A Season of Refreshment by Lynn Dove

A refreshing drive into the mountains - Highway 1 towards Canmore, Alberta

My oncology visit in January was one I had dreaded.  Why do I always get nervous? I chided myself before my meeting with my doctor.  I was cancer-free,... or was I?  I don't know how many more times I needed to be encouraged by the doctors, but one more time couldn't hurt...could it?

My oncologist tried to reassure me,  "It is not unusual for cancer survivors to be nervous about cancer returning."  She was right about that.  I thought I had beaten cancer in 2001 once and for all, but with the diagnosis last year, I wasn't sure anymore. 

"It's not metastatic."  she said.  Meaning that my endometrial cancer was not a result of a spread of cancer to other organs in my body from my battle with breast cancer, it was an entirely new fight. 

"What does that even mean?" I asked. 

"It's just dumb luck you got cancer twice," she said.  Funny.  I had heard the same phrase from my surgical oncologist in 2001 when I asked how I could have gotten breast cancer.  "Dumb luck," he had said.

I don't believe in luck. I whispered to myself.  "I don't need any more of that kind of "luck"." I said aloud.

"No kidding, right?" she grinned and patted my knee.

Still, it's like an icy presence looking over my shoulder playing peek-a-boo with my emotions.  Would I feel it at every doctor's visit from now on?  The fear, along with the half expected words, "It's back."

She patted my knee again.  "You're doing great!  I also think you can come off the blood thinner injections AND I don't need to see you for another four months."

My husband smiled.  He has been with me to every treatment, every appointment, and I could see the relief in his eyes.  He has never been a fan of hospitals and knowing we don't have to be near one for four months (God willing) was a huge relief.  I thought about the fact I don't have to give myself needles anymore.  A huge weight lifted off of me.  I mentally pushed those icy fingers off of my shoulders and felt lighter in mind, body and spirit.  Throughout those challenging months of treatments, I had longed and prayed for the recovery phase.  Now it seemed I finally had the confidence to move past recovery to another level of wellness: refreshment.  I praised God as we left the cancer clinic and the words to one of my favourite hymns immediately came to mind:

"Great is thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
there is no shadow of turning with thee;
thou changest not, they compassions, they fail not;
as thou hast been thou forever wilt be.

Great is thy faithfulness!
Great is thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
all I have needed thy hand hath provided--
Great is thy faithfulness, Lord unto me!"

The mountains beckoned to us a couple days later.  The normalcy of taking a scenic drive, having lunch with my husband, planning future excursions together, dreaming, drinking in all the sights and sounds around us, we both felt invigorated.  I felt refreshed.  I praised God for the day, for the week, for allowing me to experience this new season of refreshment.  The warm, Chinook wind lifted my wig nearly off my head, so I discarded it and have not worn it since.  It is like shedding another layer, discarding another reminder, another symbol of what I have battled and beaten again.  My newly sprouted, extremely short, dark hair is a "fashion statement", as my husband calls it.  "Show it off!" he said. 

I am enjoying this Season of Refreshment by doing some early spring cleaning, embracing the days with renewed energy.  God continues to comfort me through His people, and His Word.  Worshiping God through song, I am ever mindful that He is faithful.  Once again, I have experienced His compassions and I am now renewed.

"Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
sun, moon, and stars in their courses above
join with all nature in manifold witness
to thy great faithfulness, mercy, and love.

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide,
strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

Great is thy faithfulness!
Great is thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
all I have needed thy hand hath provided--
Great is thy faithfulness, Lord unto me!"

Source: Trinity Psalter Hymnal #245
Thomas O. Chisholm (1923)  Public Domain
Lamentations 3:22-23

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   

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  

Writing from the Heart - Wendy L. Macdonald

    

I don’t remember many details from lectures and sermons I’ve heard; however, there’s one thing that always captures my attention enough for it to stay embedded in my heart and mind. But before I share that with you, let’s dig into the theme for February.

     How does my writing, blogging, and podcasting offer the hope and redemption of God? I’m a storyteller. Through fiction and memoir writing, I share the hope, healing, and comfort I’ve found in Jesus Christ. Years ago, the Lord delivered me from eating disorders; and as a result: 

My faith is not shallow because I’ve been rescued from the deep. 

  

     I tried—really tried—to rescue myself. But as a young adult, I turned away from my shallow faith and fell into deep darkness. If my faith had been well-rooted to begin with, I believe I wouldn’t have turned away from His Light. But turn away I did.

     I also walked through a dark decade of infertility. I know what it’s like to have hope dashed month after month, year after year. In my despair I eventually learned to trust God to comfort me and enable me to stop hiding my disappointment from Him, myself, and others.

     I’ve also recently uncovered a mystery from my past that I hope to share one day. For I received comfort and healing to believe I’m good enough under the blood of Christ despite abuse and neglect I suffered earlier in life. 

     Rescue and recovery are huge themes in my heart. And a few years ago, when I participated in a Beth Moore Bible study that centered on Isaiah 61:1, I realized afresh why this passion to preach recovery in Christ is strong in me; it’s because it’s foundational to God’s vision for us too.

The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound.

 Isaiah 61:1 KJV

     If Jesus was anointed to preach Good News to the broken, then His followers are too, as it says in Ephesians 5:1-2 NIV:

Follow God's example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

     In response to my from-the-heart memoir sharing, I’ve had people thank me for being honest—for being real. When we dare to write deep, it reaches readers’ hearts. Our vulnerability softens the spirit of the suffering and enables them to receive God’s healing touch at the core of their own brokenness. When we inspire others with our recovery story, they aspire to enter recovery too.

 

Our stories tells others with similar experiences they’re not alone.

    We shine His hope into their dark present when we expose our dark past. We were comforted so we’d point to the Comforter. We weren’t intended to simply stay comfortable; we are instructed to play the role of a compass directing others to the Source of healing. 

Who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.

 2 Corinthians 1:4 NIV

They won’t know if we don’t tell.

     And when we do tell a personal story, rather than just share a lecture, devotional, or sermon, it will stay with the listener for years to come. For as I mentioned at the beginning of this post, some things stick to the heart forever. 

Have you recently written about a time when God comforted you during a troubling season?

I’m nosy-to-know.  

Blessings ~ Wendy Mac