Day 19 – Tuesday (9/11/18)
Health update: I was more tired today (compared to yesterday), and felt my heart rate over 100 for quite a while this morning, while being “at rest” working at my desk. Other than that, I have had a good day. Still no pain. The incision seems to be healing well. I called the doctor this afternoon to see if there were any results yet. My file still shows “pending”. I told them I’d try again tomorrow.
Thought for the day: I would like to take a moment to praise/thank God for working in the life of a fellow blog reader. Through a friend of a friend of a friend, a lady started reading the blog and reached out to me with her own cancer treatment story. She was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma type B a few months ago, and today was her last treatment!!!! Yeah!!! I’m so happy for her, and while it was a long road for her (from the bits and pieces I know), it encourages me to hear her story of success. I don’t know all the details, and I won’t pretend too. I’m pretty sure she has more tests to go through to make sure it is all gone, but just getting through the chemo is a big win!
This leads me to my thought for the day. Acts 4:36 “And Joses, who was also named Barnabas by the apostles (which is translated Son of Encouragement), a Levite of the country of Cyprus”. Acts 11:22-24 “Then news of these things came to the ears of the church in Jerusalem, and they sent out Barnabas to go as far as Antioch. When he came and had seen the grace of God, he was glad, and encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord. For he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the Lord.”
Are you a Barnabas? Do you actively seek to encourage others? I think each of us needs a Barnabas, and each of us should strive to be a Barnabas. Today, my Barnabas was the friend of a friend mentioned above. It gives me great encouragement to see someone coming out victorious on the other side of treatment. Hopefully I am being a Barnabas today with this blog, encouraging every reader to look for ways to encourage those around them.
Dear heavenly Father, thank You for friends who encourage us. Thank You for Your providence and Your ability to send those friends to us at just the right times. You prick our hearts to send that card, or make that phone call just when you know others need it. Help us all to be a Barnabas. I pray for continued patience Lord, as the results are still not in yet. It’s easy for me to say, “all in Your timing”, but hard sometimes to live it. However, in my heart, I know You have it all under control. Thank You for helping my new friend make it through her treatments. I pray that as they conduct follow-up scans, that she would be found cancer free, and that she can move on with her life… as a living testimony for You. Thank You for helping my Aunt and Uncle return safely to Kansas. Please be with the families of those who lost their lives as a result of the terrorist attacks 17 years ago. I’m sure that today is not easy for them, but hopefully they have put their faith and trust in you through the grieving process. Thank You for all that You do, Amen.