The Body of Christ

Over the past several weeks, I have begun chemotherapy. With this comes nausea and fatigue in varying degrees of severity. For me, this has meant several days of nausea where I don't feel like eating anything, as well as extreme fatigue. Being young and in pretty good shape has helped, I believe, as I have bounced back pretty well in between treatments, so far.

While no one chooses this road, I continue to be so blessed and learn so much along the way. One particularly powerful blessing has been seeing the Body of Christ in action. My family, friends, and church family have overwhelmed me and my family with calls, cards, notes, messages, meals, baby-sitting offers, gift cards, and PRAYERS. This outpouring of love and support has meant a great deal to our family. We see and feel the love of Christ reflected in so many around us. Until going through this trial, I never realized the power of the Body of Christ to encourage.

This picture of Christ's love made action has changed our family forever. It spurs us on to BE that love in action in the future. I can see more clearly my selfishness in the past, and am convicted to encourage those in need from this point forward. This blessing and lesson is another way God is redeeming this illness in my life.

New Definition

We define ourselves by so many things and in so many ways. Wife, mother, sister, daughter, friend are roles that come to mind. We define ourselves by our personality traits--funny, reflective, stubborn, organized. We label ourselves--athlete, artist, homemaker. All these roles, traits, and labels help us define who we are.

I have acquired a new label--breast cancer patient. In the coming months, I pray that will become breast cancer survivor. This past month has been packed with much prayer and reflection on how this new journey will impact my life and those around me. I will never be the same person I was before January 8th. I have a new urgency in life, a new perspective. What is worthy of my time, my talents, and my efforts? This new label that defines me will change forever my priorities, and for this I can be thankful. It is the first of many blessings that God will give me on this journey, I believe.

We are given such a short time on earth to reach others for the gospel of Christ. I do not want to waste my time with the things of this world. I want the definition of who I am to be hidden in Christ.

**Good news-Thursday I received the word that my lymph node biopsy was negative for malignancy!**