On the Journey With
Trudy Eggink..
Trudy is a friend I met while serving as the interim pastor at Grace Fellowship in Pella, Iowa. She has always been an inspiration to me, and she was one of the influences that got me thinking about the possibility of exploring Mayo Clinic. She had such a good experience there, her testimony was part of what God used to prompt a visit to Mayo for a second opinion on my diagnosis. That visit turned out to be a life-saver for me! I will be eternally grateful for her story and witness, I am delighted to share a portion of her journey here:
I love to walk, hike, and explore. There have been several side effects of immunotherapy treatment since the metastatic diagnosis which have seriously impeded my ability to walk for long distances. Planning and participating in trips, events, and general life has been something I have always liked to do. It was very hard to realize that I am no longer able to plan far ahead due to my treatments/side effects. People tell me that they don’t know their future either, but it is different when you know that you don’t have months/years to live.
When I first retired after several years of being diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer, I broke down in tears one morning during my devotions. “Lord I am a planner and doer, but I feel lost in not knowing how to go forward” I then opened my devotional written by someone who was also on a cancer journey, and it spoke to me. It was based on Jeremiah 29:11-13
For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
This may mean that I go to heaven, but I do have hope and a future. I have started using the mantra: Cancer doesn’t win—either I am cured or I go to heaven!!! I continue to pray for peace and hope—to me they are very important to my well-being.
When I am feeling down about what I can’t do, I count my blessings on what I have done and can still do. There are so many things that I have to be thankful for—loving family, friends, knowledge that I am going to heaven because Jesus died on the cross for me, enjoying God’s creation, and many more too numerous to mention. God has given me peace and hope. This doesn’t mean that I don’t have anxiety before my every 4-month PET scan. I definitely do. I try to do what I can in a day and give myself grace when I have to rest.
I have found a good bit of comfort from this quote from Elizabeth Elliot, “If you dwell on your own feelings about things rather than dwelling on the faithfulness, the love, and the mercy of God, then you are likely to have a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. Our feelings are very fleeting and ephemeral – aren’t they? We can depend on them for five minutes at a time. But dwelling on the love, faithfulness, and mercy of God is always safe!”
Soul Care with
Pastor Jenn
To Pastor (verb): to shepherd, advise, and guide into a place of deeper spiritual understanding
2 Timothy 1:7 “For God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”
What a powerful verse! I’ve been doing some studying this week on fear. You may have heard that the words “do not fear” are recorded an astonishing number of times in the Bible. What I love about this verse is it tells us the tools we have specifically been given in place of fear. And they aren’t just platitudes but genuinely helpful tools.
The first tool mentioned is power. I like to think of this as strength that is miraculously beyond my own. Not necessarily superhero power but emotional and spiritual might. I don’t have to be afraid of circumstances or ideas because I have God’s power on my side.
Next is love. I love this one. 😉 God has given us His affection. He reaches out to us with good will and benevolence regarding all that is going in our lives today AND the things we are worried about for tomorrow.
Last is a sound mind. This might be my favorite. It means we have safe thinking to reason and respond to situations in a way that demonstrates our faith and the One in whom our faith is placed. He gifted us with disciplined thought patterns, if we keep our minds focused on Him.
Fun side note: the word “spirit” in that verse can be translated as breath. In other words, God hasn’t breathed fear into us. He has breathed life in the forms of power, love and a sound mind. Every inhale is full of that breath of God, full of power, love and safe thinking. Breathe that in this week and see what happens to the fear in your life.
Caregivers Corner with
Lori Smith
To Support (noun): to provide assistance that enables one to function or act.
I was not at peace.
Yet, there really was no reason not to be. My husband was home from the hospital. He felt good. We were sleeping all night. His appetite was good. We had received only positive news about the chemo treatments and remission. I was busy building our homeschool year and feeling excited about the plans I was making.
We were in a lull.
Lulls are supposed to be good, right? After all, lullaby comes from the word lull, and is meant to quiet a distraught child. A lull can feel like a rhythm. It can make it seem like everything is just as it has always been when you’re in-between treatments, scans, procedures, etc. But, unlike a rhythm, which is regular, recurring, and, well, rhythmic, a lull is only a temporary interval.
I came to realize, it was in the lulls of that hard season where I felt the most unsettled. I would crash emotionally after a round of chemo, and it caused problems – depression, arguments, tears. Once I understood it, though, I could anticipate it and get ahead of it through journaling, prayer, and extra time for self-care.
How about you?
When do you find yourself “crashing?” Before your person’s treatments? After a scan? During a hospital stay? Take some time this week to consider when you feel your best as a caregiver, and when you are least at peace. Then, ask the Lord to help you accept it and be nearer in your hardest moments.
Worship Moment with
Joel Salabarria
To Inspire (verb): to fill someone with the urge or ability to do or feel something, especially to do something creative.
Song: Jireh (Spotify, YouTube and Apple Music)
Band: Elevation Music (featuring Chandler Moore and Naomi Raine)
From: Heritage Worship Music * 2021
This song is such a beautiful story and reminder that God is, and has always, provided what is needed in every situation. He is mindful of us in every area and every season. My fav line “If he dresses the Lillie’s with beauty and splendor How much more will he clothe you how much more will he clothe you. If he watches over every sparrow, how much more does he love you how much does he love you!” Rest in him He got you!
I’ll never be more loved than I am right now
Wasn’t holding You up
So there’;s nothing I can do to let You down
It doesn’t take a trophy to make You proud
I’ll never be more loved than I am right now, oh
Going through a storm but I won’t go down
I hear Your voice
Carried in the rhythm of the wind to call me out
You would cross an ocean so I wouldn’t drown
You’ve never been closer than You are right now
(Let’s sing it loud y’all)
You are Jireh, You are enough
Jireh, You are enough
And I will be content in every circumstance
You are Jireh, You are enough
Forever enough
Always enough
More than enough
Forever enough
Always enough
More than enough
I don’t wanna forget how I feel right now
On the mountaintop
I can see so clear what it’s all about
So stay by my side when the sun goes down
Don’t wanna forget how I feel right now (Jireh)
Jireh, You are enough
Jireh, You are enough (so I will be)
I will be content in every circumstance
Jireh, You are enough (He is always enough)
He’s forever enough
Always enough
Always more than enough
He is, He is
Forever enough
Always enough (He’s everything, He’s always)
More than enough (yeah)
I’m already loved
I’m already chosen
I know who I am
I know what You’ve spoken
I’m already loved
More than I could imagine
And that is enough, oh-oh
Poetic Encouragement with
Julie Clarke
To Encourage (noun): to give support and hope to someone so that they will do or continue to do something.
March On!
I’m marching through the Torah
It’s an intimidating crawl
Of fasting and of feeding
Instructions for us all
I may not be from Israel
I may not be a Jew
But I’m seeking after the ONE who IS
The only way to new
I learn about His will for me
As holy and set apart
I learn about His character
He’s the one creating art
I decipher and decode
A culture not familiar
To understand my place in Him
My kinsman, my redeemer
I journey through the battles
I cry for help when tired
I offer up my life to Him
As servant not as hired
I rise today as the sun
Under the shelter of His wings
A battle tested warrior
A daughter of a King
So I’m fasting and I’m feeding
On the words that lead to life
I’m giving up my past regrets
And surrendering the strife
I’m fasting of my humanness
And feeding on your word
To satiate this starving soul
It’s not at all absurd
My Lord you have the answers
You’re The voice and the plan
The only one who understands
This vast eternal land
So I’m fasting as I’m praying
Pushing all distractions away
And looking to My father God
As the one who saves the day
Nutrition Nuggets with
Suzanna Hake
To Nourish (verb): the act or process of being nourished.
Staying active is good for our overall wellbeing, but it can be tough to stay moving & motivated when you’re sore! I have a love-hate relationship with “smashing” or “rolling” — and I hope you will, too! A foam roller is a piece of recovery equipment which can be used to target various muscles, tendons, fascia, and other soft tissue. It is used to stimulate the nervous system to relax tension in the surrounding tissues and increase the range of motion in muscles and tendons around joints.
Use foam rolling before or after a workout to:
- increase range of motion
- increase circulation
- warm up muscles
- reduce muscle soreness
- reduce pain
- help you relax
Here are some how-to videos to help YOU get rolling!
Prayer of the Week
Mercy Unbound
To Pray (verb): Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer ad petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God )Philippians 4:6)
Lord, we bring before you our ongoing struggles. We ask for your enduring strength and grace to sustain us in this journey. Grant us patience and faith as we navigate this difficult path. Please use this experience to draw us closer to you and deepen our trust in your plan.
In Jesus’ name, we pray.
Amen.
Did you know?
Keep On Healing Support Group
Carol and I have decided we want to start an in-person support group for cancer patients and their loved ones. It will be on Sunday mornings at 11:00am at Shoreline Church here in Austin (15201 Burnet Rd., Austin, TX 78728). We will start meeting on September 8. You do not need to be a member of the church to attend, and childcare is provided. If you have interest or want to know more, please feel free to give me a call/text at 573.673.6241. If you know someone who might be helped, please feel free to pass this information along.
Interested in supporting this new initative?
The Van Waarde Foundation underwrites and supports a variety of projects and team members committed to supporting, educating, and encouraging fellow cancer warriors and their families. As we look to the future, we are excited about creating a variety of new resources that will provide pastoral support to those battling cancer. This initiative will include this newsletter AND a host of other resources including a new podcast providing helpful information on health and fitness, fresh pocket prayers delivered daily to fellow cancer warriors, a new page on the website “heal” Heal – Piet Van Waarde with weekly reflections on navigating the “dailyness” of the journey, plus a soon-coming book Keep on Healing that will address the top 50 questions people face when confronted by a cancer diagnosis. We want to make these resources available at little/no cost to those who need them, and your support through the Foundation (https://www.patreon.com/pietvanwaarde) makes that possible.
Thank you in advance for your prayerful consideration.
