April 30
This is right and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
1 Timothy 2:3-4
One of the quickest things we forget when we are hit with devastating news is that there can and will be better days for us ahead. We get so caught up in the crisis of the moment that we lose sight of the hope and promise that this can be but a temporary thing. Our senses become clouded and our reason becomes unfocused. We fall into despair and doubt so easily that our expectations become very negative. It is our biggest challenge to keep from wallowing in anxiety and fear. In this state we forget that God does not want our suffering or our pain. God does not desire us to give up or to give in to anguish and disillusionment. God wants us to know the truth – that we are loved, that we matter and that we are offered help for this day and for all eternity.
My faith comes and goes so dramatically, O God. It rises and falls sometimes moment by moment. I need your help to keep me strong, to keep me believing in your gracious love and care. It’s a lifeline that I desperately need. Amen.
May 1
… thus storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of the life that really is life.
1 Timothy 6:19
What makes life worth living for you? What stirs deep love in your heart? Nurture those things. What enables you to have unshakable hope in what lies ahead? Cling to those things. What offers you unbridled joy in living? Pursue those things. What brings you peace and fills your soul? Pray for those things. Take a good, long look inside of you to grow in understanding about what is most important to you, about what offers you significance and instills a passion for this life you have. One extremely vital key to survival is to have a purpose, to be filled with meaning, to live a life that matters. Where there is little meaning, it is time to make a change. Where there is worth and value it is your opportunity to cherish those things and help them grow ever stronger for a renewed life.
When I get so caught up in my own problems and worries, I forget to make the time to look within and really know who and what I am. It’s not always easy to do. But I am asking you, dear God, to show me the way today, the way to what is most important for my life. Amen.
May 2
Recalling your tears, I long to see you so that I may be filled with joy.
2 Timothy 1:4
The cancer journey cannot be made alone. It may feel as if we are all alone and, of course, no one else can understand exactly what we are going through. But we need others with us who will help, encourage, guide and nurture us. We need them, especially for our souls. There is nothing worse than feeling totally alone, misunderstood or without support. It is then when we become so discouraged that we lose hope and the will to go on. But the right people, with the right attitude, with the right concern for our well-being, with the right spirit of support can be a blessing to us that is immeasurable beyond our immediate understanding. They can sustain and strengthen us in ways too deep for words.
I cannot fully express to you how much it means to me when someone reaches out to me with grace and compassion. It lifts me up. It carries me through. It gives me hope. Thank you, dear God, for bringing these good people into my life. Amen.
May 3
The Lord be with your spirit. Grace be with you.
2 Timothy 4:22
This benediction, one of many throughout the scriptures, serves as a reminder that God constantly watches over us. It serves as an endorsement of our very lives and of our special place in God’s plan. It calls us to understand that we have an eternal protector who knows everything we experience, every challenge we endure, every need we have. This assurance of God’s divine blessing over our lives provides us with tremendous certainties – that our struggles are not unnoticed, that our dilemmas are not ours to face alone, that our pain is not in vain, that our circumstances are not without meaning, that our journey is not without guidance and direction. And it means so much more as well. This benediction, along with all the others the scriptures hold, is our lifeline to the One who sees us through it all. It is our lifeline to wholeness, hope and healing.
It is your spirit, wonderful God, which keeps me going and helps me to find your way, which is so much better for my life. Knowing that you accompany me is the richest blessing of my life. Amen.
May 4
Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me …
Psalm 23:4a,b
The valleys we enter on the cancer journey can be very deep, dark and distressing. Fear is often our constant companion along the way. We feel as if we are in the valleys alone, with neither a guide nor a discernable way out. Even in our loneliness, the psalmist reminds us, we are not ever alone. We are assured that indeed God never leaves us to travel the depths without help, without hope or without a hand to grasp onto.
Good Shepherd, I do feel alone sometimes, as if I’ll never shake off this anxiety and despair. But don’t let me forget your abiding presence and your infinite care. Your reassurance does give me hope. Amen.
May 5
“So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today.”
Matthew 6:34
Worry can be our constant companion – if we allow it to be. Worry about our situation, about what is to come or about any number of “what ifs” can dominate our thoughts. Worry can overwhelm our lives. A key survivor’s task is to resist the power of worry. The task is to place each challenge in perspective. It is to give no concern more authority than it deserves. It is to allow God to shoulder the burdens with us. It is to live believing we do not have to carry the burdens alone.
When I cling to burdens that are too heavy for me to carry, remind me, dear God, that I don’t need to shoulder them alone. Help me to allow you to carry them for me instead. Amen.
May 6
“Do you want to be made well?”
John 5:6b
The first question to ask ourselves when we are confronted with cancer is: do we truly want to be well? Wanting it, desiring it, longing for it is the first step toward healing. With the goal established and the outcome we’re seeking made clear, then we can begin the process of mapping the route we need to take to get there. The will to be well is utterly necessary for us to create wellness in our lives.
Strengthen my resolve to seek all that it takes to be well, O God. Inspire in me the will to find the wholeness I need. Amen.
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