DAY 36 – April 15, 2025
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your heart and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7
Cancer. It was late 2008 when my wilderness experience began with a diagnosis of tongue cancer. With no risk factors to blame for it, I found myself wondering “why?” and “why me?”. With 3 young kids; 6th grade, 4th grade and almost 3 years old, Joe and I felt overwhelmed. We didn’t feel forgotten by God, but we did feel a bit lost.
I had surgery to remove the cancer and reconstruct my tongue in November of 2008. While I was waiting in pre-op at UAB, our church family at Huntsville First held a prayer vigil. As the nurse told me for the first time of all the possible things that they may do while in surgery (tracheotomy, deep tissue graft from my arm, cast on my arm, skin graft from my leg, and more – they did them all) I was able to remain calm and felt God’s presence wrapped around me. The friends leading the prayer vigil had made a CD of worship music for me and had given me a copy of the order of worship. I held that paper until they took me into surgery. Because of God and His people showing love for us, I had a peace that passed understanding. Later, my mother commented that I seemed so calm as I waited for the surgery.
After a week in the hospital, I came home on the day before Thanksgiving and our oldest daughter’s birthday. I couldn’t drive for a month, yet our kids made it everywhere they were supposed to be. In January, I got a G-tube to prepare for radiation therapy. I am so thankful that I don’t have to rely on a feeding tube for nutrition all the time. For 6 weeks I received daily radiation treatments. The first day of radiation, I dropped our youngest off at SWEEM half-day preschool, planning to come back and pick him up at 12:30. I had big plans for my first day of radiation. I was going to go shopping and have lunch with a friend. Little did I know that the shot I had to take each day before radiation would nauseate me. I learned on day one that I was going to have to make getting well my full-time job. I called my mother-in-law and asked her to pick up our preschooler and I headed home. Neighbors and friends hired a cleaning service to come every two weeks, people brought meals at least 3 times a week (before there were handy things like Mealtrain), friends drove our kids everywhere and even had them for sleepovers, family and friends loved on us and made sure we were well cared for. I was driven to treatment, prayed over and cared for by this precious church.
After my last radiation treatment, I told Joe “I would say this has been hell, but I have never felt so loved.” God’s people, showing God’s love to others. That’s what we, as the church, are called to do.
Thank you, God, for your church and your people. May we glorify you by loving each other, always.