Christ Over Cancer - Celebrate Life Everyday!

Looking Back Helps Us Look Forward

2011-10-18T06:45:00.000-07:00

You're driving down the interstate at the max speed allowed (and then some if you're honest), and just as you top the hill going down into a valley you notice a sea of red and blue flashing lights. Cars, trucks, and ambulances are packed together and are rapidly approaching as you begin the decent into the valley. You step on your brakes without hesitation and with full confidence believing that this mechanical system will enact the pads to grip your wheels and slow your car to a stop before you plow into the oncoming maze of idle vehicles. When you saw all the red and blue flashing lights, without thinking, you knew exactly what you had to do--step on the brakes! It was instinct. You didn't even give a thought to the fact that your brakes might not work. Why not? It was because you had used them so many times in the past and they worked perfectly. Each and every time you applied your brakes in the past, they worked to stop your car. So, at this moment, you had no reason to doubt they would work just as they had in the past. Right?

Well, many times in our lives we come upon crisis' in our lives. We are traveling down life's road at warp speed and without warning, boom! You're told you or a loved one has cancer, or you are fired from your job, or you find out that your spouse has been unfaithful, etc. What do you do at that point? Do you get down and give up? Do you blame God? Do you complain to everyone you know about how you were wronged? Do you rebel and seek to get revenge? What do you do?

What we should do is to remember that just like the confidence we have in our car's brakes, we can have confidence in our God. If you look back over your life, you will see that He has brought you through and over so many obstacles in the past. Remember that healthy child you have? God did that. Remember that meal that was delivered to your house when you were sick? God did that. Remember that friend that stopped by and cheered you up by laughing and telling of old stories? God did that too.

We can have the same confidence in God that we have in other areas of our lives. Our faith and confidence in our faith is fueled by looking back at our lives and reminding ourselves of how God has helped us in the past. "Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." Hebrews 4:16 . Looking back helps us look forward!

So, the next time you apply your brakes in your car, let that be a reminder to you to trust God. If we can put that much trust in something that is man made, we can certainly put that and more trust into our Lord knowing that he has and will continue to care for us, his children.

God Bless!

3rd Annual Christ Over Cancer Day of Hope

2011-08-23T09:27:00.001-07:00

September 25th at 2pm will be our 3rd annual Christ Over Cancer Day of Hope presented at Woodlawn Church of Christ in Florence, Alabama. Each year this event has grown and we are excited and expecting 2011 to be our most encouraging day yet. This year's event will again feature inspiring stories of hope told by Christian cancer survivors. Also Dr. Robert Mann, a well known Christian physician in Florence, AL, will be speaking on the role of medicine and spirituality. We will have uplifting and encouraging songs performed by CORNERSTONE singing group from Faulkner University. Finally, the 3rd edition of the Christ Over Cancer book will be available for the first time. The newest edition has more stories and devotional thoughts meant to give hope to those dealing with cancer.

We will have a great reception following the event where survivors, caregivers and others will have a chance to encourage and fellowship with one another. We hope you will be able to attend and, "Be prepared to be INSPIRED!" If you have any questions, please call us at 256.767.3170.

Its Great To See You Again

2011-08-10T06:42:00.000-07:00

Last year when my family moved, we inherited a little black dog named Jake. Little Jake probably has more breeds in his DNA than Donald Trump has houses. Jake is a mutt if there ever was a mutt. He's never going to win a dog show and no one can accuse him of being the smartest tool in the shed. However, Jake packs more love in his 20 lb frame than most people could muster up in a lifetime.

Whether its raining, sleeting, snowing or sunny, when I pull in my driveway at home, Jake launches himself off the porch and runs to meet my car. He runs beside the car all the way to the garage with his tail wagging back and forth faster than a duck jumping on a june bug. Every single time I leave and come back, it is the same reception. He sits down in front of me with the most hopeful eyes when I get out of the car, just begging for me to spend time with him, to relax and love him. He gives me his utmost attention and there is no place he would rather be than sitting beside me on the steps giving me all the love that he has.

Wouldn't it be nice to have someone each day that is so happy to see you, talk to you , love you and spend time with you? Someone that doesn't carry grudges and only begs for our attention? God is that someone. He never gets tired of hearing you talk, He has endless amounts love and He is ALWAYS happy to see you and spend time with you. Whether you need a shoulder to cry on because of a health issue or someone to talk to when the kids have all gone off to college. He meets you every day, so happy to see you again and is begging for you to spend time with HIM! Matthew 6:33 - "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."
So, spend some time today with God, you'll be happy you did.

What Side of The Fence Are You On?

2011-07-28T06:47:00.000-07:00

There are few things more beautiful to me than a huge green pasture dotted with massive oak trees, outlined with a white split rail fence, and sprinkled with multi-colored horses. Not far from my house, is a horse farm where that scene is a reality. I drive by the farm several times a week and think, wow, those horses have it made. They have plenty of green pastures to eat and roam, trees to stand under to get shade, this must be what horses dream about when they sleep.

Recently though, I drove by and saw one of these "lucky" horses with his head stretched through the white fence trying with all of his might to eat some of the grass on the other side of the fence. I thought to myself, that horse has lost his mind. He has acres upon acres of beautiful grass to eat, but he's twisting and turning trying with all his might to eat the grass that is on the other side of the fence which is no better than the grass he has on his side of the fence. Crazy right?

Then it hit me, we all at times are a lot like that "lucky" horse. God has blessed each of us with so much, but we are often not happy, not satisfied, not content. We want the bigger house, nicer car, better body, etc., because it's something we don't have. Even though our needs are currently met, when we see what's on the "other side of the fence," we suddenly are not happy and become fixated on the other side. So, what is behind this insatiable appetite for the other side? How do we reverse this trend? It's all about contentment. Hebrews 13:5 says, Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."

Remind yourself of times when God has provided for you, remind yourself of the blessings you currently have. We all can look around and see others whose lives are much worse than ours. Contentment is not a "feeling", it is a conscious effort we must make to realize our blessings. Reminding ourselves of God's blessings in our lives helps us remain content and not longing for the "other side of the fence." This even applies to those suffering with health problems like cancer. It is so easy to get a case of the "poor me" disease. But, remind yourself of what you CAN do -- not what you CAN'T do. Can you walk, talk, bathe, read, without assistance? If so, focus on those blessings and use them to somehow help someone else. It could always be worse than it is.

So, look around at the green pastures in your own life and remind yourself that your side of the fence is not a bad place to be!

God Bless!

Stand Up To The Bully!

2011-06-14T06:21:00.000-07:00

Let's try something.... take your index finger and poke your arm one time. That was harmless...right? Okay, now poke that same spot on your arm 25 times. Still harmless, although bordering on somewhat annoying...right? Now, imagine poking that same spot on your arm 10,000 times without stopping. More than likely, you would have a sore arm. You would probably also have a bruise on the surface of your arm which is a sign of broken capillaries underneath your skin where the real injury lies.

This analogy is played out every day in our lives between ourselves and the ultimate "bully", the devil. We all have something in our lives that is vulnerable and is easy prey to the devil. It may be worry about our health, it may be worry about our financial situation, our kids or marriages or a combination of several things that the devil can "poke" until we are broken. At first, we try to handle these "pokes" ourselves thinking no one will ever know. However, over time, there are some visible signs that we are struggling. But, the real hurt is inside our hearts where our family and friends cannot see. As the "poking" continues and the devil's smile widens, the pain and bruising mounts and we can become lost in our struggle and lose our focus on God which is exactly what the "ultimate bully" desires.

The good news is that while the devil is the ultimate bully, God is the "ultimate principal." He can expel the devil from our lives and stop the "poking." He sees what others can't see and he can do what others can't do. We are told in 1 Peter 5:8 "Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." We are told in verses 9 and following to resist the devil, to stand firm in the faith and that God will himself restore you and make you strong and firm. But, how do we do that? How do we keep our thoughts from drifting to these worrisome areas where the devil preys?

God tells us how to do this in Philippians 4:8 "Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things." In other words, FOCUS on the good and not the bad. Stay busy and focused on the good things in this life. Check on the sick, volunteer, surprise a friend that's having a rough time and buy them lunch, play games with your children and more. If we can focus on the RIGHT things and thereby stand up to the bully, the bullying WILL STOP! God Bless!

Til The Storm Passes By

2011-05-24T11:44:00.000-07:00

Lately it seems we have had our fair share of storms in our lives hasn't it. In Alabama, we had a record number of tornadoes on April 27th that destroyed businesses, houses, churches, and most notably, took people's lives. Now, we are seeing a replay of this bad memory in Joplin, Missouri. The sifting through debris, the cries, the blank stares as people walk around....are all too eerily familiar. They wonder why this happened? Why didn't God protect them? Why me? Why, Why, Why?

Similar questions are asked by the 34 year old father of 3 young children after he finds out that he has stomach cancer. The whirlwind of cancer is a totally different storm, but the questions are the same. Why, Why, Why?

Only one knows the answers to these questions. However, James chapter 1 gives us some guidance on how we should react during these storms...... "2Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."

The fact that you are still here tells you that God isn't finished with you yet. He's just working on you. He's preparing you for HIS work. We all have a purpose in this life. That purpose just might be showing others how CALM you can be during your life's STORM. That purpose just might be helping someone get through their STORM in life because you've been through a similar STORM in your own life.

Storms come and go, but God is constant. His ways are higher than our ways. He sees and knows the future and just as we tell our kids..."this is for your own good," the same holds true for us. Even though it pains Him to see us suffer, He knows that he can use this storm for HIS good in the future.

No matter what type of storm you have endured in life, take shelter in God. Read His words, pray to Him, and look for ways to glorify Him no matter your storm in life. He will keep you safe til the storm passes by!

Joy To The World

2011-04-05T07:26:00.000-07:00

Do you have anyone in your life that just exudes joy 100% of the time? Well, I do. There is a little guy at our congregation that has the biggest smile on his face all the time. I mean "ALL THE TIME." Every time I see him, he smiles that huge grin and says with sincere joy...."Hey Mr. Marty, How are you?" We exchange our usual conversation... I tease him about girls and his new found mustache and then we talk about Alabama sports. He never fails to make me smile. I look so forward to saying hello to him b/c his attitude is so contagious. Even my 12 year old son said, "you know dad, you can't help but be in a good mood around that guy." So, our little buddy doesn't even know it, but he is affecting so many people in a positive way by sharing his God given joy with others.

God wants the same for us. It is so easy to let the circumstances of the day take control of our attitude. Happiness and sadness are really based on short term situations/circumstances. The trouble is that we allow those short term "feelings" to become our long term outlook. No matter our situation, God wants us to have joy and exude joy. The joy comes from knowing we are in His hands and that He will work things out for the best as we travel towards our eternal home. Joy is God’s gift to every believer. It is the fruit that His Spirit produces within you (Galatians 5:22) from the moment you receive the Gospel (John 15:11). This joy increases as you study and obey God’s Word (1 John 1:4).

We can affect so many people in a more positive way if we choose to be joyful no matter our situation. It really is contagious. Showing and spreading joy may be one of the best ways to show Christ's living example to others. No matter what your current situation may be, make the effort today to be joyful and see what a difference it makes! God Bless!

Frogitude!

2011-03-18T09:04:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time there was a bunch of tiny frogs....who arranged a running competition. The goal was to reach the top of a very high tower. A big crowd had gathered around the tower
to see the race and cheer on the contestants.... The race began... Honestly: No one in the crowd really believed that
the tiny frogs would reach the top of the tower. You heard statements such as: "Oh, WAY too difficult!!" "They will NEVER make it to the top." or: "Not a chance that they will succeed. The tower is too high!" The tiny frogs began collapsing. One by one.... Except for those, who in a fresh tempo, were climbing higher and higher....The crowd continued to yell, "It is too difficult!!! No one will make it!" More tiny frogs got tired and gave up.... But ONE continued higher and higher and higher.... This one wouldn't give up! At the end everyone else had given up climbing the tower.
Except for the one tiny frog who, after a big effort,
was the only one who reached the top! THEN all of the other tiny frogs naturally wanted to
know how this one frog managed to do it? A contestant asked the tiny frog how he had found the strength to succeed and reach the goal? It turned out.... That the winner was DEAF!!!! The wisdom of this story is: Never listen to other people's tendencies to be negative or pessimistic....because they take your most wonderful dreams and wishes away from you -- the ones you have in your heart! Always think of the power words have.

Because everything you hear and read will affect your actions! Therefore: ALWAYS be....POSITIVE!And above all: Be DEAF when people tell YOU that you cannot fulfill your dreams! This is from an email I received, but thought it very worthy to share...

Little Things Mean A Lot

2011-03-15T07:10:00.001-07:00

Several years ago, I had a friend that was moving his family to a new home. With three children, two of which were twins, his family had a lot of STUFF. Anyone that has moved can sympathize with the overwhelming feeling that comes with a move. The feeling that you will never get it all done, needing something that has already been packed, forgetting to schedule utility changes, etc. Moving can be very daunting.

In the middle of this chaos which was happening in the thick Alabama summer heat, my buddy said someone did something he will never forget. Without asking, a dear sister from my friend's church pulled up with cups, ice, and a big jug of sweet tea. In the South, we love our sweet tea and this dear sister knew the movers needed a break. My friend said that small act of kindness made a huge impact on him. To some, it was just a glass of tea. But, to my friend, it was a reminder that someone really cared about his family and just wanted to do something to make their chaotic day a little better. Making and taking tea wasn't a big deal to the good sister, but it was a huge deal to my friend.

Never underestimate how a small act of kindness can impact someone else's life. It could be a call or card to a person that is sick. It could be taking someone to lunch that has been having a tough time in life. Or, it could be as simple as buying someone a cup of coffee at work that has had a bad day. It doesn't have to be a big act to be a big blessing. Look for the little things in life that you can do to make a big impact for someone else.
God Bless!

The Complaining Virus

2011-02-22T08:05:00.001-08:00

Viruses are no fun. They cut us off from our family and friends. They make your entire body feel horrible. Plus, no matter how hard we try not to, viruses always affect someone else we care about negatively. None of us would willingly expose ourselves to such a virus. The problem is that most viruses can't be seen, so we are exposed and become infected and the cycle just goes on and on.

However, there is one virus that is visible and one that can be avoided and that is the complaining virus. We all have seen this aggressive virus in action, heaven forbid, we might have had or have the virus ourselves!! Either way, people infected with this virus often find that their friends stop calling them because they are no fun to be around. The friends that do call find themselves complaining to others as well. It's a highly contagious virus. Symptoms include unhappiness, low self esteem, few friends, and an overall feeling of irritability. Indirect symptoms can also include overlooked smiles, underappreciation for beautiful sunshine and generally taking for granted the ability to walk, talk, hear and love.

So, how do we avoid it and if we have it, what is the prescription for getting rid of it? To avoid it, stay away from those infected as much as possible as it can creep into your daily conversations easily without warning. To rid yourself of this virus if you're currently infected, grab a pen and paper and start a gratitude journal. At the end of each day, write down three things that were good that day. It can be as small as all the traffic lights were green on my drive to work. Be diligent about it though and write every night in your journal. You will find that your brain begins looking for positive things during the day and not focusing on negative things. A 2nd prescription is to pray for God to give you a pause before you complain so you can select your words and change them before they are spoken. Soon, you will be feeling better than ever.

When things are not going our way, whether it be sickness or some other unfortunate situation, we all have a tendency to complain. But, complaining is a waste of time and words and it hurts more than we know. The Bible addresses it in this way... "No rotten talk should come from your mouth, but only what is good for the building up of someone in need, in order to give grace to those who hear " -Ephesians 4:29 . Let's make every effort we can to stop the spreading of the complaining virus. We'll all be better without it!! God Bless!!!

Father Knows Best

2011-02-10T08:41:00.000-08:00

Sixteen year old Lance Edwards stood at the top of the steps and took a deep breath before he went to talk to his Dad. Lance desperately wanted to go visit his cousin Tom and spend the weekend with Tom and his friends at the Univ. of Florida. Tom had told Lance that this was a big football weekend in Gainesville and that there would be lots of parties going on. The thought of being around the college atmosphere was exciting to Lance, and the only obstacle between Lance and his big weekend was getting the "okay" from his Dad.

Lance presented his case to his Dad and was beyond furious when his Dad quickly said "No." "But why?" were the first two words that scrolled out of Lance's mouth. Lance's Dad replied that Lance wasn't ready for that atmosphere. He told Lance that there would be temptations in that setting that Lance, a youthful 16 year old, wasn't ready to tackle. He continued that he knew what was best in this situation and that Lance needed to trust him. Lance continued to shoot back how unfair this was because other friends his age were going, that his Dad must not love him because he wouldn't let him go, and that he just didn't understand why his Dad would do this to him.

That weekend in Gainesville, the Gators lost the big game. There were fights all over town. Tom and his friends were at a fraternity party when a fight broke out and Tom and several friends were arrested for assault that weekend. When Lance heard what had happened, he was so glad his Dad had not let him go to Gainesville that weekend. He thought, maybe Dad knows more that I give him credit for.....

Seems that we all have been a "Lance" at one time or another in our lives. We pray to God for a cure, a job, a spouse, etc and when things don't work out exactly as WE want, we start saying...."Why not", "This is unfair", "Everybody else does it", "God must not love me". God simply says... "TRUST ME!" Though we may hate to admit it, our earthly fathers usually do know what is best for us and our heavenly father always knows what is best for us . It may not be what we want, but we can always TRUST that God will do what is best for us in every situation. As time goes on, we can always see how God's decisions are always the best decisions.

God Bless!

Expect The Unexpected

2011-01-19T06:36:00.000-08:00

It had been six months since his last cancer checkup. For five months and 30 days, with God's help, he had been able to shift focus away from the reminders of chemotherapy, white blood cells and oncologists. But, today, the evil one kept his mind racing with the what if scenarios. What if the doctor walks in and says, "well, looks like the cancer is back." What if the cancer is back and the treatment doesn't work this time. What if, what if , what if.... and they continue on and on. As he makes the drive to the oncologist's office that morning, he feels the pit in his stomach, the nervousness makes his legs shake and he takes deep breaths to calm himself. Then he decides to say one last prayer and beg God for good results and to ask for God to be with him during this visit. He says AMEN and takes a deep breath just wanting this morning to be over.

At the traffic light, he takes the moment to look around him and then back in front of his car. All of a sudden his eyes widen and he can't believe what he is seeing. The tag of the car in front of him is a personalized tag. The tag reads.... ULBFINE.... (translated-you'll be fine). He closes his eyes and looks again to make sure he read it correctly. Yes, that is what it said. People can write it off as coincidence if they want, but he knows the statistical likelihood of this happening at this moment in his life is astronomical. He knows that that tag is GOD's answer to his prayer. A peace overcame him and he walked into the oncologist office and received the news from the doctor that he knew he would....everything is fine. This is a true story.... I am sure of this because it happened to me.

Now God doesn't always work this way. He's not a vending machine where we put in a request and get something back immediately. However, he works in mysterious ways and answers prayers in ways that HE knows is best for each of us. This experience may never happen again, but that doesn't mean it didn't happen. These intimate experiences with God, may not happen in this way often, but when they do happen, they strengthen our faith and the faith of those with whom we share the experience.

Consider this story from Mark 9:

Out of the crowd, one man answered Him, "Teacher, I brought my son to You. He has a spirit that makes him unable to speak. 18 Wherever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams at the mouth, grinds his teeth, and becomes rigid. So I asked Your disciples to drive it out, but they couldn't."
19 He replied to them, "You unbelieving generation! How long will I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring him to Me." 20 So they brought him to Him. When the spirit saw Him, it immediately convulsed the boy. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth. 21 "How long has this been happening to him?" Jesus asked his father.
"From childhood," he said. 22 "And many times it has thrown him into fire or water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us."
23 Then Jesus said to him, " 'If You can?' Everything is possible to the one who believes."
24 Immediately the father of the boy cried out, "I do believe! Help my unbelief

So, no matter your situation, pray to God and believe that you will receive when you pray. Expect God to do the unexpected in your life. God's Will is always best and perfect and so we must know and accept that as well when we pray. Pray according to His will and accept his answer, but if we ever expect to receive what we ask for, we must always BELIEVE he will do it.

He Hears His Children's Voice

2010-12-21T07:02:00.000-08:00

I was sitting in Sunday morning adult bible class a couple weeks ago behind a new family that had recently started attending church with us. This new family has two very small children. Since it was class time, the children were in their own bible classes. As I sat behind this new mom and dad, I saw something that made me take notice. As we all sat in our pews, a distant cry was heard from behind us. Now, our congregation has been blessed with lots of new babies---(along with holy ground, I think we are built on fertile ground:).

My point is that with so many babies around, you would think it would be difficult to tell the cries apart. A cry is a cry ...right? Well, no, not at all. As I sat behind this new mom and dad--as soon as the first whimper of a cry was heard, this Dad looked at the mom raised his eyebrows and she gave a nod of agreement. The dad got up and returned with his young baby still sniffing from his latest cry. I smiled and found it fascinating that this dad and mom could discern their own baby's cry for them from among all the other cries that come from the nursery.

There is an amazing parallel there that we should not miss. Our heavenly Father hears when His children cry too. Among all the noise and chaos in the world, our cries for help come through to Him loud and clear. Recall Matthew 7:11---"If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!"

Whether it's cancer, loss of job, fear of the future or other worry, we have certainty that just as we hear and take care of our own children, when we cry out to our Father, we can be certain He hears us and will comfort and give us peace if we trust and believe in Him.

God Bless!

Give A Little---Get A Lot!

2010-12-07T06:40:00.001-08:00

Based on a true story......Her husband walked out on her, leaving her a single mom with two boys, Ben (11) and Thomas (3). With no support from the dad, she struggles to pay the bills. That's just the beginning for this life weary mom. Thomas has been "acting out" in school and she's had to attend meetings with the pre school teachers. The temperatures outside at night have been in the teens and she has no heat in her home. With a myriad of her own illnesses to deal with, she often forgoes her needed medication to pay bills and provide for her two boys.

She feels like throwing in the towel, but she can't, she won't. Too much is on the line. She buys one present for each son every Christmas, but always sets aside a small amount for the boys to use to buy a present for someone else who is in need. She wonders if she's doing the right thing, if she's making a difference in these boy's lives. She explained to Ben that Christmas might be slim this year. Ben turns to her and with a bright smile and understanding eyes he says, " That's okay mom, Christmas is about the family and we'll be together and that's what matters." She smiles and turns her head to conceal the tears flowing down her cheeks. Thank you God, thank you for that...I needed that so badly she whispers in prayer as she dries her face and readies her smile.

We all have struggles. When our health fails, we turn inward and focus on ourselves too much. When we focus on helping others, we suddenly forget about ourselves. Look around this week and I guarantee there is someone that is struggling that you know. Call them, drop them a gift card in the mail, have a gift delivered to their house anonymously, take them to lunch, just do something. Be a servant and be a friend....it's amazing what you get when you give all you can!

Might As Well Laugh As To Cry!!

2010-12-01T07:20:00.000-08:00

The title to this entry is a line from a grandmother of one of my good friends who is going through a tough time in his life. He is facing a really tough situation, but whenever I see him, he is smiling and keeps a good attitude. I asked him how he does it and he cited his faith, friends, keeping busy, and this motto from his grandmother that sticks with him every day. We aren't promised things will be perfect in this world, but we can still have joy and our attitude makes all the difference in the world.

I'm reminded of Proverbs 23:7 where it says...."As he thinks in his heart, so is he." What we think affects our lives. You can change your life by changing the way you think. No matter how bad our situation is, we still have so many things to be thankful for and no doubt we know someone who has things much worse than we do.

If you are thinking about good things, then you can't think about bad things....your mind can only hold one thought at a time. It takes some training of the mind, but eventually it becomes easy and second nature. Pay attention to your thoughts the next time you are in a conversation. Are they negative or positive? Make a conscious effort to only say positive things. You will find that not only will you be happier, but you will notice others will seem happier around you and your effect on their lives can be greater. Remember no one likes to hang around a "Debbie Downer." For those of us who have or are enduring a cancer diagnosis, this is especially true. We MUST look for the nuggets of positivity and dwell on those thoughts.

So, around this hustle and bustle holiday time, make the effort to think and be positive. You'll be amazed at the results. Like a ship's rudder, attitude is a small thing that makes a huge difference!!!

Lean On Me!

2010-08-30T08:36:00.000-07:00

Our preacher told a story at our worship service on Sunday that was very inspiring. He had recently visited the Redwood Forest in California and witnessed the magnificent redwood trees. He told of how he'd never seen a tree that large. In the South, we treasure our precious oak trees, but they pale in comparison to these redwoods. We love our oaks because they seldom get taken down by one of the frequent southern thunderstorms due to their deep root systems. By contrast, our preacher learned that these colossal redwood trees in California have a shallow root system, yet they stand undisturbed for many years. That seems very contradictory to all that we've been taught about the strength of trees. However, the difference is that the shallow redwood roots intertwine and gain strength from their fellow redwood trees. It is as if the trees are holding hands to face the world. This strength has allowed them to persevere through many years.

I thought that was a great analogy to the importance of leaning on one another. Leaning on one another during cancer or any stressful time in life is paramount to coping and survival. It also reminded me of another great friend of mine whose cell phone plays the song "Lean On Me" when you call him. Everytime I hear that song, I say , "you know what, he means it too!" So, I encourage you all to be like the redwoods and be like the song and BE someone to LEAN ON!
Best Blessings to All,
Marty

A Peanut Butter Sandwich I'll Never Forget

2010-08-04T11:07:00.001-07:00

Recently, my 9 year old and I went to a water park for the day. Have to admit, although it was a scorching hot day, headed to a water park I had already visited countless times was not high on my list. However, I agreed to go thinking I would just "gut" through it. Boy, was I wrong. My little 9 year old said things that I will never forget. The first thing he said came after we had been in the park for a couple hours. We were waiting in a particularly long line, he looked up and asked me if I was having fun. I looked at his face and said ABSOLUTELY, and he just beamed. Knowing that he was concerned about what kind of day I was having was touching.

Then, being the frugal dad that I am, I had packed some peanut butter sandwiches for lunch. We had our hands stamped for re-entry, and headed to our vehicle to get the cooler of sandwiches and chips. As we sat down eating our peanut butter sandwiches, it was quiet when all of a sudden, he looked up at me and said, "Dad, I like having lunch with you." That small statement of his made this almost 40 dad full of pride. I thought... wow, how awesome is that. I will never forget that day and that great lunch I had with my son. A day I was dreading turned into one of the BEST DAYS I've ever had.

Beach Time Inspiration

2010-07-30T15:10:00.001-07:00

There is nothing like being at the beach is there.... Hearing the waves lap at the sand, seeing the flat line on the horizon and feeling the warm breezes on your face. I know God is everywhere all the time, but at the beach, it just seems easier to sense his presence. I just finished a family vacation to the Florida panhandle...minus oil... and while going for a run, the thought occurred to me to begin doing more personal blogs. I try to live my life as a cancer survivor and celebrate each day. Celebrating each day is a concept that I encourage people to do that have recently been diagnosed. So, my thought is to use this blog to tell of ways myself and others are celebrating each day of life. We will still have the personal stories and positive articles, but the plan is to blog more often and share more information. Many of the stories I will share will be from my friends and fellow Christians, but all of the stories will, in one way or another, celebrate life! I hope these personal stories will inspire you to CELEBRATE YOUR LIFE EACH DAY. Life is a precious gift from GOD, we should celebrate each moment. If you enjoy the stories, please share the blog with your friends. Remember, you can always request prayer, or download the Christ Over Cancer book by clicking on the appropriate icon on the right.
God Bless!
Marty

My Family

2010-07-12T11:56:00.000-07:00

Family
Sept 16, 1996 is the day I heard the words, “ you have cancer, multiple myeloma,” from Dr. Daugherty. At this time, I was taking my husband to the cancer clinic once a week for chemotherapy treatments. He had CLL and colon cancer. Eighteen years earlier, I had watched as my mother fought a battle with bone cancer. Her strong belief in God and her spiritual strength gave me the strength to accept what I have no control over, and to accept God’s plan for my life. Each day I live is a special gift from God and I hope I use it wisely and make everyday count. In 2004, I was diagnosed with another type of cancer, CLL. My faith in God has helped me to place the decision of my future in his hands. I have been blessed for 12 years and I hope to have many more. Proverbs 17:22 – A cheerful heart is good medicine.

During this period of time I have also had two sisters die with cancer. One had brain cancer and the other with a rare type of lymphoma. My youngest sister was an inspiration to all who knew her. At her worst times when she was weak and very sick, she made you feel good about yourself. She would take the church’s songbook to her chemo treatments and get all the patients to sing with her while they were taking their treatments. They all seemed to enjoy it. She was well loved and you could see her “goodness” shining through. My husband was also inspirational to me and I remember that during his illness, his favorite scriptures were Philippians’ 4:11-13 and he read them often.

As I sit here today, I am trying to learn to leave the past behind and be satisfied with today. I get up each day and thank God that He granted me another day. God said, “don’t worry about tomorrow, it will worry about itself” – Matthew 6:34. He supplies our needs, one day at a time.
My advice to someone that is newly diagnosed is to talk to your family, and be open and honest with them. I have a tendency to protect my girls by not telling them the facts about my illness. I think what they don’t know will keep them from worrying. But, I’m learning to laugh and cry with them because we need each other and it helps to have someone with whom we can share our hopes and fears.

Most of my family are members at Woodlawn Church of Christ. Knowing I have a christian family and church family is a blessing to me. Throughout my cancer challenges, I have the comfort of the words Christ left for us… “I will never leave thee nor forsake thee” Hebrews 1:35. I hope these words will be of comfort for someone. Just put your prayers and faith in God. God bless you.

Breast Cancer Survivor Story

2010-06-09T09:07:00.000-07:00

God Does Not Give You More Than You Can Handle

I was diagnosed with breast cancer in April 2006. Before the diagnosis, I was already an insulin-dependent diabetic, so that was plenty to deal with in my mind. But, I guess God knew that with His help I could handle it and so I was not scared when the doctor told me that I had breast cancer.

My treatment for breast cancer consisted of one year of chemotherapy every two weeks in Birmingham and eight weeks of radiation in Decatur. Throughout my treatment, my focus was that God would not give a person more than they could handle. This proved to be so true and I learned that I was a lot stronger than I ever realized. Prayers from myself, my family and friends, plus wonderful church support were the things that took me through that treatment process and helped me to be strong in the face of what could have been a very scary time for me. One of my prayers was that I did not want to look like someone that was sick. I feel that in my heart, I did indeed look very healthy during my cancer battle, except having a bald head of course.

It seemed that good news and bad news was on the horizon for me after completing the year of treatment. I learned I was cancer free and three days later, my husband of five years told me that he did not love me and wanted a divorce. This was a devastating blow to me. But, God once again came to my rescue and helped me during this emotional disappointment. Friends and family reminded me that everything works out for the glory of God. If it means that I deal with hardships to bring one person to the Lord, then it is all worth it.

Good things did come out of my battle with cancer. My mother’s life changed. My mom lives a wonderful spiritual life now. I would say she had a lukewarm relationship with the Lord before, but now that has changed to a spirit filled life. That was a big positive that I saw from before and after my battle with cancer. We don’t realize what good will occur at the time of a cancer diagnosis, but there is always something good that comes out of it.

I have been cancer free now for two years and feel much stronger. I do have some leg pain, but that is helped with anti-inflammatory medicines. I do not think about the cancer and I enjoy each day that I have on this Earth. I think positive thoughts as life is too short to worry about the what if’s.

All of my friends have a Christ centered life and I surround myself with friends who love God. This helps me stay on the path towards heaven. My recommendation to others diagnosed with cancer is to pray and stay positive. Some days will not be easy, however, know that God is always with you 24/7. Remember there is someone who is worse off than you and be thankful for what you have. Never forget that God does not give you more than you can handle.

2nd Annual Christ Over Cancer Day of Hope

2010-03-16T13:14:00.000-07:00

May 23rd is the 2nd annual Christ Over Cancer Day of Hope. We will have survivors telling their personal stories of how God helped them deal with cancer. These stories are very encouraging and inspirational from someone who has "lived" it. We will also have uplifting acapella singing. This is not a program of sadness, but one to uplift. Please be a part. Starts @ 2pm on May 23rd.

Let's Light Up The Night

2009-08-21T08:13:00.000-07:00

The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Light The Night Walk will be Oct 10th at 5:30 pm at Florence's Wilson Park. Raising money for cancer research is the main goal of this walk. The goal this year is $75,000. Please get involved and raise money for this worthy cause. Send an email using the "share my story" link on the right to become a team member. We all have a connection to cancer in some way unfortunately. Let's all do our part to rid the world of this disease.

What A Success!!!

2009-06-09T11:40:00.000-07:00

Our Afternoon of Encouragement was a blessing with 200 people in attendance. The survivors and speakers were so inspirational and the Summerland Quartet's singing was truly amazing. God truly blessed the event and we believe people received His gift of Hope!!! Can't wait until next year. Keep checking back for new articles coming soon.

An Afternoon of Encouragement - May 24th

2009-05-01T18:51:00.000-07:00

CHRIST OVER CANCER
"An Afternoon of Encouragement"

Come join us May 24th at 2pm for an afternoon of encouragement & hope at:

Woodlawn Church of Christ
Florence, AL
Corner of Hwy 72 and Bailey Springs Road

Hear survivors tell of how God helped during their battle with cancer
Hear medical field professionals speak about spirituality & health
Enjoy songs of encouragement
Receive 2nd Edition Christ Over Cancer Booklet and much more…

For more info call 767-3170