Celebrate Today
There are days to celebrate in life that are not negotiable. Birthdays, holidays, firsts, it seems these days that there is something to celebrate everyday. If I'm honest I've been bothered by the amount of national days that we have made up as a culture because the days that are truly worth celebrating are watered down. It has made me think though, that this life, these breaths, they are a gift and to be celebrated, everyday, everything. So if it takes us naming a day to learn to be grateful for this life then so be it. But in our celebrating let us never forget where the gift comes from and who all the praise is due...
His Steadfast Love Endures Forever
Psalm 100
Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!
Serve the Lord with gladness!
Come into his presence with singing!
Know that the Lord, he is God!
It is he who made us, and we are his
we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise!
Give thanks to him; bless his name!
For the Lord is good;
his steadfast love endures forever,
and his faithfulness to all generations.
So today as we come near to my one year post treatment anniversary we celebrate national cancer survivorship day on this June 5th. My birthday is next week and today is just as worth celebrating to me. New birth was born out of me when I joined this club. We celbrate the life that we have been given and the gift that this precious life is. A year ago as I rang that bell and walked out of that hospital I had no idea what was to come, but the blessing that have poured out… I am not worthy. The other surivivors that I have met, the strong and mighty women walking and surviviing all paths of life, these are the things that are gifts birthed from a cancer diagnosis. I never saw life this way before.
A survivor is: anyone living with a history of cancer – from the moment of diagnosis through the remainder of life.
There are more than cancer survivors though, and you have a day to celebrate and be honored too. For we are all surviving something. What are YOU surviving? Celebrate that. Give HIS name praise for that. For what we get to endure for his cost is worthy for his praise.
I sing praises to Your name
Praise to Your name
The name that's so much higher than all names
All honor to Your name
All honor to Your name
The name that's so much greater than all names
Your name is life
Your name is hope inside me, hope inside me
Your name is love
A love that always finds me, always finds me
Be lifted up
Be lifted higher
Be lifted up
Be lifted higher
BETHEL MUSIC
I’m going to do this life, one day at a time. I’m going to be thankful and I’m going to celebrate everyday that God has gifted me, no matter the cost. I promise not to forget the ones struggling, for they give me the courage to celbrate more, to love more deeply, and to live for His purpose.
“God comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When we are weighed down with troubles, it is for your comfort and salvation! For when we ourselves are comforted, we will certainly comfort you. Then you can patiently endure the same things.” (2 Corinthians 1:4, 6 NLT)
"Your pain often reveals God’s purpose for you. God never wastes a hurt! If you’ve gone through a hurt, he wants you to help other people going through that same hurt. He wants you to share it. God can use the problems in your life to give you a ministry to others. In fact, the very thing you’re most ashamed of in your life and resent the most could become your greatest ministry in helping other people." Rick Warren
There is so much unique to a cancer survivors life, my story and diagnosis, is hard and doesn't escape my mind even for a day. There are new obstacles as we walk through often, but I know the perspective of hard and the gift of the good. So to answer how I am doing? I’m thankful and fighting for that everyday. "I can give God all the glory and some days can still hurt." Katherine Wolf says and that sums up some days for me. The survivors club is one I did nothing to deserve to be a part of. I carry the weight of that calling though, and celebrate today because it is a part of me for all my days. YOU can make a difference, one day at a time. I will walk into and through hard, because I know it. Because I am surviving it, and others need someone to tell them they can do this life too.
"It is a day for everyone, whether you're a cancer survivor, a family member, friend, or medical professional. This day provides an opportunity for all people living with a history of cancer – including America’s more than 14.5 million cancer survivors – to connect with each other, celebrate milestones, and recognize those who have supported them along the way. It is also a day to draw attention to the ongoing challenges of cancer survivorship in order to promote more resources, research, and survivor-friendly legislation to improve cancer survivors’ quality of life."http://www.ncsd.org/about-us
"One thing that I’ve become convinced of is that God has different definitions for words than I do. For example, He does work all things for my eternal good and His eternal glory. But his definition of good is different than mine. My “good” would never include cancer and young widowhood. My “good” would include healing and dying together in our sleep when we are in our nineties. But cancer was good because of what God did that He couldn’t do any other way. Cancer was, in fact, necessary to make Bob and me look more like Jesus. So in love, God allowed what was best for us … in light of eternity." - anonymous survivor on their perspective of surviving what is their good vs. God's glory
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