A Circle of Strength, September 10
Inside the Cancer Journey: Daily Reflections for Those Coping with Cancer
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By Ashley Taylor
They will have no fear of bad news; their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord (Psalm 112:7 NIV).
In God’s great timing, He blessed my husband and me with two precious daughters. I have always asked God for His love and guidance in how to raise Grace and Hannah, knowing they are His and we are entrusted with their care. I love my girls with an enduring and unconditional love. I am full of that “Mama Bear” instinct of wanting to protect them from the evil and ugliness of this broken world. Have you experienced this love for a child or someone like a child to you?
When I was diagnosed with cancer, my reaction was to be strong for my family, marching onward with life as we knew it. Hannah was still at home, thinking about her upcoming senior year and possible colleges. She was busy working, riding horses, and hanging out with friends. I wanted her to enjoy this time before stepping into adulthood. Grace was finishing up her sophomore year in college, dealing with changing majors and her job. She was excited about an upcoming trip to Europe for which she had worked hard and saved.
It did not take long for me to be reminded that I was not in control, and my cancer was our reality. I would need chemo and more surgery, and faced a long list of side effects. I thought of the family picture that hangs on our wall with the words, “Our Family is a Circle of Strength and Love, Founded on Faith, Joined in Love, Kept by God, Forever Together.” God made us a family so that He could provide love, strength, and support to us through each other. We would stand united in this fight, living out the words of Psalm 112:7, “They will have no fear of bad news; their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord.”
It was a very humbling experience to have my daughters taking care of me. At the age of fifty, I would not have expected our roles to be reversed. Hannah took over the grocery shopping and helped with meals. She went with me to make the final decision on a wig and sat with me during chemo treatments. We watched movies and laughed together in my hospital room. Grace was a constant support by phone, and was there to get me to my doctor when I was feverish and weak. She saw me ring the bell on my last day of chemo. God made me brave through the love of my daughters. God brought us even closer together, and a beautiful friendship developed between us in addition to the precious mother/daughter relationship we already shared.
In living through cancer, I could have chosen to push my family away to try and protect them. However, to have done so would have caused us great pain and hurt. Instead, we stood together on the foundation of family that God built, and trusted in Him. He gave us tremendous strength together to get through the trying times of cancer.
Pray: Heavenly Father, we thank You for the love and strength that You give us through family in the good and the bad times. We praise You that we do not need to live in fear of anything, not even death, as we stand firm in our faith and trust in You. Amen.
Your Turn: Listen to “A Mother’s Prayer (Hannah’s Song)” by Rachel Aldous and praise God for the gift of children. Hold onto the words of Isaiah 26:4 (NIV) that tell us to “trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal.”
Ashley Taylor, Cancer Survivor
Ashley is married to James, and they have two daughters, Grace and Hannah. All four are big Tar Heel fans, having attended the same school, UNC-Chapel Hill. In 2020 Ashley obtained her roofing license to help with her family's business. She is a breast cancer survivor. She has been grateful for the opportunity to join the devo team for Cancer Companions, to reach out to others for God’s glory for His goodness in her cancer journey.
Cancer Companion’s vision for the future is for every person impacted by cancer to know the hope, love, and grace of Jesus and that every oncology team has included faith in their treatment toolbox. By 2033, Cancer Companions will provide 5 million engagements through cancer prayers, scriptures and interactions to those impacted by cancer. Engagements include; social media outreach, e-newsletters, prayer team requests, 30 days of Cancer Prayer event, and volunteer connections.
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