Giving Back

"Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.” Romans 12:12—13

As I reflect on how many people have prayed for me, driven me to appointments, made nutritious meals, and tutored my children over the past couple of years, I am overwhelmed by the amount of generosity. When I was really sick, I would dream of the day I could “give back” and prayed desperately for that opportunity. Recently, one of my son’s teachers asked me to pray for her daughter, who was moving far away. Shortly after, one of my daughter’s teachers asked me to pray for a close friend suffering from thyroid cancer. That same day, the wife of a newly-diagnosed multiple myeloma patient called, reaching out for a message of hope.  Then at a doctor’s appointment, my oncologist handed me a phone number and asked me to encourage another patient. I’m always a bit nervous after these experiences, because I feel so inadequate. Even after all I’ve been through, I don’t have much advice to give. The truth is, God has done it all, and I have done nothing. But on the heels of my initial feeling of inadequacy is an overwhelming gratitude that I am alive at this moment to help someone else, and I realize that these opportunities are all answers to prayer. I thank God that He has found me worthy for these tasks, and realize that my life has purpose every single day. So that I don’t fall short on my promises to pray for people, I have begun to use a note-card method of prayer that I discovered in Paul Miller’s A Praying Life. One of the note cards is only for cancer patients, and I pray for them all together while letting my eyes rest on each name. Sometimes a particular name stands out, and I spend extra time praying for that person. Without this method, I would never be able to commit to praying for so many, as I would forget half of the needs. I remind myself that this, too, is one of the blessings that has come from my disease, as it has enabled my prayer life to reach a new level that will hopefully make a difference in the lives of others as well. Thank You, Lord!

I thank and praise You, Lord, for new opportunities to reach out and pray for others. May Your Holy Spirit bring comfort, peace, and joy to those who suffer and who need You so desperately. Fill their lives with Your presence and renew their spirits as You also renew their bodies, healing them physically and emotionally. Show them, O Lord, how incredibly precious and valuable they are to You, and how You still have amazing plans for their lives.