Our God is an Awesome God

Go to Lindsey's blog and read her update. Yes folks, she wrote it her very own self a day after brain surgery. She got home yesterday and was able to have Thanksgiving dinner with family.

As I told Lindsey, the words that come to mind after reading her post is Rich Mullins song,"Our God is an Awesome God". Google the lyrics and see if you don't agree.

Thank You Lord for Your faithfulness. Thank you that You promise to never leave us or forsake us through whatever we go through and no matter the outcome. Your plans for us are always for our good, to make us more like You. I love You Lord.

Don't Give Up

Today, Lindsey from the Pleasent Living blog that I follow, announced that she has a brain tumor. She has not wavered in her faith through two bouts with breast cancer and she and her husband are only 27 years old. She was first diagnosed a few months after she and Brian were married. The grace and maturity they've shown through these past almost 3 years have touched countless numbers of folks all over the world. Alot of those people, like me, have never met her or Brian in person. It is through her blog that we've all felt this bond with this incredible couple.

She woke Brian up early yesterday morning having seizures that lasted a minute each. Brian called 911 and when she got to the hospital and did a scan they found the penny sized tumor. It is a shock but they know that God is in control and want Him to be glorified through this new diagnosis. Please go to her blog and see her specific requests.

After I read her post the verse Luke 18:1 came to mind," Then Jesus told His disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up". Let's all be faithful prayer warriors for the Pond family as well as whatever or whoever the Lord places in our life.

Thankfulness

I'm thankful for:
1. the freedom to worship my Lord and Savior
2. the freedom to vote for our leaders
3. my husband's new job
4. our middle son's new career
5. our 4 precious children (we gained another daughter when our oldest married in September)
6. friends
7. all the family that will be here for Thanksgiving
8. my mama's "I'd rather wear out than rust out" attitude. She'll be 88 in December
9. our wonderful church
10.the Body of Christ

There are so many other things that I'm thankful for but these are foremost on my heart today.

One of My Heroines

In my sister's journey with breast cancer I have met some amazing folks.
One of the ladies that my sister introduced me to is Margaret. She had had
cancer for 9 years. They have run the gamut of chemo therapies and medications
on her. One of the most powerful ones they started her on this summer caused her
to have seizures so severe that she was hospitalized for over 30 days. They were
afraid that they were going to lose her. She did come through that trauma by
God's grace and knew that the Lord still had work for her to do here on earth.
They have since taken that drug off the market because of the severe reactions
folks experienced on it. Once it was all out of her system, they started her on
another chemo a few weeks ago. She said that it didn't cause seizures but just
wiped her out after the first day of taking it.

Through all this rugged journey Margaret has never lost her faith. She keeps on keeping on when she is knocked down. She is a prayer warrior. If you give her something to pray about she is on her knees before the Lord with the request. She is a ministering angel to her family, friends, and all those she comes in contact with. Her focus is never on herself or her situation. It is always about whoever the Lord puts in her path.

She has an adventurous spirit. She has a Bucket List of things that she wants to do. She has been able to mark quite a few of them off her list. This past weekend she got to mark another one off. One of her daughters along with 2 of her children, her husband,James, and her all loaded into "Large Marge" (their camper) and went to Talledega for the NAASCAR race. She and her family are racing fans so this was a big thrill to have tickets and be able to camp out in the field with all the other folks that come there. I've heard from friends that have gone there that it is a unique and thrilling experience. I'm so excited that she got to do this even though their favorite, Jeff Gordon, didn't win. If I know Margaret, she didn't meet a stranger while she was there.

I'm praying that the Lord keeps her here for a long time. He has used her to touch so many lives, mine included. I'm so thankful to have her in my life. She has taught me by her example that whatever we go through we can have joy and hope because we know Him as Lord and Savior. Everything around us changes but, He "is the same yesterday, today, yes and forever".

When I think of Margaret I think of Tim McGraw's song "Live Like You were Dying":

Lyrics:
He said I was in my early forties with a lot of life before me when a moment came that stopped me on a dime and I spent most of the next dayslooking at the x-rays Talking bout the options and talking bout sweet timeI asked him when it sank in that this might really be the real end how's it hit you when you get that kinda news man what'd you do
and he saidI went sky diving I went Rocky Mountain climbing I went 2.7 seconds on a bull named FuManchu and I loved deeper and I spoke sweeter and I gave forgiveness I'd been denying and he said someday I hope you get the chance to live like you were dying.
He said I was finally the husband that most the time I wasn't and I became a friend a friend would like to have and all the sudden going fishin wasn't such an imposition and I went three times that year I lost my dad well I finally read the good book and I took a good long hard look at what I'd do if I could do it all again
and then I went sky diving I went Rocky Mountain climbing I went 2.7 seconds on a bull named FuManchuand I loved deeper and I spoke sweeter and I gave forgiveness I'd been denying and he said someday I hope you get the chance to live like you were dying.
Like tomorrow was a gift and you got eternity to think about what'd you do with it what did you do with it what did I do with it what would I do with it'
Sky diving I went Rocky Mountain climbing I went 2.7 seconds on a bull named FuManchuand then I loved deeper and I spoke sweeter and I watched an eagle as it was flying and he said someday I hope you get the chance to live like you were dying.To live like you were dying To live like you were dyingTo live like you were dying To live like you were dying

Another Warrior has gone home

After my husband and I went on the walk for the cure I posted pictures from the walk on Facebook. A friend of mine that I went to church with in Miami informed me of a dear friend of ours that lost her battle with breast cancer two weeks ago. Joanne Basie Lufberry had a heart of gold. She loved the Lord with her whole heart. She was married to John, who I went to college with. They have two sons and a daughter-in-law. I had not had contact with her since college days. I heard that she was a light to everyone who encountered her. She had a beautiful singing voice and used it often in church services. She faced the cancer journey with great courage. I'm thankful to have known her.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Last month was Childhood Cancer Awareness month and now with the 1st day of October we begin Breast Cancer Awareness month.



I am so thankful for family members and friends that the Lord has healed from this disease. I'm also thankful for the folks that are bravely continuing to fight the battle. Finally, I'm thankful for the brave men, women, and children that the Lord allowed me to get to know as they courageously battled cancer and received the ultimate healing of heaven with our Lord and Savior for eternity.



I pray daily for these precious ones that are walking this road. My desire is for their healing on this side of heaven. I'm comforted in knowing that God is Jehovah Rapha- the God who heals. He is faithful as well as sovereign. Whether He chooses to heal them on earth or take them to their eternal home, He is good all the time.

Summer is Almost Over

I hope that each of you have had a wonderful summer. God is so good. He has blessed our family with many changes that will be happening soon.

1. Our oldest son will be getting married on September 17th. He has been dating my soon to be daughter-in-love for 4 1/2 years. We already feel like she's a part of our family. Our daughter is excited to be getting an official new sister.
2. Our middle son finished his MBA and will be moving overseas to France and Nigeria for 3 years.
3. Our daughter will begin her Senior year at Bama
4. My mom moved into a retirement home in June. She has a lovely new apartment that the Lord provided for her.

I enjoyed my 5 years of teaching preschoolers but am extremely thankful for this new stage of life the Lord has placed me in.

God is so good!

Dear Friends,
I know it has been a long time since I've posted. There has been alot of exciting things going on in our lives so I've been neglectful.

Lindsey of Pleasent Drive got a clean scan just in time for her 27th birthday.
Karen's numbers were down which is a wonderful blessing and means that the treatment is working.
My sister has been cancer free for over a year now.
Margaret and Bridget are still in the battle but living life to the fullest in the meantime.
My friend Laura who was battling breast cancer a second time is done with her treatments and doing well.

God is faithful, even when the results are not what we would have wanted. His plans and purposes are perfect. His plans give us hope and a future. Praise the Lord!

Updates

I have a few updates to post:
1. Lindsey of Pleasent Drive finished her radiation treatments today! Praise the Lord! Please be praying as her husband's job future is uncertain.
2. My friends, Margaret and Karen's cancer has spread. They are using a treatment that seems to be helping her somewhat. She is on a month long trip with her husband. The doctors have had a harder time finding a treatment to work for Karen. Also, her father died last week. Please pray for comfort for her family, especially her mother.

Lindsey talked on her post about trusting the Lord's sufficiency and sovereignty or believing Satan's lies. We choose to believe in our Lord and Savior's faithfulness.

All of these things reminded me of Martin Nystrom's song, "Your Grace is Sufficient":

YOUR GRACE IS SUFFICIENT


words & music by Martin J. Nystrom
Your grace is sufficient for meYour strength is made perfect when I am weakAll that I cling to I lay at your feetYour grace is sufficient for me
I'm no longer striving To merit Your loveI rest in your promise to meAll of my sins have been Washed in Your bloodYour mercy is all that I need
You see me as righteous Because of the bloodThat made the atonement for meYour mercy has triumphed where I should be judgedSo now by your grace I am free
©1991 Integrity's Hosanna! Music / ASCAP

Answered Prayer

I hope that you are reading Lindsey's blog and seeing all the answered prayers the Lord is doing in her and Brian's situation. She also lists specific thing that you can pray for.
If you go to the blog on Christina and Koyla's adoption you will see how the Lord has answered those prayers in a mighty way. They are now permanent members of the Edwards family.
My sweet friend, Caroline, of the Sweet Caroline blog finished her last treatment the first week of January. She is slowly but surely getting her strength back. She will get her port removed in February.
Kevin of the Kwegesiya blog is doing well and teaching classes after severe heart problems.
God is good all the time. He is faithful no matter what the circumstances. To our human eyes things may not go or be going the way we would like to see them go. It is always helpful to remember that God sees the big picture. As Romans 8:28 says:
Romans 8:28 (New International Version)
28And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Please Pray for Lindsey

Please go to the blog on my list called "Pleasent Drive" and join in praying for Lindsey. She is an amazing young woman who just found out that her breast cancer has come back after a year. She is such an encouragement and example to me with her faith and honesty as she is on this difficult road. She and her husband, Brian, have shown a maturity beyond their years. They are a relatively newly married couple who I wish I knew in person.



The words to my niece, Ginny Owens, song "If You Want Me To", come to mind:

If You Want Me To

Songwriters: Matthews, Kyle David; Owens, Ginny

The pathway is broken

And the signs are unclear

And I don't know the reson why You brought me here

But just because You love me the way that You do

I'm gonna walk through the valley

If You want me to

No Im not who I was

When I took my first step

And I'm clinging to the promise You're not through with me yet

So if all of the trials bring me closer to You

Then I will go through the fire if You want me to

It may not be the way I would have chosen

When You lead me through a world that's not my home

But You never said it would be easy

You only said I'll never go alone

So when the whole world is against me

And I'm all by myself

And I can't hear You answer my cries for help

I'll remember the suffering Your love put me through

And I'll go through the darkness if You want me to

When I cross over Jordan, gonna sing, gonna shout

Gonna look into Your eyes and see You never let me down

So take me on the pathway that leads me home to You

And I will go through the valley

If You want me to

Yes, I will walk through the valley if You want me to