When one of our dear friends was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer, a beloved mentor friend said to me: “pay attention to what you are meant to learn during your walk with this family”
Flash forward several months. I have learned a lot about cancer.
I have learned that cancers job is to multiply and grow.
I have learned that even if you leave 1% of the cancer cells on a brain tumor from surgery, that cancer will grow back and multiply.
I have learned that there is a new chemo pill you can take, so you no longer have to go to the hospital to get your chemo treatments.
I have learned that cancer is an aggressive, ugly, painful disease.
I have learned that cancer doesn’t just affect the person who has it. It affects families and communities.
But I don’t think those were the things I was “meant” to learn.
This weekend we participated in a run to support our friend on his journey through cancer. 150 people showed up wearing a T-shirt that his 10 year old son designed. It says “God is Able.” And it shows his dad in the boat while a shark below has his mouth wide open to the “cancer fish” swimming around. Those words “God is Able” have become the food we eat and the wine we drink. And that man in the boat? He believes he is already healed.
We watched this lovely man walk around all day receiving hugs and well wishes, he was prayed over and loved and supported. People came from near and far to wrap their arms around him and his wife and children.
We witnessed prayers by a sweet woman who has loved this family like her own. Who, despite falling down the stairs and injuring her leg, runs this race with this family in so many ways. And there are over 100 more people just like this, who are praying for healing and who show up, with meals, with words, with hugs, with support of every kind and with “God is Able” in their hearts.
After everything I’ve learned about this thing called cancer, I’ve realized that it doesn’t matter how ugly cancer is, how long it will last or where it will travel because the one thing cancer can’t touch is LOVE. It can touch the body, but not the spirit.
Cancer can’t touch love.
CANCER CAN’T TOUCH LOVE!!!
When we shift our focus from the cancer to the love, there is so much beauty to behold. So many blessings.
Near the end of the day a little boy ran over to our friend and tapped on his arm to get his attention and he said this: Excuse me, but did you know that you’re famous? I thought to myself yes, man made weak, God made strong. We make God famous in our weakness because of the way we need to lean on God and because of the way it pulls out our love for one another pointing to the giver of ever lasting life.
And so I will have tea with my mentor friend one day soon and tell her of the things I have learned. I will tell her that I’ve learned that cancer can’t touch love and that of all the ugliness I’ve seen our friend go through, I’ve also seen him walking in peace, in hope, in faith and in love. God bless him.
Dear Lord Jesus,
Thank you for this beautiful family. Thank you for putting them in our lives. For the opportunity to love them and share life on earth with them. We love you Lord. We thank you for every breath, every moment, every time we suffer and struggle and every time we lift up our arms in complete joy and thanksgiving because we know that ALL of it is a part of your plan, wrapped in YOUR love forever and ever. Amen.
1 Corinthians 2:5
So that your faith might not rest on human wisdom but on God’s power.
1 Corinthians 13 1-3
If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it, but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing.
2 Corinthians 12:9
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 of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
