God is Present in Every Circumstance by Lynn Dove

I was going to Aquacise three times a week in preparation for swimsuit weather in the summer.  This was going to be the year I was finally going to take charge of my increasing waistline, get in better shape and become much more active.  That’s not to say I wasn’t active before, but I thought starting my 6^th decade, it was time to think about the retirement years coming up and I was in such serious denial about it, I wanted to push the hands of time backward a bit!  I’m not a fan of New Year’s resolutions, but I felt duly motivated to get a membership in January to our local sports centre and faithfully began swimming three times a week.  I was winning the bulge battle and I was feeling great…until the first week of April.

I didn’t understand why I wasn’t dropping weight.  In fact, I was actually starting to feel uncomfortably rotund in the tummy region.  The ballooning bulge became more and more burdensome; I wondered if there was some kind of obstruction, and within two weeks of experiencing pain and discomfort I reluctantly called my family doctor.  Within days of that meeting with the doctor, I had an ultra-sound, a CT scan, and was booked to visit a surgical oncologist at the Tom Baker Cancer centre in Calgary. 

To say I was shocked by this turn of events was a vast understatement.  I had been cancer-free for just about nineteen years, after breast cancer in 2001.  Now I was facing another cancer diagnosis, with the discovery of a large fast-growing mass on my right ovary.  With my past health history, everything seemed to be fast tracked for me to get in to see doctors, finally ending with extensive surgery to remove the mass on May 13^th. 

Where was God in this?

He was EVERYWHERE!

I had no way of knowing what these last few weeks (and the months ahead) would hold in store for me but God did.  Being prone to blood clotting issues, I needed to be in good shape to endure the rigours of surgery and to be able to heal quickly afterwards.  God used a friend to nudge me into going with her to an Aquacise class in early January.  It was so much fun and kick-started my fitness goals that helped strengthen my body and made me stay the course right up until April.  Doctors said it was “remarkable” how quickly I have bounced back from surgery.  I credit some of that to the months of exercise leading up to surgery.  Who knew?  God did!

When my discomfort began, I was ready to just chalk it up to normal aches and pains associated with working out harder than I had before, but when the pain persisted, I prayed for direction and felt prompted to call my doctor.  As much as I thought the wait was a long and excruciating one to get in to see doctors and finally undergo surgery, it was just over six weeks in total.  That’s pretty quick in the health-care scheme of things!  Through that waiting time, the Lord spoke to me through His Word daily.  He gave me peace in the midst of uncertainty and laid on the hearts of so many people to pray for me.  The prayers continue!

One of my biggest disappointments was having to cancel our 40^th Anniversary cruise.  I actually wrote about my excitement leading up to that cruise on the InScribe blog in March.  “We've had our share of many peaceful cruises on life's ocean, intermingled with some unexpected tidal surges and rough waves over these past forty years.  Still, we keep walking hand in hand, looking forward, full speed ahead, our eyes focused on the horizon and praying for calm waters in the years ahead.” I had no way of knowing when I wrote that post that another storm surge was coming up for us so soon, but God did!  My husband had been pro-active in getting trip insurance and all the costs were covered so we could recoup all monies spent.  I was still upset about not going on this “trip of a lifetime” but then we started to think about the “what ifs?”

What if I had gotten sick overseas?  What if I had to be admitted to hospital in Rome?  The more we added up the “what ifs?” the more we praised God for His impeccable timing.  Here at home, I got the medical help exactly when I needed it!  Had I elected to set sail and ignore the nagging symptoms rather than seek help when I did, well, that’s a “what if?” I don’t like to ponder upon right now. 

Of course, I have experienced my share of “down” days during the waiting period leading up to surgery.  I will no doubt experience more lows in the weeks and months ahead as I come to terms with a new cancer diagnosis.  There were times before my surgery when I felt disheartened and too weak and vulnerable to move, let alone to write.  I specifically asked friends to pray, and I felt those prayers envelope me like a warm hug.  On one such day, I asked God to encourage me and within hours I learned I was up for two Word Awards that celebrates Christian writing in Canada.  It was such a timely encouragement for me that it instantly propelled me out of my emotional doldrums, and has revitalized me in ways I never imagined.  (I have gotten clearance by my doctor to fly so I am able to attend the Gala in Hamilton.  I am beyond excited to be there!")

God has surrounded me with caring individuals who have fed us and even cleaned my home!  I am so thankful for those practical ministrations that allow me to rest and recover.  I am thankful for an army of prayer warriors who lift me before the Lord daily.  I will have challenging times in the weeks or months ahead, but I know God is with me.  He never leaves me or forsakes me, and I can trust Him in every circumstance!

Lynn Dove is the award-winning author, of the YA “Wounded Trilogy”- a contemporary Christian fiction series with coming-of-age themes.  A wife, mom, grandmother, and free-lance writer with articles published in several magazines and anthologies including Chicken Soup for the Soul books, her blog, “Journey Thoughts” is a Canadian Christian Writing Award winner.  Readers may connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, and at lynndove.com