Ellen Schoenborn Roluffs

It has been less than a month since the doctor called with those words, “I’m so sorry”.  He relayed the results of the CT scan and asked me to get a PET scan and bronchoscopy before his meeting with the oncology surgeons in just six days. The results of the tests revealed the cancer had spread and there would be no surgery.  In my very first meeting with the pulmonologist, I explained that I was a person of faith and the outcome was in God’s hands.  God has truly given me a peace about what is happening. I’ve been humbled and realize I’m not in charge of my own life.  I more fully understand what others go through as they, too, are in God’s waiting room, dealing with pain and the unknown.  God’s word tells us in 1 Peter chapter 1 that we have a living hope because of Christ’s death and resurrection, but we may have to be sad for a while because of certain trials we must suffer.  Their purpose is to prove that our faith is genuine.  Even gold, which can be destroyed, is tested by fire and so our faith, which is more precious than gold, must also be tested so it may endure.  Then we will receive praise and honor and glory on the day when Jesus is revealed. My youngest granddaughter Abigail’s favorite book of the Bible is the Psalms and she regularly sends me a verse to encourage me.  Chuck and I have always celebrated the gift of a new day in this second chapter of marriage.  We are living One day at a time Sweet Jesus and seeking to be present in the moment, stopping to smell the roses.  A Bible verse that helps us to do that is Psalm 118:24:  “This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.”  At the end of each day in our prayer time we use the acrostic GLAD to reflect on the day and name some things we’re grateful for that day (G),  think about things we’ve learned (L), list things we’ve accomplished (A), and look for things that have delighted us (D).  We focus on seeing God show up in our daily life! This may be a practice you would like to try as a family or individual. Ellen Schoenborn