Category Archives: Disease

Blind Trust

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Today while driving from southwest Michigan to Illinois, I paid close attention to the signs: route 94 to the Indiana Toll Road to the Dan Ryan Expressway to Lake Shore Drive to Michigan Avenue to my destination in the Loop.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAThe closer I got to downtown Chicago, the greater the importance of trusting the road signs. If I used a natural sense of direction instead, I couldn’t have gotten where I wanted to go.

One spot on the route became particularly tricky. The goal was to get from the Dan Ryan (on the west) to Lake Shore Drive (on the east). Though my brain wanted to make a right turn, west to east, the signs said, “Stay left.” The only way to successfully make the transition was to blindly trust the directions.

Chemo confusionMy reason for the trip was to spend the day with Mary as she endured her third infusion treatment. As it turns out, chemotherapy goes better with a little blind trust, too. She had to surrender to the instructions, even when they made no sense.

For instance, when the hospital staff said, “Doing a blood draw will be a help,” it was only later, after the results, she learned they couldn’t have proceeded with chemo unless the counts had been high enough. And when killer-poison was being dripped into her veins they said, “This will extend your life.” Only blind trust will cause her to believe that.

Our spiritual lives require a bit of blind trust, too. When he says the trials that weaken us will make us stronger, it seems he’s directing us up the wrong ramp. Or when we hear, “The person who loses his life for my sake will find it,” we scratch our heads and say, “Huh?”

photo(5)Maybe the key to all of these “blind” situations is to look at who or what is being trusted. Have the road signs been put up by way of accurate maps? Has the chemo staff been well trained? Is our God trustworthy?

If all the answers are yes, then blind trust is the way to go. The only way.

“Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it.” (Matthew 10:39)

Praising and Praying with Mary

  1. Praise that when fatigue sets in after chemo, I have the freedom to rest.
  2. Other than nausea and fatigue, praise that I haven’t experienced any of the many other side effects of chemo.
  3. Pray that the new nausea medicine will work this time.
  4. Praise for a week off chemo next week; pray that blood counts will rise again.

Always On Time

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AbigailMy friend Abigail has a stunning home on a good-looking lot with interior spaces worthy of magazine covers. But I don’t admire her for her home as much as her radical dependence on the Holy Spirit and for always taking God at his word.

Abigail’s home is down the road from a railroad track, and though the tracks are used infrequently, there’s one regular freight train she’s always happy to hear.  It blasts its whistle every day at 10:10, two longs, one short, and another long.

Though such regular racket might be irritating to most, Abigail has found a way to appreciate the 10:10. She uses it as a prompt to claim a Scripture for herself, a verse of truth that’s been a ribbon of reality for her ever since she took up residence near the tracks.

John 10:10.

The biblical setting has Jesus teaching about the life he envisions for everyone who believes in him as the Son of God: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”

“They” refers to all who put their trust in him, and “abundantly” describes the rich, full inner life he wants to give, richer and fuller than anyone else can offer.

The thief is the devil. It’s not that he doesn’t make some mighty alluring promises. It’s just that he doesn’t keep them. But it’s even worse than that. Once he gets us to follow, he whirls around and bites us with his intent to steal (what God has promised), to kill (our desire to follow Christ), and to destroy (our spiritual hope).

When we believe Satan, we’re headed for destruction. When we believe Jesus, we’re headed for abundance.

People often say, “But what about the evil in this world? What about things like Mary’s life-threatening cancer and the wretchedness of chemo? Don’t those things steal, kill, and destroy?

As soon as we align with Jesus, the incredible answer is “no”. Cancer may steal good physical health for a while and may kill energy. Chemo may destroy red and white blood cells and force us to surrender regular commitments for a time. But neither cancer nor chemo can ever pluck abundance out of our hearts, souls, and minds.

Although Mary and other cancer patients battle nausea, altered routines, and intense fatigue, those who believe John 10:10 have no trouble recognizing Christ’s abundance inside them, in places that matter far more than physical deficiencies. For instance, Mary has testified to feeling the power of prayer in the middle of her battle, which then produces overflowing comfort and reassurance. And that’s just one example of the abundance God desires to give.

RR crossingAs for Abigail’s affiliation with the 10:10, she’s got me on board, too. Though I’m 2 miles from the tracks, I can still hear the whistle blasting, reminding me that Christ’s abundance is available to us all.

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” John 10:10

 

Praising and Praying with Mary

  1. Praise for a good day accomplishing wedding “jobs”
  2. Praise for time with grandchildren
  3. Pray for safe travel for family members coming for the weekend, and energy for all the Memorial Day activities

Lighting Up

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Last night as Jack and I took our final walk of the day, the skies were lighting up like I’d never seen before. Chaotic lightning illuminated only the tops of a wild-looking cloud cover that spread from west to east, bursting bright as much as remaining dark. Jack and I stood in one spot for quite a while, mesmerized by the dramatic display.

Lightning in cloudsLightning fascinates us because of its power, and most of us were raised to respect it. Dad told us never to run under a tall tree for shelter since “lightning searches for a way to get to the ground and will strike the highest point in its path.” We all took him seriously when he said, “Run home instead.”

As Jack and I walked along looking up, my mind wandered to biblical passages about lightning, and once at home I looked them up. It was fascinating to read about God “owning” lightning. He “scatters it” and “unleashes it” at will. Job 36:32 says, “The Lord fills his hands with lightning and commands it to strike its mark.”

I learned that God has control of lightning in a place from which he dispenses it and “makes the lightning flash.” I loved Job 38:35 that says all lightning bolts “report to him.”

Phone callAlthough most of us haven’t been struck by lightning, flashes of sudden bad news have hit us with the same kind of force, such as a cancer diagnosis or any other shocking surprise. When we first hear the words, whether in a doctor’s office, on our front doorstep, or over the phone, we feel as blindsided as if a bolt of lightning had gone through us.

RunningDad told us to “run home” when lightning flashed, and when unwanted news hits, we adults feel like running, too. But where? God has a place. He says, “Run to Me.” As in Proverbs 18:10: “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous runs into it and is safe.” Other translations say he’s “a strong fortress” or “a place of protection.”

In other words, as soon as a lightning burst of terrible news touches us, we should fast-dash to the Lord. He’ll tell us what to think when our minds are swirling and will give instruction on what to do, once we are in his place of emotional safety.

My mini-study of biblical lightning also let me know that in the end times, Jesus will return to earth with “an appearance like lightning.” And this: “As lightning that comes from the east is visible even in the west, so will be the coming of the Son of Man.” (Matthew 24:27)

Maybe the dramatic east-to-west display Jack and I witnessed last night was a preview of what the sky will look like when we see Jesus returning to earth! And after that, we’ll never be struck by bad news again.

“Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to Him, for God is our refuge.” (Psalm 62:8)

Praising and Praying with Mary

  1. Praise for a Michigan sunset tonight
  2. Praise for a surprise in the mail, another well-stocked chemo care package, sent anonymously
  3. Pray for eyes to see the good in every day