Before The Curve

Oh my goodness, I almost completely forgot about a lunch-time post today! Here I am playing Words With Friends without a care in the world, ha!  Well not really without a care, remember last week I told you I would let you know the news I was processing..? Well, just a few weeks ago my best friend was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia.  It's an aggressive, quick growing bone marrow/blood cancer that you're not really supposed to get unless you're over forty years of age... And my beautiful friend is NO WHERE NEAR that :o) (she will love me for that haha! She really isn't by the way.)

 

You may be asking why I seem to be "okay" with all my "hahas.." It's because she is okay... No, she's not completely healed and yes, she is still in the hospital but her spirit is okay.  Her attitude is amazing people all around her.  I've see this before in a cancer patient... This peace and confidence that everything will turn out right. I've heard your attitude is key to your survival from many nurses and an oncologist. And you know what, they're right!

 

I have a thought of my own regarding this whole attitude topic: the key to the uplifted attitude and confidence is to have something other than the sickness or circumstance (we don't have to and shouldn't limit this to cancer patients) is to have something else to focus on... Something more important... Something to put your hope into... The key is GOD!  I mean really, He is the one who is going to heal you, change your circumstance or take you out of that circumstance anyway. The bible speaks of "peace that passes all understanding" being given to us if we focus on God and make our relationship (and other's relationship) with Him a priority, if we seek Him and not His gifts.

 

I think once you're already in a life circumstance that pushes you to your knees it's a little harder to prove that you are actually seeking God and not just his help out of the though spot but here's the thing, although I recommend nurturing a relationship with Him before anything bad happens, He will be there ANY TIME you call His name (Jesus)! There have been many, many people throughout the Bible and the rest of the ages - people including me - who have not deserved the help from God when they asked for it but He has helped us in spite of ourselves.  So if you are already in the thick of a horrible situation or sickness, don't worry, it's not too late, turn to God right now, in this very moment and see his power and peace comfort and help you!  If you're not there yet and life seems to be nothing but blue skies and smooth sailing even better, turn to God, thank Him and start your relationship with Him before the curve. 

 

So that's it, short and sweet... Inspired by the faith and confidence of a friend who started her own relationship with God long before the curve.

 

"Jesus, we love you! Even if we haven't talked much lately or ever before we know you're worthy and good!  It might not seem like much right now but whatever we do have - good or bad - we give to you. We want a relationship with you, Lord, one that's real and consuming, one that makes us gain such confidence in you that we won't fear the curve. God, we know you've been watching over us, we know you formed us in our mother's womb and though we can never thank you enough we take this moment to thank you... Jesus, I commit my life to you and not just in word but in time spent with you, time each day reading your Word and in the way we treat others. Please give us your strength, courage and help to not stop with this prayer alone but to pray tomorrow and the next day and every day after, help us to grow in relationship with you, give us endurance and persistence when it seems hard. God, let this be the beginning of a new dawn in our lives, let this be the first of many stepping stones in commitment to you and Lord, help us to see the sunshine through the clouds and realize you're worthy no matter the weather in our lives. Again, we love you, help us to love others and ourselves, though we are not worthy we thank you for your love for us. Amen."