Our guest blogger, Debbie, has been missing in action around here for almost a year now. 

Like many of us in 2020, she's been on an unexpected journey. But Debbie's journey was different than the journey most of us have been on over the past several months. Her journey included not only all that COVID brought to our world, her journey also included that dreaded "C" word--cancer.

We all know someone who has been on the cancer journey. Maybe, you've even traveled that road yourself. The greatest thing to know is that as Christian women, as women of God, we know that we do not travel that road alone! Not only do we not travel the road alone, but God also gives us unique opportunities to share the road with those who come behind us. Today, Debbie shares that road with us in the third of a 3-part series--4 Things I Learned From My Cancer Journey.

Our guest blogger, Debbie, has been missing in action around here for almost a year now. 

Like many of us in 2020, she's been on an unexpected journey. But Debbie's journey was different than the journey most of us have been on over the past several months. Her journey included not only all that COVID brought to our world, her journey also included that dreaded "C" word--cancer.

We all know someone who has been on the cancer journey. Maybe, you've even traveled that road yourself. The greatest thing to know is that as Christian women, as women of God, we know that we do not travel that road alone! Not only do we not travel the road alone, but God also gives us unique opportunities to share the road with those who come behind us. Today, Debbie shares that road with us in the first of a 3-part series--The Unexpected Journey.

The year was 2014. Every morning I dreaded getting out of bed to start another day. It was a hard year to say the least. I really needed to see the Lord work in a special way. I determined to begin the year by asking God for miracles, and I started a list in my journal for those miracles. Day after day passed with weariness, but my miracle list began to grow. If I were to show you that list today, you would think 2014 was the best year of my life!

Being a Christian brings with it many blessings, but life, even the Christian life, is full of challenges. Moving forward in God’s ways and in God’s work takes intentionality and effort. ​Although Paul admonishes us to “not be weary in well doing,” every season of our lives brings unique reasons for being tired. When we focus on the challenges the blessings fade into the background, and our attitude can take a downward spiral.

As my husband and I have traveled to several different countries, we have done our best to try the various foods of the world. In Brazil we ate many kinds of fresh fruits, which were picked right off the trees, and tapioca pancakes (much like crepes) with various fillings and toppings. Israel introduced us to falafel and hummus with pita bread. We continue to try to reproduce the satay chicken with peanut sauce we ate in Indonesia. ​And Italy, maybe my overall favorite, had an abundance of food on every corner in every city—breads, pastries, pastas, and, of course, gelato. But one doesn’t have to travel the world for food options because American fare has no lack of possibilities. In fact being a “foodie” has become a hobby to many these days. We are drawn to what looks good, what foods are trending, and what our taste buds are craving. Food makes us satisfied, and food makes us happy. ​​

Everyone has trials at some time or another. Sometimes they are determined by our season in life:

• Moms dealing with sleep deprivation or disobedient children
• Career women working an unbearable job or for an unreasonable boss
• A wife in a tough marriage relationship
• Older women with health issues

There could be financial challenges, loneliness, fears, or a multitude of other such problems. And who knew we would ever be part of a pandemic and its ramifications? 

As we are met with these obstacles to happiness in our lives, we tend to focus on them and cannot see beyond our own hurt, pain, and inconveniences.

Eve looked at Adam as they walked through the beautiful garden and thought how wonderful life was. It didn’t just seem perfect—it was perfect!

​The best thing about it all was their direct communion with God the Creator. Everything was new and wonderful. Adam and Eve were given total liberty in the garden except they were not to eat of the fruit of one tree. With access to a whole new world, surely being forbidden to eat of just one tree wouldn’t be a problem—or would it?  

Eve was perfect after her creation. No other human has been perfect except for Adam and Jesus. Eve was beautiful, smart, kind, and everything we would like to be. But Eve made a wrong decision that changed the future of mankind. Why did she sin if her life was perfect?

The little girl peaked out through the reeds to keep a watch on the basket in the water. It was the cargo inside the basket she was concerned about. Inside was her baby brother. The Egyptian king had decreed that all the boys born to the Israelites were to be killed. Her family was trying to save their little baby, Moses.

​As Miriam was watching, the Egyptian princess came to the water with her maids. She saw the basket and the baby. Her heart went out to the little one. Moses would be hers. What could Miriam do? She ran to the princess and asked if she needed a mother to nurse the baby.

Because of her quick thinking, Miriam was able to go get her own mother to be the nurse for their baby Moses. Although he would be reared in the palace as the son of the princess, years later Miriam would reunite with her brother to help with a very big task appointed by God.