Time for Action!, January 19
Daily Reflections from Inside the Cancer Journey
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Written by Karen Wonders
“You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did” (James 2:22 NIV).
Albert Einstein is often credited with saying, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results.”1 If we keep doing what we have always done, nothing will ever change!
No one knows this better than a patient at Maple Tree Cancer Alliance who I will call Julie. Last winter Julie was diagnosed with a very rare form of cancer and was not given a very good prognosis. At the time of her diagnosis, she was overweight, sedentary, and was not attending church on a regular basis. Her diagnosis was hard for her to deal with. She sank into a very deep depression and completely isolated herself from family and friends. She wanted to rid herself of the world—or at least rid the world of herself.
As you can imagine, Julie’s health quickly deteriorated. She was on the brink of giving up. One day, an oncology nurse said something to her that changed her life: “God’s not finished with you yet. You still have a purpose in being here.”
It had been a long time since Julie had considered her purpose. It had been even longer since she had considered that she could even be useful to God. Could it be true? Did she really have more life to live?
That night before going to bed, Julie prayed for the first time in a long time. She told God that if He was done with her, then to take her now. She didn’t want to go on living any longer.
The next morning, she woke up. God wasn’t finished with her yet!
It was then that Julie realized she had to make some changes. She couldn’t go on living the way she was—because the truth was, she wasn’t really living! She needed to take action! Not only did she pray for God to restore her health, but she also took concrete steps towards improving it herself. Julie had a new-found faith that she still mattered to God, and she put that faith into practice. She joined Maple Tree and began working out with an exercise trainer. She met with our dietitian. She took concrete steps toward improving her health.
God cares about our physical health. But He also cares about our spiritual health! Soon, Julie began to feel convicted about not owning a Bible, and began to pray that God would provide one for her. Less than a week later, Julie walked into Maple Tree, and sitting on the table were Bibles we were giving away. Another answered prayer!
It has been a long road, but Julie is learning to trust God through this journey she is on. She believes that He has not abandoned her, and she is determined to make the most of the life she has left to live. Recently, she attended one of our Bible studies and shared her testimony with those in attendance.
Faith into action. That is what God wants from His children!
Pray: Father God, you have a plan for each and every one of us. You know our comings and goings. You know our innermost thoughts—and yet, we are precious to You! Give us faith to trust that You aren’t finished with us yet … even when we want to give up. Reach out Your hand to us and assure us that You are with us and we will be okay. Help us act on our prayers and live this life with all we’ve got! In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
Your Turn: God isn’t finished with you yet! Where do you need to step out in faith and follow Him?
1. “Insanity Is Doing the Same Thing over and over Again and Expecting Different Results.” Quote Investigator, September 7, 2019. https://quoteinvestigator.com/2017/03/23/same/.
Karen Y. Wonders, PhD, FACSM, Cancer Caregiver
Karen is the Founder and CEO of Maple Tree Cancer Alliance, and Professor/Program Director of Exercise Physiology at Wright State University. Her passion is to advocate for exercise as part of the national standard of care for cancer. Her non-profit organization provides free exercise training to thousands of cancer survivors every month (www.mapletreecanceralliance.org). Dr. Wonders and her husband have 7 children—aged 16 and younger. If you think her hands are full, you should see her heart!
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.
To learn more about our ministry and the services we provide visit our website by clicking here.
