Gratitude

In anticipation of my scan today (2pm), my sweet friend, Sue, created a prayer “sign up genius” earlier this week. I opened the link yesterday and found all kinds of friends — old and new (plus some names I didn’t even know) had filled the slots and were praying for me around the clock this week. What? Amazing, right? Insert crying face emoji.

Cancer doesn’t give a whole lot of good stuff, but THAT, my friends, is the VERY best of it. I felt immediately overwhelmed with the love and steadfastness of those around me. It is a physical lifting or buoyancy when we know we are being carried through hard things with prayer. Yep, hard stuff is going to come. Whether we follow Jesus or we don’t, we can all be assured life will bring some degree of difficulty. But when we have Jesus and His family acting as His hands, we get the joy of being carried through the hard. We are lifted up and carried above the pain of life. And that is all the difference. 

My whole life I have heard [and often used] the phrase “lifting you up in prayer,” but I probably don't always stop to think about how perfect a phrase it is. Yesterday opening up that link to the prayer sign up and seeing all those names listed was truly a sense of what it feels like to be LIFTED UP. 

It is also a tremendous humbling. I am humbled by the thought that people would take an hour of time to specifically pray for me and my family as we face yet another go around this week. Like I said, not a whole lot of good stuff with cancer, but I will never be able to call the Body of Christ serving and supporting and praying and lifting us anything but good. It is beyond good. It is a game-changer. A grace. A gift. And it leads me to humility and a heart of gratitude. 

This week I've received so many loving messages from you, dear ones. Your prayers, scripture passages and songs have all been such a great encouragement. Thank you for taking the time to send. You have lifted me up and brought joy. I am grateful.

My friend, Jane, sent me a link to one of my favorite songs and it kind of sums up where I am today as I prepare to head to my scan. 

Take a listen if you have a minute. You can click on this link:  Gratitude - by Brandon Lake

All my words fall short

I got nothing new

How could I express

All my gratitude?

I could sing these songs

As I often do

But every song must end

And You never do

So I throw up my hands

And praise You again and again

'Cause all that I have is a hallelujah

Hallelujah

And I know it's not much

But I've nothing else fit for a King

Except for a heart singing hallelujah

Hallelujah

I've got one response

I've got just one move

With my arm stretched wide

I will worship You

So I throw up my hands

And praise You again and again

'Cause all that I have is a hallelujah

Hallelujah

And I know it's not much

But I've nothing else fit for a King

Except for a heart singing hallelujah

Hallelujah

So come on, my soul

Oh, don't you get shy on me

Lift up your song

'Cause you've got a lion inside of those lungs

Get up and praise the Lord.