Day 9: July 27, 2017 Growing up, I learned to speak “Christianese” as a second language. In fact, by the time I made it through elementary school, I’m certain I was fluent in it. Words like salvation, justification and sanctification were all part of the norm. The phrase “and it came to pass” rings with… Continue reading When It Doesn’t Come to Pass
Day 6: July 12, 2017 From my childhood, I have heard the story of Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego and the fiery furnace. As an adult, I thought I knew everything there was to know about it, and quite frankly, I felt like I had outgrown it. Until I heard someone highlight the verse that would later… Continue reading A Childhood Story Revisited
Even If Day 5: July 11, 2017 On March 3, 2017, we found out there was a spot on Austin’s brain that may be a new tumor. A little over a month later, days before Easter, the doctor called to tell us that it was indeed a relapse of his medulloblastoma – brain cancer. The… Continue reading Even If
Day 4: July 10, 2017 I awoke this morning to my heart in knots. My sleep tracker says I was restless for 4 hours and 17 minutes and only slept for 4.5 hours. I tossed and turned and dreamed in fits. Oh, if I could never dream again, I think I would! Seriously, I often… Continue reading Monday
Day 3: July 9, 2017 Yesterday was Saturday. I officially titled it “chore day.” After the kids being gone for camp and trips with grandparents, followed by a week of chemo, it was time to put things back in order. So, after sleeping in and lazing their way through breakfast, we went to work –… Continue reading The Gift of Normalcy
Day 2: July 8, 2017 I thought I already knew that God loves me, I mean really loves me. I grew up singing “Jesus, loves me, this I know,” but in my teens and early twenties, I followed after things that could never satisfy and was met with a lot of shame. But God —… Continue reading Lessons Cancer is Teaching Me
Day 1: July 7, 2017 I have been holding back my words. It has been months since I have written a blog post – since before we found out Austin’s cancer had relapsed. I wrote in the “waiting,” but then when we knew, I just couldn’t bring myself to write. I couldn’t put anything into… Continue reading The Writing Challenge
I feel like I live on that mountain. The full story of Abraham’s test on the mountain can be found in Genesis 22:1-19. After Austin was diagnosed with cancer in 2015, I read that story with fresh eyes. One phrase in particular jumped out at me: “Take your son, whom you love.” God knew Abraham… Continue reading On the Mountain (Again)
“Joseph named his older son Manasseh, for he said, ‘God has made me forget all my troubles and everyone in my father’s family.’” Genesis 41:51 NLT, emphasis mine Are you familiar with the story of Joseph? As a child, you may have heard a story about the boy with the “coat of many colors.” Here’s… Continue reading Forgetfulness
When you move, I’ll move* “For I know the plans [and places] I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11 (my input added) In the fall of 2011, when we said, “Yes, we’ll go,” Chris Tomlin’s song “I Will… Continue reading Surrendering My Places
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