This Is What Motivates Me To Pray

After my friend Sheri moved into her new ranch style house, she gave me her fire escape ladder since our bedrooms are upstairs.  I put it on the floor in my bedroom until I could figure out the best place to store it.

One morning, Faith Wrenn comes into my room and spots the box.

Faith Wrenn: "What's this, Mom?"

Me:  "It's a fire escape ladder that attaches to your window sill so you can climb down to the ground in case of a fire."

Faith Wrenn picks the box up, puts it on my bed, and opens it.  As she's taking the ladder out, she says, "This thing is loud."

Me:  "If there's a fire and you have to use it, no one's going to notice how loud it is."

Faith Wrenn:  "Yeah, but how I am supposed to sneak out??!!!"

OH. MY.  She's not even a teenager yet!  SHE IS ONLY TEN!!! 

Now, you know why I pray ALL the time!!!

Obviously I won't be storing the ladder in her room :)

"Pray without ceasing!"  1 Thessalonians 5:17

Loving HIM with all my heart & soul,

Nancy

It all comes back to this....

"Lord, break my heart for what breaks Your heart."

***This post is long, but would you please read it in its entirety?  I'm being very open & honest here & if you don't read it to the end, it may seem like I'm being self-righteous.  BUT I'M NOT!  God taught me a lot through this experience, and I'm just sharing how it happened. I'm a slow learner, remember??!!!

This past week, I finally joined the new millennium.  I started a Facebook account.  Why my sudden change of heart, you ask.  Well, I have the privilege of joining 2 sweet friends in leading a 9th grade girls youth small group, and one of these sweet friends mentioned how being on Facebook with the girls would really provide insight into their daily lives.

Sigh. Really?  Really?  REALLY!

So, I took the plunge. 

Being a detailed oriented person, I'll be honest, Facebook is driving me CRAZY!  I find it difficult to communicate on there.  It all seems so random and surfacey (a new word for today!) Maybe that's why people like it so much.  Of course I realize that more meaningful conversations can happen behind the scenes.

Maybe it will grow on me like a toxic mold :)  Maybe.  Just don't stop e-mailing me, please!

So, this morning I thought I would play around with Facebook for a few minutes and try to learn something new.  I really am trying to give it a chance.  So, I started clicking on people's names, profiles, pictures, etc.  That's when I innocently stumbled upon something that really, really upset me - to the point that I was physically shaking!

I was so upset!  I only had about 15 minutes before I had to leave for my daughter's school which meant I had to make a decision about how to handle this situation pretty quickly.

I chose the old school option and picked up the telephone!  Real dialogue was needed here.  Privately.  Not publicly on FB for everyone to see.  We (the person I was concerned about & I) were only able to have a partial conversation right then, and I was still very upset when I got to my daughter's school.  Honestly, I was quite preoccupied with my FB finding - for the rest of the day. 

While I was at Faith's school for a fundraiser and just before I had a 2nd conversation with the person I was concerned about, I received this text from Marcia, my friend in Jamaica:

"Good Morning. Throughout this day let us try to replace pride with humility & presumption with devotion. Have a selfless day."

WOW!  If only I could share the details of my FB finding with you, you would be saying WOW too.  These words of wisdom were straight to me from my loving Heavenly Father for my present situation.  A peace came over me that I desperately needed.  And it changed the course of action I decided to take!

GOD IS SO GOOD & FAITHFUL!

However, my FB find this morning has really had me looking at the social network from a different perspective all day.  I understand that FB can be a good thing.  It can help people connect or reconnect.  It can spread news quickly.  It can be an instrument of encouragement. It can be used to share one's faith in Christ.  ETC. ETC. ETC. 

I get all of that.  But after this morning, honestly, there are some things about FB that are quite concerning.  For me, what happened this morning magnified the negative. Please bare with me as I share some of my concerns and what God revealed to me about them. 

It is upsetting to me when someone posts Bible verses or labels themselves a Christian on FB but then they cuss & carry on 2 posts later.  Or they are drunk (or drinking) in a lot of their photos.  Or they are dressed in provocative ways.  (I beg you to please keep yourself covered, on behalf of wives & mothers with sons everywhere! And what happened to the arms length fingertip rule??!!! *God made you in His image and YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL!  There is no need for immodesty.  YOU ARE GOD'S MASTERPIECE just the way you are - Ephesians 2:10!)

We are all sinners saved by grace through the blood of Jesus Christ, and no one except Jesus is perfect.  However, this does NOT let us off the hook.  We are not free to sin because we are forgiven.  Our walk with Christ needs to match our talk, not contradict it. 

The world is always looking for a reason to knock us down and give themselves a good excuse for not following Christ &/or going to church.  Their number 1 reason - hypocrisy.  We say one thing but do the opposite. 

If we as followers of Jesus Christ are no different than the rest of the world, then why would a lost world (facing an eternity separated from God) see a need for Jesus?

Do we not understand who our FATHER is??!!!

Being a child of God comes with responsibility & sacrifice.  We are called to die to self daily through the power of the Holy Spirit for the sake of Christ.  Life is not about us - our feelings, our rights, our wants - anymore.  Our life is now about JESUS.  We are to love Him with ALL of our being and love others.  We are set apart.  We are different.

As a parent, I take it very personally when my children make unwise choices.  I see it as a negative reflection on our family.  Have you ever felt that way?  So, what kind of reflection are we having on God and His family when we post things on FB that do not honor Him?  Are we leading others astray?

As a parent, have you ever told your children to choose their friends wisely?  Well, the same is true on FB!  I know some people are very concerned with having a high number of friends so they will befriend anyone.  But, am I the only one who gets upset when one of "my friends" posts something inappropriate and it shows up on my page??!!!

And speaking of making wise choices, is it really wise as a married person to befriend someone on FB that you had a serious dating relationship with in the past (even if it was 20 years ago in high school or college?)  FYI: they are NOT the same person you knew in high school or college.  Life has happened and they are different & you are too.  So any mental fairy tale you may have of picking up where you left off or of having a better life with them now because your marriage is troubled & requires a lot of work is a lie straight from satan himself - the father of all lies (John 8:44)!  Don't go there!  Nothing good will come from it.  Instead WORK ON YOUR MARRIAGE!!!

I'm just saying.....

DEEP BREATH.

Okay.  I have one foot off of my soapbox now!

Even if you innocently befriended them at first with no ulterior motive, where is the wisdom in that?  Do you really think it's a good idea?  Are you guarding your heart? Your marriage?  Satan is slick and the flesh is weak. Why lay the ground work for temptation?  Would you want your spouse doing the same thing? 

I'll be honest, as soon as FB started popping up suggested friends for me, I was immediately convicted of not befriending any males unless they are in my family.  This sounds extreme I know, and I'm not saying you have to do the same.  I'm simply sharing what God wanted me to do. 

Most of the men who popped up were my friends' husbands anyway.  I figure if I need to tell them something, I can tell their wives or have my husband tell them. (And this is coming from someone who had more guy friends growing up than girl friends - I'm allergic to drama!)

For whatever reason, God had me do this.  He knows best and I trust Him. 

It made me think about Christians who are very intentional about not putting themselves in compromising positions.  I've heard men like Billy Graham, James Dobson, Dennis Rainey, Bob Lepine, and Chip Ingram share about the lengths they go to so they can protect their marriages & their integrity.  They do things like not traveling alone with a woman, not riding in a car alone with a woman, and not getting on an elevator alone with a woman.  At times, it has been very inconvenient & schedule altering for them to uphold their convictions, but they do it anyway.       

After my 2nd conversation with the person I was concerned about, I was still very upset about FB.  I couldn't stop thinking about the potential it has for evil.  I knew I needed to turn it over to God. It was time for some serious prayer. 

As I began to pray, I ranted about FB to God and waited for my spirit to calm down and my mind to clear.  But these things did not happen!  Instead, my disgust with what was happening on FB grew stronger!

I continued to confess my feelings to God and begged Him to take them from me so I could move on.  He didn't.  Instead, this blog post began taking shape in my mind, and I was filled with such strong emotion.  Before I knew it, an hour had past! 

I started to question God about my inability to shake my feelings.  And that's when it happened - a break through!

God spoke to my spirit and said, "All of this is an answer to your prayer. I'm breaking your heart for what breaks My heart." 

WOW!

God allowed me to have some pretty intense emotions towards what I saw people doing on FB so He could break my heart for them (both the saved & unsaved!) So He could break my heart for sin!  The greater the emotion, the greater the brokenness.

Then my anger and disgust turned to sadness - deep sadness filled with tears. And 2 Bible verses came to mind.

"Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life." Proverbs 4:23 

(I have to share the rest of that chapter with you too... "Put away perversity from your mouth; keep corrupt talk far from your lips. Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you. Make level  paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm. Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil." Proverbs 4:24-27)

The second verse was 1 Peter 5:8 which says, "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

(I have to share a few more verses from that chapter with you too!... "Resist him (the devil), standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings. And the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To Him be the power for ever and ever. Amen." 1 Peter 5:9-11)

God's Word speaks volumes here!  I'm praying that we will listen and respond as the Holy Spirit convicts and leads.

God loves us so much but HE HATES SIN! And so should we!

I can't help but think of Casting Crowns song "Slow Fade."  As followers of Christ, we tolerate too much.  We are called to stand firm, not grow more accepting and complacent.  We need to speak out.  We shouldn't be afraid to call sin exactly what it is - SIN.

Satan can be subtle and weasel his way into our lives without us even realizing it.  When I shared some of my FB concerns with my husband, he said he didn't really notice them anymore because he's had a FB account so long.  He's grown accustomed to them. 

The same thing has happened at our house concerning TV.  We only have local channels.  When we want to watch TV, there aren't many family shows to choose from. Unfortunately, we have slowly begun to settle for the lesser of all the evils & watch programs that "aren't THAT bad" - comparatively speaking.  But what we really should be doing is turning the TV off or putting in a God-friendly DVD.  This is how the world creeps in and we may or may not recognize it.

Sin is sin and Truth is Truth, no matter if we recognize it or not.  We have to be saturated in The Truth.  We have to be vigilant and guard our hearts, eyes, ears, mouths, hands, feet, minds, emotions, etc.  Ironically, when I went on You Tube to link Slow Fade, several of the videos made you watch advertisements first - very worldly ones!!! Ugghhh! This is my point exactly! 

My challenge to you and to me is to stand firm for the Lord, even when others around us do not stand with us or understand our position.  May God's opinion mean more to us than any other.  May we be willing to stand alone for Truth.

We are called to please God above pleasing man and above pleasing ourselves. I am praying that we have the desire and the courage to obey this call.

I am so thankful that God removed more scales from my eyes today and helped me to see things from His perspective. 

"Dear Lord, please continue to break my heart for what breaks Your heart." 

*P.S. I hope I didn't rant and rave too much.  God sparked a new burden in me today, and I couldn't keep it to myself! Thanks for reading.

*P.S. P.S. I have read and re-read this post at least 10 15 16 times!  I've made a few changes each time too!  I'm praying that you see my heart for Jesus & disdain for sin.  It's not about FB.  It's about people in need of a soul-satisfying touch from the Savior.   

Standing firm for HIM,
Nancy 

   

Please pray for FAITH today...

Dear Lord,

Help us fight the good fight of faith, taking hold of the eternal life to which we are called.
"Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses." 1 Timothy 6:12

"Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life."  1 Timothy 6:17-19 

Amen.
Loving HIM with all my heart & soul,
Nancy

Please pray for CONTENTMENT today...

Dear Father,

Teach us the secret of being content in every situation, through Him who gives us strength.

"I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Him who gives me strength."  Philippians 4:12-13

Amen.

Loving HIM with all my heart & soul,
Nancy

Please pray for RESPONSIBILITY today...

Dear Lord,

Grant us the ability to learn to be responsible, for each one should carry his own load.

"If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself. Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else, for each one should carry his own load."  Galatians 6:3-5

Amen.

Loving HIM with all  my heart & soul,
Nancy

Please pray for COMPASSION today...

Dear Holy Father,

I pray that You would clothe us, the Costa Rica team, with the virtue of compassion.

"Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience."  Colossians 3:12

Amen.

Loving HIM with all my heart & soul,
Nancy

Please pray for HUMILITY today...

Dear God,

Please cultivate in us the ability to show true humility toward everyone we meet in Costa Rica.

"Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility toward all men." Titus 3:1-2

Amen.

Loving HIM with all my heart & soul,
Nancy

Please pray for PERSEVERANCE today

Dear Lord,

Teach us to persevere in all we do and help us run with perseverance the race set before us in Costa Rica.

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us."  Hebrews 12:1

Amen.

Loving HIM with all my heart & soul,
Nancy

Please pray for JOY today....

Everyday while we are in Costa Rica, I will be using the simple prayer calendar given to me by the lady at the Cancer Center last week to ask for specific prayer.  Please pray for us!

Heavenly Father,

Please grant us a heart filled with joy given by the Holy Spirit as we minister in Costa Rica.

"You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit." 1 Thessalonians 1:6

Amen.

Loving Him with all my heart & soul,
Nancy

It's GO time!

Okay, I only have 7 minutes because I am determined to go to bed by midnight.  We (Tanner & I) leave for Costa Rica in the morning.  We are pretty excited!

I think there are 25 on our team.  We will be working with an orphanage doing VBS and some maintenance, feeding the homeless, door to door evangelism, handing out tracts etc.

Please pray for our team.  Pray for unity.  Pray for our obedience to God's will.  Pray for us to minister in God's strength and not our own.  Pray for the sweet orphans we will have the privilege of loving.  Pray for everyone we meet. Pray for them to see & experience the love of Jesus Christ. 

If we have internet access, I will blog each night. 

Okay, my time is up.  PLEASE PRAY.......

Thank you for praying...and

I HAVE ANOTHER PRAYER REQUEST FOR YOU

Student Life Camp was INTENSE! 

Thank you for all of your prayers.  God answered!  To Him be the glory - every last bit of it!

Our youth group is fantastic and watching them grow is such a blessing.  God did so much last week.  I will share a few things with you soon.  I'm waiting for permission to share one story in particular.

Now I have another prayer request...

Tomorrow (Thursday, July 7), I will have my first baseline mammogram since I completed surgery and radiation.  Would you please pray for the pictures to be crystal clear so they can be read accurately? 

Also, pray for me to have an opportunity to share Jesus with someone while I'm there and the boldness to take the opportunity.  I know God has someone I'm supposed to meet tomorrow because I was originally told I would have my mammogram at the Cancer Center right before my doctor's appointment next week in Uptown.  Then a month or so ago, I received a notice in the mail that I would actually be having my mammogram in Pineville tomorrow.    

I don't question such changes because I know God is up to something.  He has done this over and over again since my diagnosis.

I'll keep you posted about my results.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PRAYERS!

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I just had to share this with you.  My 3 year old niece Grace spent the day with us today.  While she was playing, she loudly recited..... "I will teach you the way you should go. Psalm 32:8   Everybody say it with me now!"  And then she repeated Psalm 32:8 again.

WOW! 

Lookout!  

This is God at work and speaking His Truth through a 3 year old! 

I hear you Lord! Loud and clear!

Loving HIM with all my heart & soul,
Nancy

Quick Post for Prayer

I have been blogging all week - in my head!  I just haven't been able to get to the computer to share it with you. 

UGGHHH!  It's the thought that counts, right?

Actually, right now I should be sleeping since I have to be at church by 5:00 a.m. to leave for Student Life Camp.  That's only 4 1/2 short hours away.  But, I could not leave without asking you to please pray for camp this week.  God does incredible things in the hearts and lives of our students (and us adults!) at camp.  Pray for God's protection, presence and power to be upon us.

THANK YOU!

P.S. If I have internet access, I will try to blog from camp after everyone goes to sleep.

Loving HIM with all my heart & soul,
Nancy 

Being Prayerful, Thankful, and Stuck in the Mud

For the past week, I've had this little sticky note posted beside the gear shift in my van.

Smith is my friend Angela's 2 year old son who is having surgery tomorrow to remove his tonsils and adnoids, do some ear reconstruction, and put tubes in his ears.  WOW!  That is a lot for a little fellow.  And it is quite a lot for his mama!  Please join me in praying for both of them.  I've been praying Philippians 4:6-7...

"Do not be anxious about anything,

but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving,

present your requests to God.

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding,

will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

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I am so thankful for the very kind people who brought dinner to me and my family this past week.  THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH!!!  Proverbs 11:25 says, "The one who blesses others is abundantly blessed; those who help others are helped."

My friend Tina took care of us last Friday with a 3 course meal!  THANK YOU TINA!!! Thank you also for always checking on me and for not taking NO for an answer!!! 

Shawna Lee and her daughter Katie blessed us with this delicious meal!  YUMMY!!!  THANK YOU!   The card was sweet too.  **Shawna Lee, please tell your neighbor we said thank you for the cookies!

Look at this beautiful smile!  Lucia brought by a fabulous meal on Tuesday along with a touching gift that brought tears to my eyes - I'll share the details soon.  THANK YOU LUCIA!  And to think this was the first time Lucia and I met each other!  Talk about being the hands and feet of Jesus!  God has special plans for you Lucia....follow Him.

Tonight, Muriel baked us a chicken pot pie (which we completely wiped out!)  She also made us a healthy salad with apples in it.  Why is this a big deal you ask?  Well, I eat a lot of salads now because it's an easy way to get my veggies, and I've been wanting some crispy apples in my salad!!!  I even took an apple to work yesterday for my salad, but did not get a chance to chop it up.  So, today God used Muriel to put apples in my salad!!!  He takes such good care of us, doesn't He??!!!  THANK YOU MURIEL!!!

     *************************************************************

When I was in elementary school, my friends and I would put on our rubber boots and slosh through the ditches in our neighborhood when it rained (in the summertime only, of course.)   We would drudge through the mud and water until we wore ourselves out.  We had to use a lot of energy to move forward because the mud and water were trying to hold us back.

That is the best way I know how to describe the fatigue caused by radiation.  Only now, I feel like I am standing in thick red mud up past my knees while trying to move forward at a normal pace.  It is nearly impossible.  The weight of the mud is tremendous, and it wins sometimes.  But, I consider it a victory when I am able to stand, without moving backwards or forwards! 

Lately, God has been teaching me how to let myself off the hook, especially when it comes to trying to move forward at a NORMAL pace.  Life is not normal right now, and it is okay if I say NO to some things.  As long as I continue to say YES to God, I will be just fine.  My next lesson... learning how to do this withOUT feeling guilty.

Loving HIM with all my heart & soul,
Nancy

Your Prayers Are Needed Again

UPDATE:  Shane's surgery went well this morning!  PRAISE!  His gall bladder was definitely in bad shape.  PRAY he recovers quickly!  THANK YOU! 

My brother Shane is doing better, but HE WILL BE HAVING HIS GALL BLADDER REMOVED THURSDAY MORNING AROUND 8 a.m.  Please pray for him to be able to tolerate this procedure and recover really quickly.

Shane's gall bladder has been aggravated for a while - most likely as a result of being sick for 3 months.  But today, an ultrasound showed that it needed to be removed now.

PLEASE PRAY FOR SHANE! 

Thank you.  I will keep you updated.

Loving HIM with all my heart & soul,
Nancy

Heavy Heart

"LORD, hear my prayer,
   listen to my cry for mercy;
in Your faithfulness and righteousness
   come to my relief."

Psalm 143:1 

I am super duper tired today, but my heart is so heavy.  Will you please join me in praying for 2 very special people?

My friend Sally from church who has been so helpful to me re: my cancer is in the hospital right now.    (She battled breast cancer herself several years ago - and won.)  She was having trouble with her right leg and just found out she has cancer in her femur bone. 

She is undergoing lots of tests to determine the extent of the cancer.  She may also have surgery to insert a rod into her femur to help support her leg.  PLEASE PRAY FOR HER!  Pray that the cancer is at a very early stage, contained, & easily treated. PRAY FOR HER FAMILY!  AND PRAY FOR THE DOCTORS TAKING CARE OF HER TOO!

Sally is the pretty one in the middle.  PRAY FOR HER!

****************************************************

My brother Shane also still needs your prayers.  Sorry it has been so long since I've given an update on him.  Please forgive me for being so slack!

Just before Christmas, Shane was discharged from the hospital although he was still throwing up.  Two home health nurses came every day to check on him and give him an IV in the evening.

While he was at home, he started getting sick a little less until the beginning of January.  Then on January 4, Shane was readmitted to the hospital because he started throwing up blood.  He is still in the hospital today.

He has seen numerous doctors and been given several diagnoses and treatments, but nothing has stopped him from getting sick.  He now has incredible pain in his chest too.  But his BACK (which is what he originally had surgery on back in Nov.) is fine!

Today, his blood sugar dropped, and he was moved to a different hospital in Greenville.

PLEASE PRAY FOR HIM!  Pray for the right diagnosis and treatment.  Shane needs some relief.  Can you imagine being sick every day, all day for 2 1/2 months??!!!  It is bad.  Real bad.  PLEASE PRAY FOR HIS WIFE GENA & THEIR 3 GIRLS TOO!  They want their husband and daddy back.

This is Shane (obviously prior to surgery) with one of his daughters.  Just wanted you to see who you are praying for. 

THANK YOU FOR PRAYING! 

Loving HIM with all my heart & soul,

Nancy

God Makes Me Giddy!!!

"Give thanks to the LORD, call on His name:

make known among the nations what He has done."

1 Chronicles 16:8

This morning, I had a doctor's Divine appointment at Dr. Frenette's office in Uptown Charlotte.  Dr. Frenette does the medication side of oncology (chemotherapy, oral meds, etc.)  I was there to discuss taking the oral medication tamoxifen for the next 5 years as a preventative measure.  But, most everyone else was there for chemo.

Before I arrived, I had asked God to please give me an opportunity to minister to someone while I was there.

As I was checking in, I glanced over at the waiting room and someone caught my eye.  She looked familiar, but I wasn't sure that I knew her.  She had on dark glasses and a germ mask covering her nose and mouth.  Even though I couldn't see her face, I recognized that blonde hair!  It was the very 1st lady I ever met at radiation.  I met her the day I went to get tattooted & fitted.  Here is what I blogged about her 2 1/2 weeks ago.....

As I was leaving, I met another patient.  She was not doing well.  She shared a little of her story with me.  She said that her small cancerous spot was completely removed.  However, a very small spot was found in one of her lymph nodes.  When the surgeon went to remove that cancer, it broke apart into smaller pieces.

As a result, she is having to undergo both radiation and chemotherapy.  She said she just finished her first round of chemo which consisted of 8 straight days of treatment.  She said the side effects were horrible, and she could barely put her feet on the floor.  She has 3 more rounds of chemo left.  Round 2 starts in about 3 weeks.  And she is having radiation AT THE SAME TIME as chemo!!!  I cannot imagine.      

Please pray for her.  She does not want to do chemo anymore.  But she has a 12 year old daughter and knows that she has to do it.  She has beautiful thick blonde hair and knows it will fall out with the next round of chemo.  I do not know her name because our conversation was interrupted when the nurse needed me.  But God does.  So, please pray for her.

My heart broke for her that day, and I have been praying for her since then!  I tried to find her name on the check-in list at radiation, but the computer has us listed by time and last name only.  So, God brought us back together today - the day she was to start her 2nd round of chemo!!!!!

ONLY GOD!!!!!!!!

The waiting room was packed, but there was a seat open right across from her.  With a smile beaming from ear to ear on my face, I went over to her and introduced myself.  I was so excited to see her!  I was absolutely giddy!!!  I probably scared her more than the chemo did!!!  I could not contain myself!  I knew this was God at work!!! 

Her sister was with her and the 3 of us talked for at least 30 minutes!!!  I now know her name and was able to share what God had laid on my heart with her.  I gave her my contact info as well.  Her sister and I really tried to encourage her as she sat there waiting for her name to be called to start round two of chemo - the round she knows will rob her of her beautiful blonde hair and her strength.  But she is determined not to let it rob her of her dignity and hope.

As I was about to pray with her, the nurse called her name.  I promised her I would be praying while she was getting her treatment.  And that is exactly what I did.

How do I know this was a Divine appointment?  Well, I never should have been at this doctor's office in the first place!!!  Dr. Frenette sees patients at the cancer center with my surgeon Dr. White every Monday afternoon.  When Dr. White told me I needed to see Dr. Frenette, he said I would see the 2 of them TOGETHER!!!  I was supposed to see Dr. Frenette at the cancer center in March when I go back to see Dr.White!  But, someone in the appointment setting office gave me a separate appointment with Dr. Frenette at his office "by mistake"!!! 

ONLY GOD!!!!!  I am still giddy!  Oh how I love to watch God work!  HE IS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!! 

And by the way, Dr. Frenette is recommending that I NOT take tamoxifen!!!  He said given my specific circumstances and type of cancer, the best plan for me to fight reoccurrence is exercising (cardio) 5 times a week for 20-30 minutes and eating 5 servings of fruits & veggies every day.  And the side effects of eating right and exercising are all positive, unlike the side effects of taking tamoxifen.  WOW!

This was an answered prayer, especially for my husband who did not have a peace about me taking tamoxifen in the first place.

After leaving the doctor's office, I spent the rest of the day in a praise and worship session with my God!

And look what was for dinner.....

Hiding behind the box is my beautiful friend Lisa from MOPS.  THANK YOU LISA FOR A DELICIOUS, HEARTY DINNER TONIGHT!!!

And check out another little treat from God...

I have been craving a big biscuit for a few days now!  I do not know why.  But it's the truth.  THANK YOU AGAIN LISA!  I promise to start eating my fruits and veggies TOMORROW!

Loving HIM with all my heart & soul,
Nancy 

ALL BLUE & TATTOOED!

I went to be "fitted" for radiation today.  The people there are genuinely super duper nice!  I don't know any other way to put it.

Nurse K went over all of the logistics with me and made sure I understood everything, including the risks.  She also made sure I knew that they would be permanently "tattooing" me today to mark where the raditation needs to go.  I asked her if I could get a cross because I wanted my tattoo to mean something.  She grinned and said "FOR GOD'S GLORY!" 

Amen sister!!!

Nurse K is obviously a follower of Christ.  Several years ago, she went on an extended mission trip and ministered to orphans.  God touched her heart during that time, and she fought hard for a few years to adopt her daughter who is now 13!!!  Her God story is very encouraging, especially for those going through the adoption process with another country.  Her advice:  DO NOT GIVE UP!

I actually got 3 tattoos, but I think they are only small dots.  I've also been marked with bright blue lines everywhere.  They assured me that the bright blue was NOT permanent!

As I was leaving, I met another patient.  She was not doing well.  She shared a little of her story with me.  She said that her small cancerous spot was completely removed.  However, a very small spot was found in one of her lymph nodes.  When the surgeon went to remove that cancer, it broke apart into smaller pieces.

As a result, she is having to undergo both radiation and chemotherapy.  She said she just finished her first round of chemo which consisted of 8 straight days of treatment.  She said the side effects were horrible, and she could barely put her feet on the floor.  She has 3 more rounds of chemo left.  Round 2 starts in about 3 weeks.  And she is having radiation AT THE SAME TIME as chemo!!!  I cannot imagine.      

Please pray for her.  She does not want to do chemo anymore.  But she has a 12 year old daughter and knows that she has to do it.  She has beautiful thick blonde hair and knows it will fall out with the next round of chemo.  I do not know her name because our conversation was interrupted when the nurse needed me.  But God does.  So, please pray for her. 

I will officially start radiation on Monday, January 17 and end around March 4 - just in time for my birthday on March 7!  Well actually the 17th will be a test run and the 18th will be the real deal. 

Each treatment only takes about 10 minutes a day.  I'll also have x-rays once a week.  The most common side effects are fatigue and "sunburn."

Lots of you have asked about doing meals for me and my family once I start radiation.  Well, I was thinking it would be a HUGE BLESSING if you could simply share your "easy to freeze" and crockpot recipes with me.  That way, I can prepare a variety of food in advance and not need much energy to put dinner on the table each night.  (Unless of course you sense God wanting you to prepare the food yourself and bring it over, then by all means, please obey Him.)  You can leave your recipe on the comments or e-mail it to me.

THANK YOU SO MUCH for all of your prayers, e-mails, cards, phone calls, text messages, smiles, encouragement, etc.  You all mean so much to me!!!

"Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."  Ephesians 3:20-21 

Loving HIM with all my heart & soul,
Nancy

A Much Needed Mother/Daughter Night Out!

Yesterday was the first time since my surgery that I officially got ready, put on make-up, and went somewhere other than to a doctor's office!  

I started by going to MOPS.  I'm a mentor and we (the mentors) did the program yesterday for our Christmas meeting.  We shared the stories of the 5 women in Jesus' lineage - Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba, & Mary.  It was very touching.

I was Tamar.....

You can read her story in Genesis 38.  In spite of her sin, God still used her.  
We can NEVER out sin God. 
He will forgive us...for EVERY sin we commit...NO MATTER what it is!
We just have to ask Him.

"If You, LORD, kept a record of sins,
   Lord, who could stand? 

 But with You there is forgiveness,
   so that we can, with reverence, serve You."

Psalm 130:3-4

Afterwards, I was quite tired.  I had to go by the post office and ended up resting in my car in the parking lot with the warm sun shining on me for over an hour!  If the post office had not been so busy, I'm sure they would have reported me for loitering!   

With my second wind, I made a quick trip to Wal-Mart to get some things for Tanner's bonfire birthday party with his friends.  Since his birthday is Dec. 23, we usually do a party with his friends a few weeks early and a family party actually on his birthday.  With me recovering from surgery, Tanner and his dad planned the party and took care of all of the details.  So, I thought the least I could do was buy the food.

When I got home, I was going to straighten up the house for the party.  But, God had other plans.  He put 3 different women in my path that I knew He wanted me to spend some time with instead.  WHAT A PRIVILEGE! 

Then, my daughter and I turned the house over to Shawn, Tanner, and Tanner's friends!  Faith and I took off for a much needed mother/daughter night out!  The first stop was dinner.....

Then Santa.....

A little shopping, a checker game at Cracker Barrel (Faith won!), our annual ride through the Stafford Park neighborhood to see the Christmas lights & to vote on the best decorated house (I have pictures on my cellphone but they won't upload AGAIN!  ugghhh!), and then to Pet Smart.

Faith wants 2 parakeets for Christmas so she likes to visit the birds at Pet Smart every chance she gets.  She wants a furry pet so bad!  She is allergic to cats and dogs which makes her very sad.  She has the worst reaction to cats.  At times, she chooses to break out and take medicine just to be able to touch a cat!

After visiting with the birds for a while, Faith ventured over to the cat adoption center.  Nearly all the cats there were actually VERY playful kittens, and Faith could not resist!  She played with them through their cages until it was time for the store to close!  When I finally pulled her away (splotchy skin, itchy face, watery & swollen eyes and all!), she cried all the way to the car and half way home for those poor kitties!

Faith has such a tender heart!  As soon as we got in the car, she asked if we could pray for the kitties to all find good homes - so we prayed.  As soon as she got home, she started researching online what she could do to help.  When I went to bed, she was writing a letter to someone at an adoption organization that Pet Smart works with.  She is ready to take action!

Faith and I had a great night together with lots of laughs, lots of talk time, and lots of simple fun.   WHAT A BLESSING AND A PRIVILEGE!

Tanner and Shawn had a good time too.  I left a camera for them to take some pictures, but apparently they were having too much fun to use it!  

Loving HIM with all my heart & soul,
Nancy       

Covered in God's Word and Prayer - I'm ready to go!

This morning, the ladies at my Bible study covered me in God's Word...

"I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us."  Romans 8:18 

But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 2 Corinthians 12:9

"In peace I will lie down and sleep,
for You alone, O Lord, will keep me safe." 

Psalm 4:8

"Because Your love is better than life,
   my lips will glorify You.
I will praise You as long as I live,
   and in Your name I will lift up my hands."

Psalm 63:3-4 

"There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.  1 John 4:18

"The LORD is my light and my salvation—
   whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life—
   of whom shall I be afraid?"

Psalm 27:1

"...we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;  perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us."  Romans 5:3-5 

"But I trust in Your unfailing love;
   my heart rejoices in Your salvation.

I will sing the LORD’s praise,
   for He has been good to me."

Psalm 13:5-6 

Jesus said..."Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."  John 14:27

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose."  Romans 8:28

"Cast your cares on the LORD
   and He will sustain you;
He will never let
   the righteous be shaken."

Psalm 55:22

"Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge!

How impossible it is for us to understand His decisions and His ways!

For who can know the Lord’s thoughts?
      Who knows enough to give Him advice?

And who has given Him so much
      that He needs to pay it back?

For everything comes from Him and exists by His power and is intended for His glory.

All glory to Him forever! Amen."  Romans 11:33-36

"You will keep in perfect peace
   those whose minds are steadfast,
   because they trust in You.
Trust in the LORD forever,
   for the LORD, the LORD Himself, is the Rock eternal."

Isaiah 26:3-4 

"May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.

I always thank my God for you and for the gracious gifts He has given you, now that you belong to Christ Jesus."  1 Corinthians 1:3-4 

"As for me, I call to God,
   and the LORD saves me.
Evening, morning and noon
   I cry out in distress,
   and He hears my voice.
He rescues me unharmed
   from the battle waged against me,
   even though many oppose me."

Psalm 55:16-18

"For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline."  2 Timothy 1:7

Psalm 91 from The Message Bible

You who sit down in the High God's presence, spend the night in Shaddai's shadow,
   Say this: "God, you're my refuge.
      I trust in you and I'm safe!"
   That's right—he rescues you from hidden traps,
      shields you from deadly hazards.
   His huge outstretched arms protect you—
      under them you're perfectly safe;
      his arms fend off all harm.
   Fear nothing—not wild wolves in the night,
      not flying arrows in the day,
   Not disease that prowls through the darkness,
      not disaster that erupts at high noon.
   Even though others succumb all around,
      drop like flies right and left,
      no harm will even graze you.
   You'll stand untouched, watch it all from a distance,
      watch the wicked turn into corpses.
   Yes, because God's your refuge,
      the High God your very own home,
   Evil can't get close to you,
      harm can't get through the door.
   He ordered his angels
      to guard you wherever you go.
   If you stumble, they'll catch you;
      their job is to keep you from falling.
   You'll walk unharmed among lions and snakes,
      and kick young lions and serpents from the path.

 ^14-16 "If you'll hold on to me for dear life," says God,
      "I'll get you out of any trouble.
   I'll give you the best of care
      if you'll only get to know and trust me.
   Call me and I'll answer, be at your side in bad times;
      I'll rescue you, then throw you a party.
   I'll give you a long life,
      give you a long drink of salvation!"

Also today, lots of my sweet, sweet friends prayed for me, hugged me, encouraged me, called me, sent me cards & e-mails, etc.  THANK YOU SO MUCH!  This journey would NOT be the same without you!

My dear friend René even stopped by tonight with a gift - a comfy robe (that I desperately needed to make myself presentable when people come by to visit), a prayer box and a very meaningful card!  Thank you René!

The antlers were my daughter's idea!

Don't stop praying now!  Tomorrow is a big day.  Ask God to give my husband and I opportunities to share Him with the people we meet.  It's all for HIS GLORY!

Loving HIM with all my heart & soul,

Nancy

PRAY FOR HAITI

With Hurricane Tomas heading for Haiti, my heart is so heavy for the people there. You can read more about the situation at  http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/tropical_weather  

PLEASE PRAY FOR HAITI!!!!!

The country is still struggling to recover and survive from the earthquake in January 2010.  I had the privilege of going there this summer.  The devastation is still so prevalent, and the needs of the people are still so great.

"Hear my prayer, LORD;  listen to my cry for mercy."  Psalm 86:6 

Loving HIM with all my heart,
Nancy