Spiritual Family Support, and Natural Family Support is Important!
Psa 23:1 A Psalm of David. The LORD is my Shepherd [to feed, to guide and to shield me], [Eze. 34:11-31] I shall not want.
Psa 23:2 He lets me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still and quiet waters. [Rev. 7:17]
Psa 23:3 He refreshes and restores my soul (life); He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake.
Psa 23:4 Even though I walk through the [sunless] valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod [to protect] and Your staff [to guide], they comfort and console me.
Psa 23:5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You have anointed and refreshed my head with oil; My cup overflows.
Psa 23:6 Surely goodness and mercy and unfailing love shall follow me all the days of my life, And I shall dwell forever [throughout all my days] in the house and in the presence of the LORD. Amplified Bible
Note: vs 4 says it is the shadow of death....When we walk through this shadow we do not have to fear because it is only a shadow, he has promised to bring us through it and give us comfort as we are walking through the shadow.
This isn't the first time my husband has looked death in the face. When he was in his 20's (before we met) he had a motorcycle accident via a hit and run driver and had severe brain trauma and was in a Coma for over 3 weeks but by God's grace (he was not serving God at that time) he lived but because of head injury has a seizure disorder which prevents him from driving a car for the safety of others and himself. There are many other side effects to brain trauma, but through prayer many things have been overcome.
While he was in collage he suffered a ruptured appendix and lost 1/3 of his small intestines due to infection, but again lived through the experience.
So we know God had a plan and purpose for his life even before he came to know Yeshua/Jesus as His Redeemer and this is another opportunity to use this to bring glory to Him. Sickness does not glorify God, He did not put cancer in Scott, but He is the one who bring healing to his body.
In time of crisis the first one we need to look to is Our Heavenly Father and His Word. We do not fear death because death is just a continuation of life when you know Yeshua/Jesus as your Redeemer and Savior. However we stand on Psalm 91 and that we will finish the race He has set out for us to run for His Kingdom and His Glory.
We are not ready to give up the fight because we know we still have a job to finish with our time allotted here on earth and the enemy, death is not going to take us before our time.
Our hope is in His Word and His faithfulness.
When we keep our eyes on the Word we are filled with His peace when we get our eyes off the Word that is when we will become weak.
We are grateful for family and friends and for the prayers that we feel daily. The hardest thing for me to do was to ask for help, I am use to giving the help not asking for it. It is a very humbling experience.
We have several friends, one a Rabbi friend of ours whose wife is a breast cancer survivor and a friend from our Congregation who also has experienced a battle with cancer and who has been a great support and encouragement to Scott and myself.
The reason for the bladder cancer was because my husband was a smoker for many years and even when he became a believer it was still hard for him to kick the habit but eventually he did. However, we were surprised to hear from the doctor that the main cause of bladder cancer was smoking! We knew smoking caused lung cancer, heart disease, breathing issues but never knew it affected the bladder as well.
As other cancer survivors have shared with us, it is just as hard on the spouse and family when a loved one is going through the pain and suffering.
If only our doctors were trained to combine faith with their medical treatment instead of looking at us like we are from Mars when we state we are looking to God for healing. We know God uses doctors and medicine but they do not have the last say so - God does!!
When we start feeling overwhelmed we feel His peace/Shalom within us and we know we have people holding us up in prayer and the Father lovingly watching over us.
Just the other day Scott had to go through another surgery and Chemo. I was in the room with him as he was waiting to be prepared for surgery, and we were laughing and joking with each other when the doctor who was doing the surgery walked in. He started laughing as well, we told him laughter is good medicine, he just smiled! We can laugh because we know that God's Word is true and if He brought us to this crisis He will bring us through it so we can encourage others as well and give glory to God.
The battle was won 2 thousand years ago when Yeshua paid the price for our sins. Read Isaiah 53 and Psalm 103 these words are fulfilled in Him.
Here is one of my favorite songs and if you are going through a test or trial read Psalm 34 and listen to this song. Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir - Psalm 34
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