“God is love” (1 John 4:8b NIV).

As a kid, no Easter was complete without a chocolate bunny. Mom would get each of us identical chocolate bunnies, each wrapped in shiny foil with a colorful bow around their necks. At the earliest opportunity, I’d rip off the foil and bite off as much bunny ear as I could cram into my mouth. Although I anticipated biting a giant chunk of sweet milk chocolate, the result was splinters of chocolate exploding in my mouth and across my new Easter dress. You see, the bunny wasn’t solid chocolate. It was hollow. Just looking at that sweet chocolate bunny did not tell me that the inside was only air.

People can be like that. On the outside they look solid. They look like someone you can depend on when things get tough. Then the tough times come, and you discover who is hollow and who is solid. Cancer is one tough time that too easily reveals the staying power of our loved ones.

“For He says: ‘In an acceptable time I have heard you, and in the day of salvation I have helped you. Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation’” (2 Corinthians 6:2 NKJV).

If you are experiencing cancer, most likely the concept of salvation has crossed your mind. What is salvation? It is a simple process—as easy as 1,2,3. And, as today’s verse says, “now is the day of salvation.”

“A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world. So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy” (John 16:21-22 NIV).

Think about today’s verses. Often, God brings joy to our lives not by substitution, but by transformation. His illustration of the woman giving birth makes this clear. The same baby that caused the pain also caused the joy. In birth, God does not substitute something else to relieve the mother's pain. Instead, He uses what is there already—but He transforms it.

“To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27 NIV).

One of the tremendous joys of my life has been spending time with my grandchildren. They bring out the child in me. They also remind me of how inherently selfish and independent we are from an early age. What the younger grandchild is doing is suddenly what the older one needs to do immediately.

“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:22-23 NIV).

The big day had arrived! Usually, these words would mean I was excited about something. However, this day would be one full of uncertainty and anxiety. It was my first day of chemo treatment on my cancer journey. (I say “my,” because each person’s experience on this path is different.

“For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God” (1 Peter 3:18a NIV).

In the still of the night when all is quiet, so quiet you can hear your heart beating, your thoughts settle upon the pain. It may be pain from an emergency surgery, or a tumor spreading like a spilled glass of milk on a kitchen counter in your once unblemished body.

“So they asked him, ‘Who is this fellow who told you to pick [your mat] up and walk?’’” (John 5:12 NIV)

Thirty-eight years ago, I was thirty years old. How old were you thirty-eight years ago? John 5:2-12 records the story of a paralyzed man lying by a healing pool for thirty-eight years. That is a long time! It was said an angel would stir the waters, and the first one into the water when it was moved would be healed. Jesus sees the man lying by the pool. He asks, “Do you want to be healed?” Of course, the man did. But the paralytic explains that when the waters were stirred someone always beat him into the waters. Part of me wants to sympathize with the unfortunate man. The judgmental part of me says, “Come on, man!” It is hard for me to believe that after thirty-eight years he couldn’t find some way to get in the pool. I get lost in an avalanche of questions. Then, I realize this story is not about the paralyzed man. It is about Jesus. Jesus simply says to the man, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.”

“You are altogether beautiful” (Song of Solomon 4:7 NIV).

When Jill first came to work with us at Maple Tree Cancer Alliance, she had just been diagnosed and was literally days out of breast cancer surgery. At her initial appointment, she sat in our office and cried and cried. She was still trying to navigate this new journey she was on. We sat with Jill and listened to her as she vented through all the anger, frustration, and anxiety she was feeling.

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field” (Matthew 13:44 NIV).

Ever heard the expression, “God’s got this!” in relation to your own prayer request?

As a pastor I’ve said it plenty of times to people asking for prayer, only to find that quite often they scarcely feel reassured. Faith that “God’s got this” when it comes to the results of their cancer test tomorrow, next week, or even next month may seem like a bridge too far.

“At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth” (Mark 10:22 NIV).

We downsized eight years ago. It took months—if not years—to clear the attic, the storage building, and closets. My wife and I have different strategies for purging. She sees the sentimental value in items, while I am more of a bull in a china shop. What to keep and what to discard can be an agonizing decision. Our scripture describes the response of a wealthy man unwilling to part with his possessions and follow Jesus. He went away sorrowful.

“[Love] always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails” (1 Corinthians 13:7-8a NIV).

On March 25, 1995, James and I promised to take one another as husband and wife, to have and to hold from that day forward … in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part. James is not only my husband but also my best friend. Life together is not always hunky-dory because we live in a broken world where neither life nor marriage is perfect. We have experienced incredible joy and immense sadness and disappointment.

“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure” (Hebrews 6:19a NIV).

In December of 2018, my wife Dominique and I set sail on our first cruise together. We boarded the ship provided by Carnival Cruise Lines in Miami, Florida. The immensity of the ship alone was breath-taking. As we boarded the ship, I couldn’t help but notice the size of the ropes that tethered the ship in place. The ropes looked like giant pretzels braided just right, securing the massive structure to the dock. Awestruck by the sheer size of the ocean liner, I searched for the anchor.

“So, whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31 NIV).

God saved me as an adult, when I was going through a difficult time in my life. One issue our family was facing was unstable employment—which, with two young girls to support at the time, was weighing heavily on my heart. For a while, I had felt like God was trying to teach me that He would provide. All I needed to do was trust Him. But it is hard to trust when you feel like your world is falling apart. I questioned Him. Do You even see me? Do You really care about this situation?

“Do not let Hezekiah deceive you. He cannot deliver you from my [the king of Assyria’s] hand. Do not let Hezekiah persuade you to trust in the LORD when he says, ‘The LORD will surely deliver us’” (2 Kings 18:29-30a NIV).

Who do we listen to? Every news outlet has its slant on the world’s events. Who do we believe? Who do we trust? The humorous adage says, “an expert is someone who lives over fifty miles away.” We really do not know the people behind these sources. We do not know their foibles. They come to us unscathed. But we know everyone has faults and shortcomings. Again, who do we trust?

“He got up, rebuked the wind, and said to the waves, ‘Quiet! Be still!’ Then the wind died down and it was completely calm” (Mark 4:39 NIV).

A few months after my initial cancer diagnosis, my family and I went to the coast to spend a few days. It would be good for us all. We could use the R&R.

My brother-in-law and his son (my nephew) joined us. My nephew had just returned from an “awesome” beach trip with his Uncle Kevin, who has an “amazing” boat. Every day they had zipped up and down the inner coastal waters, skiing, bodyboarding, and soaking up the sun.

“How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and day after day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me?” (Psalm 13:1-2 NIV)

Cancer is a great time to yell at God. Sometimes you just need to tell God that you feel He is doing a bad job. You might need to yell at Him for a while. You might need to scream and cry and just get it out. Yes, you heard me right. When the diagnosis comes, when the side effects come, when the continual appointments come, when death comes … sometimes you need to tell God that it seems like He is terrible at being God. Tell Him as often as you like.

“He counts the number of the stars; He calls them all by name” (Psalm 147:4 NKJV).

I remember a cold rainy day in New York City. My family was looking for something to do inside. We decided on the planetarium. We relaxed and reclined in our comfortable seats. The presentation began. Our spaceship took off into outer space! We left Earth and eventually our solar system. The immensity of our galaxy was mind-blowing. The number of galaxies continued to multiply the further we traveled from home.

Today’s scripture alludes to the infinite nature of God by saying that “He counts the number of the stars; He calls them all by name.” Imagine looking through a telescope and attempting to count the stars on a calculator. How ridiculous! I cannot even begin to fathom the enormity of God. And somehow that reality brings me comfort. I take great delight in knowing God is not overwhelmed by the expanse of the universe. I can let go of straining to understand the mysteries of life. A God who can count the stars and know them by name can handle anything that comes my way.

“Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise” (Hebrews 13:15 NIV).

I guess I’m like most women; I love getting flowers. It’s kind of silly, really. It’s not like flowers are good for anything. Yet, my grandmother told me that flowers are the most gracious of gifts because they don’t do anything except make you happy. It’s true. Flowers don’t have to do anything for me to love them. I just love them because of what they are.

In our loving relationships it’s easy to think, “I love them because …

• “They make me laugh.”

• “They’d do anything for me.”

• “They hold me together when I’m falling apart.”

“Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done. Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts. Glory in his holy name, let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice. Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always” (Psalm 105:1-4 NIV).

Talk about being unprepared for what is about to happen—yikes! A couple of weeks after my cancer diagnosis, I entered the hospital for a surgery that included a sentinel node biopsy and a lumpectomy. My husband, James, and I thought we knew exactly what to expect that day. It turned out, we did not know what all was involved in having a sentinel node biopsy. The first part of the biopsy is lymphatic mapping to find the sentinel node before the surgery begins.

“Then they drew near to the village where they were going, and He indicated that He would have gone farther. But they constrained Him, saying, ‘Abide with us, for it is toward evening. And the day is far spent.’ And He went in to stay with them. Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight” (Luke 24:28-31 OSB).

Two men who were passionate followers of Jesus were on their way to Emmaus, a small town about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were overwhelmed by the recent events of Christ’s crucifixion. They were so distraught they did not even notice that Jesus was in their midst.