Tag Archives: Pain demands attending to

More Than Conquerors

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I hate the feeling of being so weak there is nothing left but tears. My body is so tied up it seems and it is hard to not focus on what hurts. But focus it does. As C.S. Lewis commented, “Pain demands attending to. It is God’s megaphone for rousing the world.”

So I want to be roused. I know that God’s grace is sufficient for me because His power is made perfect in my weakness. I feel the power to surrender and do so freely. I feel the power to endure day by day, often moment by moment. But the power to overcome seems evasive. But then, overcoming is not just captured in the excitement of being the first one to cross the finish line, or making the winning goal in a soccer game. Sometimes the overcoming spirit is to plow through the battle confident of God’s victory, to not give in to what Leukemia is doing to my body and mind, but waiting for His resolution of the matter in His timing. I have so much more to learn, to experience the confidence of Stephen while he was stoned, the hope of Paul as he was flogged, the passion of Jesus as He suffered for us.

Every moment, no matter what type of hurt we endure, there is power to overcome, if only because it is our great God who is our overcomer, and whose love never abandons us.

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:37-39

Three Week Update – Joy on the Path of Struggle

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Several people have been asking how I am progressing post stem cell transplant. God has been so good to us. I passed my first follow up appointment with flying colors. So well, that instead of 2-3 appointments per week, they are satisfied with seeing me weekly at this point and will back off to every two weeks, then monthly.

My white blood count, including the infection fighting neutrophils are at the low end of the NORMAL range and the other blood cells are slowly increasing. This demonstrates that my donor cells are working! Of course, these cells are not fully mature, and don’t offer full immunity protection. But I expect them to progressively mature and multiply as they have already started.

My difficulty with swallowing is nearly healed, though I need to be careful with rougher foods. The GI tract may take some time to heal as will the painful chemo ‘burns’ on my hands and other areas. But overall, it seems I am well ahead of the curve, even with tiring days like yesterday and today.

As we’ve written earlier, pain demands attending to. But often it is our choice how we perceive it and how much we let it control us. A lesson I learned thirty years ago is that ministering and reaching out to others in need diminishes the focus on our own painful situation, be it physical, emotional, relational, or spiritual. (I am constantly reminded of how much I still need to improve in this.) Cultivating a real relationship with the Spirit Jesus gave us is of infinitely greater value in coping with limitations, frustrations, anxiety, and pain. Author Sarah Young writes:

“Keep your eyes on (Jesus), not only for direction but also for empowerment. I never lead you to do something without equipping you for the task. That is why it’s important to seek My will in everything you do.”

If my pain and struggle were exactly the same, yet I didn’t have this eternal truth, I can assure you my experience would not be nearly so optimistic. Yet with this truth, a measure of joy is revealed on the same path of the struggle. It is available to you too.

Thanks to everyone who is praying for us and encouraging us.

“You have made known to me the path of life. You will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” Psalm 16:11