Almost 10 months to the day that I am writing this article, I heard the words inoperable brain tumor regarding my daughter Katelyn. That July 11, 2018 day will never be forgotten for us. She went through 6 weeks of Proton Radiation Therapy and all seemed as well as we could have hoped after the treatments were over. We anticipated that she would be back on her feet and fully recovered from the effects of those treatments by Christmas.
Have you ever had hopes, dreams, or expectations that just didn’t meet with reality? That is what has happened for her as the edema around her tumor worsened and the tumor, though showing deadening cells, continued expanding. The side effects from the edema, the enlarging of the tumor, and the steroids regimen have been something to behold to say the least. She is extremely swollen all over her body, she has lost most of her motor skills in her left arm, and is walking with a limp!
Have you ever had something happen where you thought things would improve, and yet they got worse? Have you ever lived life with the fear of the next appointment or the next bad news coming your way? Fear has the ability to take you hostage and to not let you enjoy the journey that is set before you! Fear has the ability to rob you of your joy, peace, and contentment in this life. Fear is a thief of today causing worry about the unknowns of tomorrow!
Her next MRI and her next set of doctor appointments are quickly approaching. Is the edema down? Did the tumor shrink or has it expanded even more? We will soon find out, and I will admit it definitely weighs on my mind even more as that day approaches. Fear can take you captive. It can cause you to miss out on the moments set before you each day. Fear can cause you to abandon family, abandon life, abandon your dreams, and abandon the God who loves you! Has fear knocked on your door? Did you allow it to move in with you? What is your story? What is causing you to not leave the house, to not live life to the fullest, to abandon that dream, or abandon that (and you fill in the blank)?
The what ifs in life and the fear that can take hold can be overwhelming. Here is what I know; not just for my life, but all of our lives if we allow it. I know that 1 John 4:16-18 (NLT) reads, “We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love…And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect…Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear.” God’s love is perfect, no matter what the circumstances of this life are telling you.
In Christ Alone and continuing in prayer,
Chad
Yes, the holiday season has arrived. It is filled with such happiness and so many festivities that many people will not have a moment to spare from all the places they will be going and from all the things they will be doing. For these people the excitement will be so great that they have no time for and no understanding for those who dread this time of year. “How can someone dread this time of year anyway?”
Did you know this time of year brings more depression, despair, anxiety, sadness, anger, and stress than any other time of the year for a lot of people? That is hard to imagine for some, but for others it is the dreaded reality of the holiday season. People who don’t get along with family all year long, and rarely see them anyway, are now put together in a room where all is suppose to be well for the family’s sake. For others they are pulled in different locations because of things like divorce/remarriage or even your first year of marriage and trying to go to both sides of the family. For others, they have military family who are deployed or they have family that has passed away and won’t be there at the gathering this year.
The flood of emotions that you may be feeling, that truly no one else can understand, can be overwhelming. Anyone dreading this time of year is probably thinking I am going to give you a quick verse and a quick fix answer to solve all of your problems. Well, you’re wrong and your right! The main reason I am writing this is to acknowledge you this year. I want you to know that you are not alone and there are many people who struggle more than ever. That widow/widower, that child with divorced parents, that military family, and what ever the circumstance you are going through that is weighing heavily upon your life.
Please know that you are not alone. Though I will never know you read this article and that you feel the way you do in person; you are acknowledged for how you are feeling. Though I know this will not fix it; I give you these three things:
1. Prayer is not futile. Prayer matters. You can find joy in and through prayer knowing God is always with you. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 (NLT): “Never stop praying.”
2. Church family helps. Go to a Bible based church and get involved in a small group that becomes a weekly family get together for you. Many have been hurt from church or simply avoid church because they think it doesn’t matter. It does.
3. Jesus loves you. Often times when people feel all alone or in a pit of despair; they believe no one cares. No matter what the circumstances or situations you are facing in this life; trust that Jesus loves you!
In Christ Alone and continuing in prayer,
Chad
