What Cancer Can't Do

A good friend gave me a bracelet for Christmas. In the middle it says, “What cancer can’t do.” On either side in small letters it says, “corrode faith, shatter hope, destroy peace, silence courage, invade the soul, steal eternal life, conquer the spirit, cripple love, kill friendship, suppress memories.”

It is a good reminder as I face the beginning of radiation next week. It is also a good reminder for me that many persons facing cancer, and other trials in life such as the death of a loved one, do find their faith corroded, their hope shattered, and all of it. As I ponder this, I confess that there have been moments that have been tinged with a bit of fear and despair. For me those moments come most often at night, and at times I am trying to power through all on my own.

I give thanks that God knows me so intimately, down to my cellular DNA as I said to someone today, that my moments of fear and despair aren’t hidden but held in a deep embrace of acceptance. It is when I am held in that embrace that my faith and hope are restored, that peace returns, that courage rears up, and my soul is strengthened. It is then that I know a hint of the joy of eternal life in my healing spirit, in the love that surrounds me, in my friends, and in my memories.

For everyone who is sitting on the edge of hope but not quite able to dive in, may the waters of grace lapping at their toes invite them further in.

Romans 8:24-26

For in hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what is seen? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words.