of the harmful foods and, like Daniel, prove how healthy and strong we can become eating His foods.
 
"But the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness and self-control."
Galatians 5:22
"For the spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline."
2 Timothy 1:7
"The Lord stood by me and gave me strength."   2 Timothy 4:17
 
Precious Lord, Jehovah Rapha,
You are the God that heals.  You are showing us daily that by eating Your food, we can live a stronger, longer and healthier life.  You are the one who gives us strength to avoid the foods that do nothing to enhance our lives.  We turn to You Lord in deepest gratitude for the wisdom You are giving us daily, the self-discipline and self-control to become the best that we can be for You.
Thank You.  Thank You. Thank You.
In Jesus' name and loving gratitude we pray.
Amen

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Day 324 Praise Report

I am so excited to report good news about my friend Frank.  We have prayed for Frank many times as he went through chemo and radiation for inoperable lung cancer.   The good report that we  prayed for yesterday, God granted.  His three month checkup revealed that the tumor in his lungs has continued to shrink, even after being off treatment for several months.  What an awesome God we serve to hear and answer our prayers.  Frank was told to go home, gain some weight back and just enjoy life. 

This is my beautiful friend Lisa who is fighting multiple myeloma.
 
She is trying on wigs as she gets ready for a 5 week stay at MDA where her stem cells will be harvested in preparation for shutting down her immune system before reimplanting the stem cells.  Lisa is already on chemo and is way ahead of  schedule in her treatment.  God is so good.  Lisa also posts to an online journal and if you would like to follow her journey, you can at www.healinglisafromheaven.blogspot.com .

Please join me as we pray for continued healing for Frank and Lisa and for all our friends fighting this terrible enemy.  And don't forget to slow down and just love Him.

Precious Lord, Jehovah Rapha,
We just want to thank You and give You all the praise, honor and glory for the healing that is taking place in Lisa and Frank right now as Your healing spirit moves mightily within them.  You said that after having done all, to just stand.  Frank is standing.  He is standing on Your word and on Your promises.   Lisa, Father, stands on Your word and on Your promises.  We know that you are giving them strength to continue this battle to complete victory over the enemy.  You have given us authority over all the powers of the enemy and we know, Father, that cancer is a power of the enemy. 
Thank You for the power to trample it under our feet. 
You are the one true God and we love You.  We thank You for another day here on this glorious earth.
Thank You, Father.  Thank You.
In the precious name of Jesus Christ, the name above cancer, the name above pain, the name above all names.
Amen

Monday, March 11, 2013

Day 323 More Lord

The last two weeks have been sort of up and down for me.  I was scheduled to have blood work done on Wednesday to meet with my doctor today for a diagnosis on what is going on with my liver.  After ordering 10 blood tests that required six, yes SIX vials of blood, it turns out that the tests take longer than usual and I won't be able to see the dr. until Thursday.

After being upset, feeling abandoned and in a deep funk for a few days, I am out of it, feeling good and back where I need to be spiritually, emotionally and, I think, physically.  I know that the chemo is damaging and on occasion I can feel remnants of it still in my body and I feel that is what is causing the elevated enzymes in my liver.  It is not hepatitis C.  I feel too good for it to be anything like that.  I've been through too much with the chemo to have a condition that requires meds with similar side effects.  Enough already.

Yesterday at church was so fulfilling.  Ann sang a beautiful song about "More Lord" and wanting more of Him.  In the afternoon I was reading and this verse in Matthew came up.

"Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance.  Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him."  Matthew 13:12

Jesus made this statement when the disciples asked why He was speaking to the people in parables.  I have looked up several commentaries.  Some says it refers to the grace and knowledge of God.  Some say it refers to prosperity.  I sort of lean in the direction of the study and knowledge of God, the seeking for more knowledge being rewarded with even greater understanding and grace as opposed to those who have no interest in knowing God.

As with most things this past year, I also look at almost everything in relation to health.  God has given us so much knowledge about how to keep our bodies healthy and is giving us more and more knowledge every day of the healing in the foods He has given us.  We have distorted those foods, injected them with harmful dyes and chemicals, fattened and drugged them and we wonder why cancer is invading like a virus.  I just feel like the more we strive to learn about how to care for and protect the bodies He gave us, and put that knowledge into practice, the more we will be rewarded with improved health.  Reject or take no interest in that knowledge and we run the risk of losing whatever good health we have.  I don't know about you, but I want more good health.

I told you last week that friend Frank went on Wednesday for a catscan.  He'll be meeting with his doctors today.  Please join me in praying for a good report for Frank that will amaze his doctors and everyone except those who know that Frank is a child of the Most High and that God is still in the miracle business. 

Thank you for praying with me and don't forget to slow down and take time to just love Him.

Precious Lord, Jehovah Rapha,
We thank You that Your hand is with Frank today as he meets with his doctors.  We know that Your healing mercies are moving mightily within him and he has come a long way already in his healing.
We thank You also Lord for another day on this gorgeous earth that You spoke into being.  You established an order that included healing.  Let us honor You each day as we study to learn more about how to keep our bodies healthy and to practice those things that add to our health and not that destroy our health.
We love You Father and give You all the praise, honor and glory.
In Jesus' precious name.
Amen

Friday, March 8, 2013

Day 320 Live Long and Prosper

Wonder where you've heard those words before?  Your answer might be Star Trek and that might be right.  Wonder where the writer of Star Trek got those words?  From Deuteronomy!

I was still reading in the Old Testament this morning to get to the fall of Jericho so I'll be caught up and ready for Part 2 of The Bible on the History Channel on Sunday.  Deuteronomy is one of five books attributed to Moses and it is part of the Chronology of the Bible from Genesis right through Esther.

Two verses stood out for me this morning and that is what my prayer time was centered on.  The first is Deuteronomy 30:16

"For I command you today to love the Lord, your God, to walk in His ways and to keep His commands and laws; then you will live and increase and the Lord will bless you in the land you are entering to possess." 

Even before He expects us to obey His laws and commands, He want us to love him.  It comes first. For me, the land I am "entering to possess" is one of good health.   Then I looked back at Deuteronomy 5:30 and it says if I walk in the way the Lord has commanded (to love Him and obey His laws), I will live and prosper and prolong my days, in other words I will love long and prosper.  Thank You Father.

I wrote last week of God speaking to me while I was reading a scripture.  I came to the word "love" in the scripture and He flashed this thought in my mind:  "Slow down and just love me."  Here in Deuteronomy He again tells me to love Him.  I think He is wanting me to feel that love, to just close my eyes and feel love emanating from my heart to Him and to everything He has created.  My prayers now always start with my deepest professions of love for Him and I feel it and it is as comforting to send out love as it is to feel His love coming back to me.

Father God, Jehovah Rapha,
Thank You for Your Word.  Your Word comes to us inspired and written and handed down through generations and it comes to us new and fresh and imprinted on our minds, reminding us that the most important thing we can do is to love You.  Jesus said that the most important commandment was to love You with all our heart and this we do. 
We thank You for your promises of healing, good health, and long days if we love You and we stand on those promises today.  We stand on them for the healing of cancer in every one of Your children fighting that enemy.  We stand on them as You give us the land of good health and long life that we are entering to possess.
Thank You, Father, for loving us and for caring for us and for giving us Your Word so that we may know the right way to go.
In Jesus' precious name, the name above all names.
Amen

Thursday, March 7, 2013

Day 319 www.LoveYourButt.org

No, don't worry.  I'm not promoting a porn site or a weight loss or exercise site.  www.loveyourbutt.org is the website for Chris4Life, a charitable foundation donated to colorectal cancer awareness.   As a matter of fact, March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month.  If you were following me way back when, you know I was a little frustrated over the fact that colon cancer had none of the pretty pink ribbons and bling and high profile spokespersons that breast cancer has.  I worried that if there was a symbol, it would probably be an ugly brown ribbon.  Wah wah.  Well, I'm happy to announce that there is a colorful beautiful symbol and here it is.
The theme is to get a colonscopy, that it's much easier than chemo and I'm here to testify that that statement is so true.  At church last night, Pastor RO asked if I could have made it this far without God in my life and I answered truthfully that, no, I couldn't have done it without Him.  But I was reminded too that a couple of times I had called my daughter crying that I was so sick that she could just drop me off at hospice and let me die.  Uh oh, here I go with the pity party again.   And then there's Sadie.  Nothing like the bravery of a child fighting this horrible enemy to really put things in perspective.
 
Precious Sadie has finished her treatment at St. Judes for brain cancer and is headed back home to Texas.  This picture was taken her last evening at the Ronald McDonald House. 



Please join me in prayer for her and her family as she continues her fight at home.  I just learned that Sadie is only home until March 23rd and then it'll be back to St. Jude's for more treatment.  And remember Valerie Harper who played Rhoda in the old Mary Tyler Moore Show.  She has been given a short time to live because of brain cancer after defeating lung cancer several years ago.  

I was reading in Exodus this morning as a followup to seeing The Bible on Sunday night.  The Israelites had to fight the Amalekites over and over and over.  It was sort like the cancer that can reappear at a time of weakness.  The note in my study Bible said this:

"Like many of the challenges of our lives, the enemy is not destroyed in a single battle but through a series of encounters over a long period of time."

My prayer today is that when God destroys cancer in any of us, that it be so completely obliterated that it never returns. 

Thank you for praying with me today and don't forget..... slow down and just love Him.

Precious Lord, Jehovah Rapha,
Thank You for this beautiful day.  Thank You for your unending love that guides, heals, prospers and comforts us every day of our lives.  You are our everything and we couldn't make it through without You.
Today Father, we thank You for the healing happening right now in Sadie's body.  We thank You that the healing is so complete that every cancer cell is totally destroyed never to return.  Bless her and her Mom as they travel home safely and help them get their lives back to normal quickly.
Lord, once cancer has invaded our lives, it is hard to take the focus off of it.  Help each of us that has ever been touched by it to be able to completely turn that focus on to You and to honor You daily with taking better care of the body You have given us, the body that was bought and paid for by the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross.
We love You Lord.  We love You.  We love You.
In Jesus' precious name we pray.
Amen

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Day 318 Another Word for Me

Today's word came through my morning study.  Since I watched Part 1 of The Bible Sunday night, I have been reading the part of the Bible that was covered in that particular show.  Monday and Tuesday I read through Genesis and this morning started in Exodus.  As usual there was a verse that jumped out.

"He said, 'If you listen carefully to the voice of the Lord your God and do what is right in His eyes, if you pay attention to His commands and keep all His decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians for I am the lord, who heals you.' "       Exodus 15:26

Then later on in another reading, I read this.

"I am the Lord your God who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go."  Isaiah 48:17

When I put the two together, it tells me that He heals but He also teaches us what we should do not to need that healing.  Some cancer is hereditary but even with that, there are so many things we can do to shore up our immune system, so many things we can avoid in our diets and daily activities that give cancer an opening from which to jump in and take over. 

I know for myself all the things I have done.  A colonoscopy years before could have saved me surgery and chemo and, believe me, that would have been much easier.  Even though I knew better, I thought because I was strong and healthy, I could still eat the foods that weren't good for me and escape the consequences.  Not so, Little Grasshopper.  There is a consequence to pay for everything we do that doesn't in some way enhance the good health that God gave us. 

Father, forgive me for not honoring You in taking better care of my body.  My life here on earth is a gift from You and I promise to be aware daily of what I am doing to keep it healthy so that I may better serve you.

Since I'm back on track this week after floundering in a puddle of self pity last week... Monday was 2 miles on the treadmill.  I'm doing better since I started this after finishing chemo.  The first trips I couldn't walk a mile without having to stop.  Getting stronger.  Yesterday was gentle yoga.  My core feels stronger this morning and my posture is much more erect.  Yay.

Today is bloodwork for my next Dr. visit to see if the liver enzymes have started going back toward normal.  I am believing that they have and, if not, that there is just an inflammation of the liver from the chemo and it will be quickly healed.  Thank You, Father.

I want to catch you up on friend Frank who was diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer late last year.  He has gone through chemo and radiation and is scheduled today for a cat scan to decide what direction to go with his treatment now.  Please join me in prayer for Frank that the scan reveals that cancer is on its way out and God's healing is taking place in his body right now.

Thank you for praying with me and remember to slow down and just love Him.

Precious Lord, Jehovah Rapha,
We thank You for the wonderful person that Frank is...a great husband and father and a child of yours.  We thank You today for the healing that is taking place in his body right now and thank you for the good news that You bring to him and his family through his doctors.
Lord, we are so grateful for another day here on this beautiful earth.  Thank You for teaching us.  Thank You for healing us.  Thank You for loving us.  We love you too.
In Jesus' precious name, the name above all names.
Amen

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Day 317 Zephaniah? What's that?

One of the devotionals I read in the morning had a verse from Zephaniah.  I really didn't even remember that Zephaniah was a book in the Old Testament.  Shows how much I don't know about the Bible.  Anyway, it's a short book and I thought I should probably read it.

Zephaniah was a prophet who preached the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians.  As I read through, as with many of the prophet books, there was a lot of pain and suffering but always redemption by the Lord. 

"....He has turned back your enemy."  Zephaniah 3:15.

I know who and what my enemy is. 

"The Lord your God is with you. He is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you,  He will quiet you with His love,
He will rejoice over You with singing."   Zephaniah 3:17

Even in the remotest and least read parts of the Bible are promises of God's love, protection and healing.  I am happy to report that my spirit is settled about last week's tests and the reports to come.  I know that I serve an awesome God, a living and loving God who knows every hair on my head and who has great plans for me.   This morning I feel excited to see what He has planned next for me.  I know that His plans are for good.   As I study and grow in His word, I remember His word to me ...... to slow down and just love Him.   And, I do.

PreciousLord, Jehova Rapha,
I love You.  You have given me a life that is filled with daily wonders and new discoveries of Your loving kindness and I am grateful.  I bow down before You in gratitude for another day here on this beautiful earth where the breezes blow and the Son shines.
I ask Your healing mercies today on everyone fighting the enemy, cancer.   It seems like there are more and more people every day involved in this battle.  Thank You for showing us how to better care for our body as we prepare to keep the enemy at bay. 
Thank You, Father, for all You do for us every day. 
In blessed humility, we bow down before You.
In Jesus' name we pray.
Amen

Monday, March 4, 2013

Day 316 Back on Track

Last week was a loss after Wednesday, feeling sorry for myself over the possibility of hepatitis brought on by the chemo for colon cancer.  I never cried over having cancer, only over feeling so bad from the treatments.  I was still a little weepy when I got to church yesterday but as usual, God knew exactly what I needed to hear.   Pastor RO spoke on miracles first of all which just sort of settled my spirit.  Then he spoke on enlarging our territory and I gave testimony about this online journal and the people that are following from all over the world.  I am so privileged to have this platform from which to share what He has meant to me through this journey and how He has brought me through it.

As God commanded, I was annointed with oil by the elders of the church who prayed for me.  I went home feeling so uplifted.  If anyone reading this does not have a church, please pray and let God guide you to one that ministers to you.  Or, if you are in a church where you aren't being filled with His teaching and the Holy Spirit, ask God to guide you to one where you will be.  It is so important to your healing.

This morning's devotional started with the words: "Evil never surrenders its grasp without a tremendous fight."   I know that the enemy has had me in it's sight for a while but I have stayed faithful and will always stay faithful.  God is my love, my savior and my all.  Sometimes I feel like Job.  I know that letting that glimmer of fear enter my mind gives the enemy a foothold so I am quick to deny it and affirm God's healing whenever it works its way into my thoughts.  I know that I will come out of this a shining example of His love.

Job 23:10-12 says:
"But when He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I will come forth as gold.
My feet have closely followed his steps; I have kept to His way without turning aside.  I have not departed from the commands of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my daily bread."

He is such an awesome God.  Don't forget to slow down and just love Him.

Precious Lord, Jehovah Rapha,
Thank You for another glorious day here on earth.  Thank You for Your Word so that we have somewhere to turn when we are in fear or despair.  Thank You for the healing You promised and thank You for loving us. 
Lord, I kneel before You in loving acknowledgement that You are my all.  Without You Lord, I am lost with no idea of which way to go.  Thank You for Your guidance, the hope You instill in my heart and the strength to fight the enemy which is trying to destroy all of us.
In the precious name of Jesus Christ, the name above all names.
Amen

Friday, March 1, 2013

day 313 Pity Party of One

I went to the gastro on Wednesday.  He said that the elevated enzymes were almost three times what they should be.  I, of course, have been all over the internet asking for info on elevated liver enzymes following chemo and all the personal responses I found were from patients with colon cancer who had the same treatment I had.  Dr. Manji confirmed that and thinks it is chemo induced hepatitis, either B or C.  I haven't researched the difference yet or the treatment. 

He sent me for an ultrasound yesterday and I'll have bloodwork again on the 11th.  I guess at that point I'll find out for sure what's going on.  I came home from the ultrasound yesterday and curled up in a ball on the couch and stayed there for the rest of the day.

Poor poor me.  There is a downside to working out of my home.  The upside is that if I want to spend one hour, two hours, three hours with God in the mornings, I can do that.  The downside is that if I don't want to pray or study and just want to lay in a stupor feeling sorry for myself, I can do that too.  So that's what I did yesterday.  I thought I was through with doctors and meds.  Not another challenge.  By nightime, I knew that one day wasted was more than enough and had to ask forgiveness for that with plans to get back to normal today.

This morning I opened the little daily devotional that I usually start my study time with.  Since I didn't read it yesterday, I went there first.  "PACK UP YOUR SORROWS".  Oh my goodness, the Lord always knows exactly what I need. 

"Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows....He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement for our peace was upon Him and by His stripes we are healed."  Isaiah 53:4-5

Then I turned to today's reading and the heading was "EXPECT GREAT THINGS".

"Hebrews tells of those 'who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong' " Hebrews 11:33-34

How awesome is this God I serve that He never fails to provide the encouragement that I need if I just let Him.  He reminds me that whatever it is I face, it is nothing compared to what He dealt with and because of that I am healed.  No matter the outcome, I am His child and He loves, protects and inspires me every day of my life and I am grateful.

He also reminds me to slow down and just love Him.

Precious Father, Jehovah Rapha,
I love You so much.  Sometimes I am so filled with love for You that it is hard to contain.  I thank You for showing me how important it is to just sit and feel that love, to bask in it and then to send it out to the world that You thought into being.
Lord, precious Bethany, the 12 year old girl with liver cancer that we prayed for in the last few weeks, has gone to be with you.  We ask that Your comforting arms enfold her family as they deal with living without her in this world. 
Father, You know that cancer is the enemy.  It is proliferating like a virus among Your children.  You have given us authority over all the powers of the enemy and we take authority today as we command cancer to take it's hands off Your children.  Show us the way to care for our bodies to protect against it in the same way that we care for our souls, keeping You in mind and the sacrifice You made of Your body for ours. 
These things we pray in the name of Jesus Christ, the name above all names.
Amen