A Summer to Remember

2013 has arrived, so it's time I wrap up any posts from 2012.  My goodness!  We'll, I've been meaning to sit down and write a post about this past summer, but time keeps escaping me and sometimes it's hard to put things into words on a small blog post. 

 

Anyway, It's suffice to say that we had a hard summer, but God is good ... but I'll write a little more : ) 

 I had some health problems that started in the spring and there were some twists and turns and ups and downs along the way. There were tests, appts, results, waiting, etc. Everything came to fruition on September 7th when I had surgery to remove my thyroid.  A biopsy from a large nodule on my thyroid had previously shown suspicion for a rare form of cancer.  As it turns out, the large nodule showed cancer potential but was benign, and they found cancer in one of the smaller nodules.  

 

Going through this circumstance was a ride!  God, in His sovereignty, wisdom, and love, gave us this trial and He brought us through it with his grace.  There was a lot of waiting, and I'm convinced that whenever the "c" word is used, waiting is one of the hardest things to do. The unknown is a difficult place to be, and waiting is a catalyst for my mind to wander to "what ifs."  This trial was heart revealing and that was painful at times because it was so very humbling.   I was anxious, impatient, and struggled with trusting God because I wanted to be in control. And I cried a lot.  Looking back, I can hardly believe how fearful I was at some moments. It was like God used this trial to expose the depths of my heart that I never knew were there.  It's hard to explain. Through it all I was reminded that my only certainty is Christ and His promises. Sometimes that's hard to accept because I cherish and idolize so many things in this world, like we all do, but God's promises are a blessing because we know that he holds our hands, he holds tomorrow, and that we are secure in Christ.    I really thought I would have handled something like this with more maturity, but it's through these moments that He changes us, isn't it?  How else would I learn? He tells us that in His Word (Hebrews 12).  And that is why, while it was hard, it was also an amazing gift.  May Christ be our treasure. 
Glory to God!

 ^"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. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong."  2 Corinthians 12
 

The night before my surgery.