Sara has incredible faith. She has been through so much and my heart just breaks for her and her family. They need a miracle. They truly need a miracle. I ask that you join me and countless others as we pray without ceasing for Sara's miracle. (Links to her caringbridge site and personal website can also be found there for more details of her tough battle with cancer and how she's handled each step of her journey.) Sara gave birth to her precious baby daughter, Anna, shortly before receiving her diagnosis. Unfortunately, Anna arrived stillborn. That alone is devastating enough; but to find out only 4 weeks later (by accident) that she had stage 4 colon cancer that had already metastasized to her liver? How does anyone bear it? I think Sara would probably say, "Only by the grace of God." Her faith is truly amazing and such an inspiration.
She and I were in college together and share many mutual friends. We are the same age and we both have children around the same ages. While our grief and the circumstances surrounding our loved ones' parting are very different, we've both also suffered deep loss. She- a darling daughter, me- a beloved brother. Both far too young to die, both completely unexpected losses. Due to these few, yet similar life experiences, it's not that hard to "put myself in her shoes" or try to relate to her emotional struggles...or is it? There is really absolutely no way I can ever fully understand what she is going through or what her family is going through because I'm not her. Her glass slipper won't fit my foot. I can wonder. I can speculate about how I might feel or what I would do if I were in her situation. There's nothing wrong with that, either. It helps us to become more sympathetic and compassionate people and teaches us a lesson in humility. I honestly don't know how I would handle it or what I would do. I only hope that I could endure it with just half of the faith, grace, and dignity that Sara has demonstrated. Her attitude is astounding. My fervent prayer is that God will grant the desire of our hearts and give Sara back her health and the opportunity to watch her children AND grandchildren grow up. Wouldn't that be beyond amazing?!
I look at Sara and see such strength and spiritual maturity. She's not afraid of death. She has no desire to leave her husband or her boys, but she knows Whose she is and where she's going when her life on this earth ends. I look at Sara and suddenly my problems are so petty and I'm left with such a yearning to step outside of my own little world and help others like her who have the weight of the world on their shoulders. So, take a closer look at Sara and her precious family. Then, please PRAY for her and continue to PRAY for her. Then, look around you and thank God for your many blessings. Hug your kids and your spouse. Spend time with them and tell them how much you love them. And finally, open your eyes to those around you who are suffering, like Sara, and help them. Be the hands and feet of Jesus to them. If not you, then who? The time to savor and serve is here. The time is now. Let's not waste another day, another hour, another minute. For then, it may just be too late.
She and I were in college together and share many mutual friends. We are the same age and we both have children around the same ages. While our grief and the circumstances surrounding our loved ones' parting are very different, we've both also suffered deep loss. She- a darling daughter, me- a beloved brother. Both far too young to die, both completely unexpected losses. Due to these few, yet similar life experiences, it's not that hard to "put myself in her shoes" or try to relate to her emotional struggles...or is it? There is really absolutely no way I can ever fully understand what she is going through or what her family is going through because I'm not her. Her glass slipper won't fit my foot. I can wonder. I can speculate about how I might feel or what I would do if I were in her situation. There's nothing wrong with that, either. It helps us to become more sympathetic and compassionate people and teaches us a lesson in humility. I honestly don't know how I would handle it or what I would do. I only hope that I could endure it with just half of the faith, grace, and dignity that Sara has demonstrated. Her attitude is astounding. My fervent prayer is that God will grant the desire of our hearts and give Sara back her health and the opportunity to watch her children AND grandchildren grow up. Wouldn't that be beyond amazing?!
I look at Sara and see such strength and spiritual maturity. She's not afraid of death. She has no desire to leave her husband or her boys, but she knows Whose she is and where she's going when her life on this earth ends. I look at Sara and suddenly my problems are so petty and I'm left with such a yearning to step outside of my own little world and help others like her who have the weight of the world on their shoulders. So, take a closer look at Sara and her precious family. Then, please PRAY for her and continue to PRAY for her. Then, look around you and thank God for your many blessings. Hug your kids and your spouse. Spend time with them and tell them how much you love them. And finally, open your eyes to those around you who are suffering, like Sara, and help them. Be the hands and feet of Jesus to them. If not you, then who? The time to savor and serve is here. The time is now. Let's not waste another day, another hour, another minute. For then, it may just be too late.
Holy Father, we pray for Your great mercy upon Sara and her family. Lord, we come before You begging for a miracle. We want her health fully restored, Lord. We want her kids to have the gift of their mother in their lives for decades to come. We want her and her husband to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary together, to grow old together and play with their grandchildren together. We know that all things are possible through You. Please cover her with Your healing power. Please grant her many more years on this earth to be with her family and to glorify Your Name. We thank you for teaching us through her lessons in faith, humility, love, and hope. We thank you for teaching us through her how to minister to others, and what compassion and service really are. We pray that we will never lose sight of these lessons You have taught us through her. We pray that we will remember to savor every day and not take our loved ones for granted. We ask to keep her here among us for years to come that she may teach us more about You and what it means to follow You. We pray that our hearts remain grateful and always open to You. Thank you for Sara's testimony and her willingness to be your vessel. No matter the outcome, we put our hope and trust in You, Lord. May Your Name forever be praised. In Jesus Name, Amen
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