God can bring blessing and growth into our lives through seemingly impossible and heartbreaking circumstances. Today's testimony is from Melody who is my amazing mother-in-law. I know that some of you will be able to identify with Melody's battle with breast cancer. My prayer is that you will be encouraged by the blessings she received through her journey.
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Stunned, speechless -those are just two adjectives that inadequately describe how I felt as I sat across the desk from a nurse at the Women's Center, and heard her say my biopsy showed Stage Two breast cancer.
After she explained what stage two meant she then told me she noticed I was a pastor's wife. She said she had been praying for me since she received the report. I truly felt the strength of those prayers at that moment. On the way home, I told my husband that through whatever was ahead I wanted to glorify the Lord.
I elected to have a double mastectomy. The surgery was two weeks before my son was to go to college for the first time. It meant a lot to me to be able to take him, so I prayed that I would get the "ok" from the doctor. One day before we were to leave the drains were removed and I was on my way to Pensacola.
When we came home I got the report that a very small section of the lymph node was positive.That news was almost as hard to take as the initial diagnosis because it meant chemo.
I was homeschooling a Senior, 6th grader, and 3rd grader. How was I going to do it?
Answer: By God's Strength.
We did not miss one day of school in spite of days when I was feeling very sick. There are so many other ways - large and small- that God showed Himself faithful to me and my family.
I learned many lessons such as what the Lord meant in His prayer-"give us day by day our daily bread", but one of the most valuable lessons is that all God asks is our desire to glorify Him-He does the rest. He will perfect our weakness. It was not me who had strength-I shed many tears and felt fear as I lay awake many nights-but it was Christ in me Who gave me the strength to go on in spite of all the varied emotions.
Strength can not be conjured up by our efforts. God alone allows us to glorify Him as we honestly pour our hearts out to Him and humbly admit our inability to produce any good thing. His promises became my anchor in the storm. I praise and thank the Lord that it has been five years since this "storm" and He has blessed me with health and strength.
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It seems as if cancer has touched almost everyone now days! This terrible disease is painful for both the patient and the families involved. I hope Melody's testimony was a blessing to you. If you have more questions for her, let me know! I know that she'd love to help and encourage your further!