Faith like a Child

This month is Childhood Cancer Awareness month. This month there will be walks, runs, and ceremonies held to honor and remember those children who have fought this terrible disease. You will see commercials on TV featuring these children. One of the specialities I have thought about going into is Pediatric Oncology. I am inspired by the resilience these children show in their fight. Their families challenge me in my faith. I feel called to help those in their most desperate time of need. While I'm not sure yet if pediatric oncology is the speciality God has called me to,  these families still hold a special place in  my heart.

I'm sure many of you have know a child or family who has been touched by childhood cancer. I know two. I've written about their mother's before, but today I would like to share more of their story. Over the past year these families have demonstrated their faith in God and love for each other. I have grown in my faith by watching these families struggle through this journey. Here is their story.

The story begins August 3, 2010. Richard Lee, 3 years old,  was diagnosed with a Wilms Tumor. A Wilms Tumor is a kidney tumor in young children. It usually found in children around age 3. Richard Lee's parents bought him to the emergency room because he had not being feeling well. They left with a cancer diagnosis. They discovered that the cancer had spread to his abdomen and lungs. Over the next 9 days Richard Lee would undergo surgery to remove his kidney and to put in a port for his chemo treatments. He would also begin receiving his first treatments. Over the next several months he would undergo radiation and chemo treatments. Our church rallied around his family and his family called on the Lord. Over the next year I would see an amazing example of what it means to have faith in God. His mother, Nancy, choose to rejoice in God no matter what each day brought. She rejoiced eat day she got to spend with her son and her other children. She said that each day was a gift from God. This really challenged me in my own walk with the Lord. There were many days when school was tough and I would find myself complaining. After seeing this example in Nancy I decided to do the same. I choose to see each day as a gift from God. I choose to rejoice in the day that He had given me to matter what happened.

Andrew was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia on June 2, 2011. ALL is the most common form of childhood leukemia. Andrew has a favorable type. Andrew had a port placed and began chemo. I babysat Andrew since he was a baby. I'm very close with his mother Amy. Amy and her husband Warren were leaders in the youth group when I was a teenager. Amy has been a mentor of mine for years and has become a very close friend and sister in Christ. A friend called and told me about Andrew and I immediately headed to the Children's hospital at St. Francis. When Amy opened the door and saw me standing there, she said she wasn't surprised to see me. It was an amazing experience for me to be able to minister to this sweet friend of mine. It was like things had been reversed. Yet in those moments while Amy needed to be ministered to, she continued to minister to my heart. She told me she didn't know what the future held, but she knew that the Lord was in control. Throughout the summer Andrew was in and out of the hospital for fevers. He was able to start 4th grade and spend some time in class before becoming a homebound student for awhile. Andrew continues with his treatment. His treatment will go on for the next 3 years.

Andrew and Richard Lee's families were very close before their boys became sick. They have remained close and ministered to each other in this time of need. The families have chosen to put God first in their lives. They are raising boys that know that God is in control. The have chosen to walk by faith. They don't know what the future holds for them or their boys, but they do know that the lives of RIchard Lee and Andrew are in God's hands. While in the hospital last August, Richard Lee said "God made me special." Those are sweet words to hear from a three year old. You see Richard Lee gets it, God made him special, just like God makes all of us special. Children have a special place in God's heart. When children came to Jesus the disciples tried to make them leave, but Jesus told them to let the children come to Him. Isaiah 11is a prophecy about the coming of the Messiah. It says that a little child will lead them. All though this passage specifically speaks of Christ's coming, it has application to our lives. Jesus said that the kingdom belonged to the Children. He went on to say that you have to have the faith of a child to enter the kingdom of Heaven. When Christ said this he didn't mean that we don't grow up in our faith, but he is referring to the blind faith that children have. Children will believe what you tell them. They don't seek for you to prove to it them. In our society many people want a scientific experiment to prove the existence of God. The faith of a child is one of the sweetest things. Today my challenge is that you have the faith of a child. The faith that can say God made me special when you don't feel special. Faith that can withstand the wind, rain, and storms that come.

"God made me special"

Richard Lee

If you are interested in helping fight childhood cancer here are some events that are happening this month:
1. Join me and Richard Lee and Andrew's families this Saturday as we walk for CureSearch. CureSearch is a nationwide program that works with current pediatric oncology research. We are walking to raise money for this. Registration starts at 8am by Memorial High School. Here's the website for more info:  http://blba.us/i.asp?id=476447
-334350937-1

2. This next Monday September 26, Chili's will be donating all the profit for the day to St, Jude's Research Hospital. You can also visit chilis.com for more information on how to donate to St. Jude

In Christ there are no Underdogs

Last night in my quite time I was reading the story of David and Goliath. David was just a teenager. He was small compared to Goliath and had no official warrior training. But David didn't need warrior training, God had prepared David for the task of defeating Goliath for many years. David had fought against wild animals to keep his father's sheep safe. But more important than David's experience as a shepard, David trusted in God. David knew that his power didn't lie in himself, but in God. David knew that although he may not be big enough in his own strength to defeat the giant, he could defeat Goliath through the strength that the Lord gave him. On that day David wanted to show all of Israel and the Philistines that his God was the God that saved.

Many times in my life I struggle with being confident. You see I know that the Lord has called me to be a doctor, but at times I struggle with turning complete control of this over to the Lord. During undergrad there were times I stressed and worried about getting into med school. The Lord keep reminding me that He has called me to this, to do my part study hard, and that He was going to see that He accomplished this in me. The Lord continues to remind me of this everyday. This month I'm working in a clinic in Mannford. This is the first rotation that I've been making physical diagnoses and working with making a plan for my patients.  Last week I was really nervous to say what I thought the patient might I have. I was really hard on myself. I know that this is suppose to be a learning experience and I don't have to have all the answers, but I also know that the Lord has blessed me with the knowledge to arrive at answers. I am reminded each day that the Lord will accomplish this task in me.

 You see many times I feel like David facing Goliath, but I'm not as quick as David was to claim the power of God like David did. I'm sure many of you face your own giants each day. I think that many times as women we struggle with being confident in ourselves. I'm not talking about being prideful, but being confident with the gifts, talents, and passions the Lord has given you. God has blessed each and everyone of you with something special. As Christians the Lord has called us all to something, whether it be a homemaker, a teacher, a doctor, a lawyer...I could go on but I think you get the idea. He desires for us to use the gifts, talents and passions He has given us. Part of being strong women, is being confident in ourselves. In Christ there is no underdog. Through Christ, we are able to be strong. The deceiver tries to limit us and tell us that we are not good enough so that we don't accomplish the will of God in our lives, but we have the power of Christ. In our battle against our giants of doubt, fear, and unworthiness, our weapon is the power of the Lord God Almighty.

"David said to the Philistine, ‘You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied'"

1 Samuel 17:45

So ladies in our struggle to have confidence in ourselves, we have the power of Christ, but we also have each other. Strong women have to stick together. It is vital that we encourage our sisters in Christ to be Stout Women. Today's devotional was about David and Jonathan. When you think about friendships in the bible I'm sure one story that comes to mind is that of David and Jonathan. David and Jonathan had a deep bond. Jonathan realized that the Lord had chosen David to have the throne and Jonathan accepted that. Jonathan saved David's life from Saul, when could have easily had David killed and taken the throne from himself. David returned the favor by brining Jonathan's son into his home after Jonathan was killed. This friendship flourished because both of these men had a relationship with the Lord. These are the types of relationships we need to build as women. A British publication had a contest to find who could come up with the best definition of a friend. Here are the top five responses:

•             "one who multiplies joy, divides grief, and whose honesty is inviolable"

•             "one who understands our silence"

•             "A volume of sympathy bound in cloth"

•             "A watch that  beats true for all time and never runs down"

•             And the winning definition: " a friend is the one who comes in when the whole world has gone out"

Do you have someone who is there when no one else is? I'm sure some of you have spouses who are there like that, but do you also have another woman who is there for you when no one else is. I challenge you to have a friend who's stands by you through thick and thin. Do you have someone who will inspire you to once again have confidence in yourself when you don't? Do you have that friend who challenges you to be a Stout woman that is brave, bold, determined, obstinate, uncompromising, sturdy, vigorous, staunch, enduring?

" Being confident of this that He who began a good work in you, will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus" 

Philippians 1:6

Seize the Day

I was sitting in Mr. Coughlin's Old Testament class at Bishop Kelley and Mr. O'Brien (now Fr. O'Brien) came in and whispered something to my teacher. Mr Coughlin turned the TV on and told us that 2 planes had flown into the World Trade Center in New York City. In disbelief, we as the towers fell. We then went to an all school mass, where the principal told the whole school what happened. I don't remember learning much in school that day. We watched the news in several classes. I do remember ending football practice with one of the seniors Tony Scardino leading us in prayer. Tony sat out his senior year in football to rehab his knee injury so he could join the Marines. For the rest of the games that season Tony lead the team onto the field carrying an American flag.

Where were you on that day? What were you doing? This next week marks the 10th anniversary of 9/11, a day that forever changed us.  The next year would prove to be a difficult year for many people. Many struggled with grief over losing a loved one in the attacks. Many struggled with survivors guilt wondering why their life had been spared. Most of us were scared at what the future held. The first year following 9/11 would prove to be a trying year for me, but in a different way.

Our church like many others opened their doors that Tuesday evening for a time of prayer. For myself and many others at church this would not be the last time that we gathered in that sanctuary for prayer. Shortly after the attack on the World Trade Center, my youth minister Andy was diagnosed with Leukemia. He began treatment in January 2002. Andy reminded our youth group the night before his treatment began that God has a plan for our lives. He shared Jeremiah 29:11 with his. He told us that he was not scared about what the future held, because he knew that God was in control. In May of 2002, Andy was not doing well. Again the church opened its doors one night. Our youth group and other church members came to the church to pray. We prayed and begged God that He would see Andy through the night, and he did. On May 28, 2002, God called Andy home. It was so hard for our youth group, we so longed for an earthly healing, but God had a bigger and better plan. He brought Andy complete and total healing in the next life. God continued to use Andy. Andy had challenged us to bring an unsaved friend to summer camp. Many students did and people came to know the Lord because their friend invited them to summer camp. Most of all Andy taught us a life lesson that is hard for us to understand. Andy taught us about trusting in God for everything. He challenged us not worry about our future, because God has a plan and His plan is perfect. Andy was a godly man who trusted in the Lord with all his heart.

"For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future"

Jeremiah 29:11

Life has changed a lot since 9/11/01. There are many things that have become the "norm". I am moved by the first responders that ran to the buildings that day while everyone else ran away. We have seen men and women continue to serve in the military past original contracts as well as men and women join after 9/11 with the nation at war. But what inspires me the most, is the stories of the everyday people just living life. The Todd Beamers and those who helped him over power the terrorists on United Flight 93. These men and women inspire us to not accept defeat, to not allow the terrorists to rule our lives, and to do something. They inspire us to serve our communities and each other, may their sacrifice not be in vain.

So I challenge you this next week, to serve others and reach out to your neighbor. May we honor those who gave their lives to save others by do something for the greater good. May we honor the memory of everyone who lost their lives that day by laying aside our political backgrounds and uniting as Americans to remember. May we honor the men and women of the military by flaming the patriotism that was so evident in the days following 9/11. Fly your flags. Hold a door open for someone. Smile at someone you pass on the street. Buy a co-worker or friend lunch just because.  Don't rush through your day. Take time to be thankful for the freedom and safety we enjoy. Spend time with your family. Hug your children. Don't waste your life. Seize the day. Live in the moment. Take risks. Always be thankful for each day you have.

"Freedom makes a huge requirement of every human being. With freedom comes responsibility. For the person who is unwilling to grow up, the person who does not want to carry is own weight, this is a frightening prospect"

Eleanor Roosevelt

"Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same."
Ronald Reagan

"The momentum of freedom in our world is unmistakable - and it is not carried forward by our power alone. We can trust in that greater power Who guides the unfolding of the years. And in all that is to come, we can know that His purposes are just and true."

George W. Bush

"If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other."

Mother Teresa

"And so, my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country. "

John F. Kennedy