No surprise to Him

Hello again! It has been a busy day! I went to work to visit and had the opportunity to see some of my babies and their families! I also got to eat lunch with all my friends from work :). I successfully made another horrible dinner and cleaned up the mess. On another note, I definitely over did it. I'm sore and worried that my incision is getting a little too red.

So...my thought for tonight was to talk about the places where I have seen His hand through this process. I can't say that I do a very good job discerning the voice of The Lord. I talk a lot and am rarely quiet or still to hear Him. I do see Him work retrospectively though and see His works. This diagnosis is of no surprise to Him and He has been preparing my heart for quite some time. Here are just a few of those times:

My Marathon
I never thought I would ever be able to run a marathon. When I actually set the goal I wasn't really sure I could do it. I don't think many people thought I could. But I did. I ran a very slow marathon this past November in Savannah, GA without injury or collapse. I did it. I can't tell those who have never trained for one how hard it was to get up and run on Saturday morning or run 10 miles in the evening after 9 hours of work. It was the hardest thing I have ever done physically and it took a long time to train for...18 weeks. I was successful and I was strong. I am a marathoner. He knew I needed that. He knew I needed to know the impossible was possible. He was preparing me for a marathon much greater than 26 miles and 385 yards. I have the fitness level of marathoner, the mind of a marathoner, and the heart of a marathoner. one might think that I have a decent shot of winning the battle based on the worlds standards but I also have the strength of The Lord who defeats even death!

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." Hebrews 12:1

The Promise
Rainbows are beautiful and significant. The rainbow represents His promise to us. As I have mentioned before, it had been raining a lot in the Tri-Cities around the time of this diagnosis. A lot of rain...schools were closing because of flooding and many roads were closed. Our church had to cancel services the day of my surgery because the sanctuary was flooded. Jason and I were preparing to go to the oncologist for the first time on Friday, January 11th and it was still raining. It was a weird rain...you know with the sun still shining. And there it was. The most beautiful complete rainbow over our house. I realize that when you are struggling with something, symbols become significant that otherwise would not make such an impact. Regardless, it was comforting. It relieved our anxiety and stress with the reminder of a plan greater than I can imagine. For those of you that have came across the "Double Rainbow" skit on YouTube, it was a double rainbow and caused the same amount of joy that the narrator of that video had! :)

"I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth." Genesis 9:13

Daily Devotional
I have a very special aunt on my dad's side who has always wanted me to know who God is to her as far back as I can remember. She is an incredible woman of faith and is a powerful witness. She has given me several gifts over the years to aid in my Christian growth and all of them have brought blessings to my life. She had given me the "Streams in the Desert" devotional by L.B. Cowman for Christmas in 2010. I just happened to start this devotional this year and what an impact it has made. The Lord is using this devotional to speak to me. I can sincerely say that. Each devotional related directly to the emotions of the day or to the trials faced for me or someone I love. I have read this devotional each morning and am uplifted by its words. He continually tells me to not be afraid, He is with me, and I need to be still and patient. He instills in me that sorrow is good for the heart and to pray without ceasing. He is teaching me in the quiet desert that I am in. It's my job to listen.

"He withdrew...to a solitary place." Matthew 14:13

I could continue...but I won't. I will say that I have been approached by several friends that can share a similar experience with this diagnosis over the past week. It is really quite amazing to see just how He has placed people in our lives to provide us with comfort and support. He wants me to make this known and to not keep quiet. I have been comforted over the past week from those around me. From John Henry Jowett in "Streams in the Desert", He comforts us so we can comfort others. It's my turn now.

Talk to you guys soon!