My Superhero Jesus and His Team, May 11
Written by Ashley Taylor
“The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him” (Nahum 1:7 NIV).
My husband, James, without hesitation, had been with me at every appointment. And there were a lot—from testing, to diagnosis, to surgery, to a treatment plan. His presence was such a calming force. On one of our drives to Duke Cancer Center, I remember him grabbing my hand and holding it. Tears still run down my face when I think about how much that moment meant to me.
When it came to chemo appointments, I knew we had to come up with a different plan. My husband is a dentist, and his patients needed him, too. And the bills had to be paid! However, the thought of going without him was a scary one.
Then, my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ swooped in to save the day. He knew exactly what I needed before I did, and my faith was in Him. He is always in our midst working in mighty ways. As the verse today says, “The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him” (Nahum 1:7). My incredible chemo team came together quickly and consisted of Jesus, my mom, my daughters, Hannah and Grace, my friend, Sarah, and my nurse, Jamie.
My sweet mom took me to my first chemo appointment. It had appeared that I had good veins for receiving an IV. However, on this day, none were to be found. A PICC line was recommended, which was a catheter that would go through a vein in my upper arm into a large vein above my heart and remain there throughout the chemo treatments. “Are you serious?” is what I wanted to say! Jesus jumped in and took charge. He provided the love and peace I needed through my wonderful mom, who stayed by my side.
My nurse, Jamie, was the grandmother of one of Hannah’s friends, and also the amazing and kind person who administered my chemo. She explained in detail before she did anything. I could feel the presence of Jesus in her gentle and knowledgeable voice.
Sarah, my close friend of twenty-six years, sacrificed time with her children to take me to my other chemo appointments. She stayed with me for the duration of my second treatment, and each treatment thereafter, until my mother could arrive. It was reassuring to see her beautiful smile before each treatment began. The light of Christ shone through that smile. Our easy conversation while waiting and during the treatments kept my mind off the treatments.
My precious daughters!! Hannah sat with me at several treatments, and Grace was able to come in during the last one. I had always taken care of them, but this time, they were there to take care of me. Jesus delivered strength that I needed through my awesome girls.
And then, the last day of chemo was over. Praise the Lord!! How blessed I was to have James and my whole chemo team with me when I rang that bell!! And of course, my superhero, Jesus!!
Pray: Jesus, You are our superhero. You always know what we need and are at work in our lives in mighty ways. May we keep our eyes fixed on You. Amen.
Your Turn: Listen to Carrie Underwood sing the beautiful words of “Blessed Assurance.” Rest assured in Jesus' love and care for you.
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.
To learn more about our ministry and the services we provide visit our website by clicking here.
