The Battle of Cancer and Change

Hey friends, I have to write about this as I see it so prominent to. There are so many people I personally know or see on my news feed getting diagnosed with cancer. I've also seen two loved ones pass of cancer. It really weighs heavy on my heart. I couldn't help but write about my feelings right now. I’m sure, if you're like me, seeing these kind of posts on FB bring up so much emotion as well as many racing thoughts. Initially, we can only imagine what that person and their family may be going through and we send our prayers, thoughts and love. We let them know we are here for them.

We then, naturally, may think of things we want to change and do better with in our own lives because at any moment that could potentially be us in their shoes. We just never know these days. One minute, we can be living healthy normal lives and the next get an unexpected diagnosis. We may start to think over own life and ask ourselves, what have I been doing with my life? It makes us want to hold on to our babies, be in the moment, not take advantage of our time here. We may even second guess our eating habits, telling ourselves we need to be healthier, and do what we can do to prevent it from happening to us.

Then life happens. We get busy. We remember the people and pray for them. We keep them in our thoughts, but the majority of the days and weeks, we get back into our own routines of life. We don’t end up sticking to the life changes we initially thought about. We tend to go back to taking advantage of our health on most days and fall back into old habits.

Something I’m really learning lately is that God wants us to partner with Him. This doesn’t mean nothing bad will ever happen to us or that we won't ever have to suffer. It also doesn't mean He’s going to make changes for us and things will get better just because we show up at church every Sunday. We have to step out of fear and partner with God to make the changes we want to see in our life, so that if and when that diagnosis comes, or when the least expected happens, we can at least be at peace with knowing the time we've been given has been spent wisely. Seeing these posts about cancer promoted me to share what I've realized in my own life lately.

I have needed to re - focus my own priorities lately and make some much needed changes to my everyday routine and attitude. It took me months to actually implement these changes that I knew for a long time needed to happen. I would make progress, and then there I was again, doing the same old thing every day. For awhile I justified things with my busy life as a mom, or loneliness from staying home, but I desperately needed to go about my day in a new way. I started reading a book that I picked up at the library for free by Joyce Meyer called Seize The Day! Check this video out as well!

I needed to step out of many levels of comfort. It’s scary, it’s anxious, it’s hard, no matter who you are. Once I started to take risks prompted by partnering with God through a relationship with Christ, prayer, reading, and counseling, I am starting to see a change (most importantly within myself). I've had some hard conversations that needed to happen. I am stepping out to be there for others in a way I hadn't before. I am loving others where they’re at with their own journey. I am reaching out. I am starting to listen to the promptings of God and using my time more purposefully. I have given up things that were really really comfortable and hard in order to find true fulfillment with who I am as a person (not what I look like or what I wear).

There is so much God has done just from the few changes I am starting to make. He’s opened up doors and opportunities. He’s brought new friendships in our life. He’s brought me help and mentors to walk beside me as I do life. Without leaning on Him, I may have missed out on some of these opportunities. God even shows up even when I don't deserve it. God shows up when I mess up time and time again. God shows up when I can't stop falling into the same old habits. He thankfully shows up with grace and mercy in return for my repeated sinful behaviors. In return, He gives generously (friendships, love, internal peace, true joy,). He will do the same for you through a relationship He so desperately wants to have with you.

When I look at the big picture of "life", it all comes back to this...what would my older self say to my younger self? I know 100% I would say to lean in and partner with your creator so you can become everything you were meant to be and live purposefully.

To the ones who have been diagnosed with cancer or are dealing with this painful disease, we see you. God sees you! Thank you for your courage and for doing what is so hard to do EVERY SINGLE DAY! Thank you for being vulnerable and sharing your stories (which by the way, are changing so many lives)! Thank you for being an encouragement for others and most importantly, I pray and hope we are an encouragement for you! Thank you for fighting THE hardest fight. Thank you for allowing God to work through you during this time! So much growth and healing can happen during our hardest days. Refer to the bible for countless examples of that! We are here cheering you on every step of the way! Your story and journey is a way for God to do the work that He so desperately wants to do in all of us! Hang in there and don’t lose hope of the bigger picture. Praying for you!