Time sure does fly

One year ago today, I was sitting in the doctor's office. The room was a crisp clean white. Very little was on the walls. My babies were sitting on the floor reading books they had brought with them. While I waited for the doctor to come in and tell me my biopsy results, I kept telling myself "everything is fine". Little did I know my whole world was about to change. The way I viewed life in general, the way I loved my children, the way I loved my God. The words  "You have cancer" changed my whole world. 

At the time I was diagnosed, I thought cancer was horrible. On my body, yes, cancer was and still is horrible. There are days cancer takes its toll on me. But reflecting on this past year I have learned so much about myself. I have learned just how strong I can be. I value the time I have with my children. I have learned that children not only need rules, they also need someone to listen to their fears. Someone to hold them tight and tell them things will be ok. They need to know that nothing is too big for God. I have learned that people will surprise you and people will disappoint you. I have learned how some people are sympathetic to cancer and some people just brush it off, like it is nothing. 

 Cancer also brought so many wonderful people into my life.  My doctors,people I have never physically met, people i worked with, people from LPPC and people I go to church with now have all been so kind and thoughtful. I have made so many friends on this journey.  Some friends have become family

I could go on and on about what positives I see in my own life, but I won't. I just want you to understand that there truly is a silver lining, sometimes you have to look harder. When life seems hard look for the positives. You might be surprised to find that life will surprise you What scared you could bring you happiness. 

"There Will Be a Day"

How fitting that this song came on my iPod. The words of the chorus ring so true. “There will be a day with no more tears, no more pain, and no more fears. There will be a day when the burdens of this place, will be no more, we’ll see Jesus face to face. But until that day, we’ll hold on to you always. 

These past few weeks have been rather rough. I went for chemo on the 27^th of June and my numbers and platelets had dropped. Yesterday, I went to see my cardiologist and my ejection fraction rate had gone down. I am not going to lie. I was a little frustrated and angry with God. I felt like screaming “Okay Lord! I think I have had enough! I think my children have endured enough!” I mean He is the Great Physician, right? If He wanted to He could make me all better. He could rid my body of cancer. Then “There Will Be a Day” by Jeremy Camp, came on my iPod and I started to think. If God did heal me right away, then how would I tell others of what the Lord has done for me and my family?

What will my children say one day when they look back on these days? Will they say “Mama cursed God for allowing her to have cancer? Mama was angry with God for allowing bad results.” Or will my children say “Mama gave God the praise even in the midst of the storm? Mama went to her knees begging God to heal her body and to bring her counts up.” When troubles come their way will they go to their knees? What example am I setting for them?

I am not stating that God gave me cancer. He is my Heavenly Father. What parent, in their right mind, would give their child a disease or intentionally cause pain? Can’t think of anyone, can you? That is because, as parents we do not want to cause our children pain. We try to protect them from harm. When I was first diagnosed with cancer thought God was punishing me for something I had done or had not done. I once thought (and yes, I am ashamed of it) “Some great God you are. You could heal me if you wanted to!” But after talking with a friend about my fears of being punished, I realized how wrong I was. Jill Kelly stated at Women of Joy “without TESTing there is no TESTIMONY”.  God has a purpose for my life. He is not finished with me yet.

Some of you, maybe a lot of you, who read my posts, do not believe in God. Maybe it is because you can pin point a time in your life when you poured your heart out to God, begging for him to heal a loved one, or to bring you out of a financial rut. Maybe you asked God to give you something you so desperately needed or wanted? You can pinpoint a time when God “let you down”.  But, you see, God does not always answer our prayers how we think He should. Sometimes it is better for our loved ones to leave this world, so they will be in no more pain. Sometimes God wants us to learn to lean on Him to be our provider for whatever our need may be.

If you do not believe in God, then I pray for you. There will be a day when this world will be no more. There will be a day when Jesus returns (Revelation 1:7 NIV "Look, He is coming with the clouds," and "every eye will see Him, even those who pierced Him"; and all peoples on earth "will mourn because of him." So shall it be! Amen). When that day comes, I know beyond a shadow of a doubt where I will go.  Do you? When Jesus comes again, my body will have no more pain, my heart will have no more suffering.

So, you see, God did not give me cancer. But, He did choose to not heal me right now. “Things happen for a reason. We may not see it now. We may see it a few years down the road, or we may never see the reason. But God always has a purpose.” My mama and daddy have said this phrase a thousand times! You would think I would get it by now. No worries, Mom and Dad, I think it is finally sinking in. There is a reason God has allowed cancer to turn my life and my family’s life upside down.  He has a purpose for me. Though they are small now, He has a purpose for my children.  The joy is “There will be a day with NO more tears, NO more pain, and NO more fears”. There will be a day “we’ll see Jesus face to face.” I am ready for that day……….are you?

My friend, Hell is real.

Revelation 14:11 - And the smoke of their torment will rise for ever and ever. There will be no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and its image, or for anyone who receives the mark of its name.”

 Revelation 20:14 states “Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death.”

If you do not know 100% where you will go when you leave this world, I beg you to look for the answers. Open your Bible. If you do not own one go online and find a Bible the answers are there. (www.biblegateway.com NIV easy version to read)

The ABC’s of Salvation

A.)    Admit you are a sinner. Repent or turn away from your sin

Romans 3:23 – “For all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God.” – we are all sinners. We were born that way. I do not care who you are, no one is perfect. 

Romans 6:23 – “For the wages of sin is death, but the Gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.  – There is a punishment for our sin. Hell. But God sent his only son, Jesus, to be the Savior of the world.   Jesus died on the cross to save us from our sin so that we may go to Heaven to live with Him eternally.  It is God’s gift to us. All we have to do is take it.  If I offered you a present, wrapped up for your birthday, all you have to do is reach out take it or accept it.  Same is true with God’s gift of Salvation.

1 John1:9 – “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” and Acts 3:19 – “Repent, then turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.” These two verses tie together. If we confess our sins to our Heavenly Father, He will forgive us. I am not saying you need a fancy prayer. Just talk to Him, like a friend. He will wipe our slate clean. How awesome is that!

B.)   Believe –Trust that Jesus is God’s son and that God sent Jesus to save people form their sins.

Romans 5:8 – “ But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Acts 4:12 – ^“Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”

John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.”

I Peter 3:18 – “For Christ died for sins once in for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God He was put to death in the body but mad alive by the spirit.”

John 14:6 – “Jesus answered; I am the Way, the Truth, the Life. No one comes to the Father except by me.” 

All these verses have something in common. They all tell about God loving us so much that He gave the ultimate sacrifice, His son. Jesus is the way to Heaven. Jesus is the truth we seek, and Jesus is life. Only by His saving grace can we go to Heaven.  There are no gimmicks or tricks. Jesus dying on the cross was a gift. It is not something we can earn.

C.)   Commit –Give your life to Jesus. Ask Him to be your Lord and Savior.

Romans 10:9-10 – “That if you confess with your mouth, Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified and iti is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.”

Romans 10:13 – “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Matthew 16:24 –“Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” 

The last thing you have to do to accept God’s wonderful plan of salvation is to commit yourself to him. We all know right from wrong. We were born with the natural instinct to differentiate between the two.  When you commit yourself to God, you are denying yourself or turning away from worldly pleasures.  Things that may be fun, but you know in your heart to be wrong. 

God’s gift of salvation is just that…….a gift. He is waiting for you to let him into your heart. Are you willing to let him in.

If you are willing and ready to receive God’s free gift of salvation, then I have posted a prayer. It is just an example of what you can say.  There is no right or wrong prayer that can be said.

Lord Jesus I know I am a sinner.
I believe you died for me on the cross so that I might be saved. Right now I ask You to forgive me of all my sins. I open my heart to You.

Come into my heart Lord Jesus.
I take this very moment in my life to receive you as my Lord and Savior.

Thank you, Jesus, for forgiving all my sins, and giving me eternal life.

Let my life be dedicated to you Jesus, and help me to be the kind of person you want me to be.

Help me to decrease in myself and increase in you Jesus.

Amen!

Once saved, there is nothing you can do to lose your salvation.

Titus 3:5 – “Not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.

No matter how good a person you are there is nothing you can do to earn God’s free gift of salvation. In the same manner, there is nothing you can do to lose God’s free gift.  I am not saying you will be perfect now that you have accepted his free gift. We are all still sinners. I still make mistakes. I still sin. But God is merciful and just to forgive me of my sins. 

                                                                                    

http://www.biblegateway.com/

http://abcsalvation.org/

http://www.hiskids.org/bible_study_tools/sinners_prayer.html