Why Worry

I’ve talked a little with you about my guy and the fact that he’s facing cancer. I shared with you that I’m a cancer survivor (nearly 24 years ago when I was a young mom) and how hard it was to hear that we were going through this again.

I told you that my guy is the one who makes me laugh until I race to the bathroom, squeezing my legs, laughing so hard that tears run down my face, and that I’d rather it be me again then him.

What I didn’t tell you is that he’s facing surgery next month. 

It’s a big surgery. An hour in pre-op, five hours in the operating room, and two to three hours after. We’ve been in a honeymoon phase for the last several weeks, not having to think about it other than a few tests and the bills that showed up in our mailbox afterwards.

Now it’s a month away and it occupies a space on my calendar. It’s something we are planning for because he’ll be home for a while afterwards while his body heals.

Now that it’s on the horizon, worry wants to slip in uninvited and whisper in my ear all the things that could go wrong. It wants to remind me that my healthy guy, the one who loves nothing more than an early morning run, is going to need a little extra TLC. It wants me to worry about hospital bills and insurance and all the things that come with cancer.

But I’ve made a promise to myself.

It’s what I say out loud when worry knocks on my door like a bossy solicitor who won’t take no for an answer.

I’m not going to be a worrier, because this girl’s a prayer warrior. 

I’m a Jesus follower and He’s promised to lead me through the valleys and on the high tops of mountains steeper than I can climb alone.

So I’m not going to spend one more minute on “what can be” so I can live in what “is.”

I’m going to laugh, because cancer doesn’t change the fact that this man I married is a funny, funny guy.

I’m going to treasure every single moment we have — before, during, and after — because there are a lot of beautiful little faces (aren’t our five little monkeys beautiful?) who will take their cues from us on how to face harder times.

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I’m going to hit the floor with my knees because that’s my Source — where I find everything I need. Where I can be real. Where I can weep or celebrate or scoop deep into His peace.

So, why worry when it produces nothing but angst, and prayer produces strength?

I’ll let you know as we get closer the actual day of surgery.

I’d love for all of you around the table to join me in prayer for this sweet man I love. But for today, I want to hear your story. I want to talk about worry and how it affects us and how we can live free in times that might tempt you to worry. And I want to pray. If you’re in a hard place and you just need a group of brave girls to circle around you, well we can do that too.

Why worry when we be prayer warriors together, right?

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Resources

The Mended Heart: God’s Healing for Your Broken Places 

JoyKeeper: 6 Truths that Change Everything You Thought You Knew About Jo

If you’ve tried to heal, but keep ending up in the same place

whether the battle is in your heart or out in the open where everyone can see—this book is for you.

People throw quick fixes at you, or tell you to pull yourself up by your bootstraps (whatever that means). You don’t have to fix yourself—Jesus loves you right where you are. In fact, he has already completed the work that you long to take place. The Mended Heart will encourage you to trust Him, to give and receive grace, and to move ahead even stronger than before.