Ten years ago this month, my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. Seven years ago this month, her breast cancer progressed to stage IV when it metastasized to her liver. According to medicine, her prognosis was terminal. She survived. One year ago today, hundreds - probably thousands - of prayer warriors stormed the gates of heaven begging for God to spare my mom from another fight with cancer. One year ago today, we were disappointed with the answer He gave. One year ago today and every day before and since, He has remained faithful.
On August 31, 2010, my mom, dad, and I sat in an exam room at The West Clinic and received some of the hardest news of our lives: my mom had pancreatic cancer. We were shocked and devastated. We went out to eat (we tend to do that whether we get good news or bad . . . why not?), and then I came home and wrote this post. I wasn't sure I'd be still be posting updates about my mom a year later. I knew that only about 20% of people with pancreatic cancer survived a year after diagnosis, and most of them probably didn't have a history of stage IV breast cancer. But here we are, one year and thousands of prayers later . . . I'm blogging about Trish, and she's currently rocking a baby girl to sleep. Great is His faithfulness!
I've read and re-read the post I wrote a year ago today. Whenever I need a reminder of God's faithfulness, all I have to do is go back and read my "Tricia" posts from last fall and winter. Try it. Depressing as it may sound, it's encouraging to go back to those hard days and be reminded of how far my mom has come and how God has been working in our lives all along. He's done so much more than we could've imagined. He's walked with us through fires we were sure we'd never make it through. He's blessed us in ways we never saw coming. I simply don't have the words to express how thankful and amazed I am. My cup runneth over.
(Not my favorite video, but definitely my favorite version of one of my favorite songs. It has often been played in the dark quiet of my room when I've run out of words.)
"I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall. I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me. Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope:
Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." -Lamentations 3:19-23
1 comment:
I can only say Great is God's faithfulness.
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