It seems like each week I come to this place and ask why? I know life is a journey and there are times of joy but there are also times of sorrow.
Just this week, a friend found out that her 2 year old daughter has a malignant brain tumor. They operated and removed 95% of the tumor. They will have to do chemo and radiation to get rid of the 5% that was left. My heart aches for this family.
I sometimes wonder how we handle the difficult seasons but I’m reminded of this quote by Oswald Chambers….
We can’t give up. We have to have faith that God is in control. Do the next thing!
When my daughter found out about this tragedy, she texted me, “Why is life so hard?” My answer was simply, “Because this is not our home. We are here to shine light in a dark world and we never know how long we have.”
We have no guarantees of tomorrow but we have today, so let’s shine His light!
The song, Take Another Step by Steven Curtis Chapman kept coming to my mind.
Basically, the song is saying one minute everything can seem perfect and the next minute there’s tragedy. What do we do? Take another step, and then another, and then another……
Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” Isaiah 30:21
I have a hard time posting fashion pictures on Sundays but since I committed to 31 days of summer fashion I’m going to do it. You know I wasn’t going to get through 31 days of summer fashion without wearing my chambray shirt.
Chambray Shirt-Cato//Black pants-Stitch Fix//Wedge heels-Macy’s//Earrings-Target
Have a blessed Sunday!
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Angela: I will add your daughter to my prayer list! Many times I have had to undergo additional testing for breast issues, and each time I have had “good” results…I thank God we live in a country where we don’t have to wait months/years for necessary testing. Be strong and courageous…covering you in prayer also. Blessings! 🙂
This post could not have come at a better time! My beautiful 18 year-old daughter is needing to undergo testing for a “suspicious lesion” found on her breast. Crushing and painful cannot describe my emotions as I try to be strong for her and protect her from the realities of what this could imply. I pray that my strength along with God’s will, will see her through this with a good outcome. Thank you for sharing at a time when we question why… I will remember to Trust God.
I had not heard this song yet, and I love it’s truth and encouragement. Thank you Cyndi for sharing your journey and shining your light!
Thank you for your post and for the song, just what I needed today as our family has been going through some of the same as yours for the last year and trying to see the light and remember to keep moving forward.
There is so much heartache in so many lives, but it is a great comfort to lift prayers for people – even when we don’t know them – knowing God KNOWS them and their struggles. Thank you for sharing and being honest with what’s going on this day in our own life. Praying for all <3
Thank you so much!
Hi Cyndi,
I bought a long sleeve chambray shirt from the JCrew Factory store via your recommendation. I really like it but can’t figure out how to roll the sleeves up so that the button on the upper sleeve has something to attach to. Do you have a tutorial or know of one that will help me? I really enjoy your blog! It was the first fashion blog I followed and I love that it is a Christ centered blog!
Cindi, you are such a wise and Godly Mom! Your answer to Courtney’s despair is perfect. I’m going to tuck your answer into my back pocket to remember for myself when life becomes overwhelming. Know that I’m praying for Courtney and her little boy, as well as this little 2 year old with cancer.
Your outfit is classy and looks very comfortable. I love the chambray with black! Happy Sunday!
Cyndi, I don’t think I’d ever heard that song. Where have I been, huh? But it’s just what I needed to hear today. And it’s no coincidence that you’re the second person to speak Isaiah 30:21 into my life this week. Obviously God is reminding me to listen for His voice as I navigate a new path I’m recently on. It’s not a path I’ve chosen; and it’s not one I anticipated ever being on. But I’m on it, like it or not, and I need to keep taking another step and another step until I get a little further down the trail and become more familiar with my new surroundings. You have encouraged me today. I hope you’re have a sweet, sweet Sunday!
Teresa: Just want you to know you will be in my prayers tonite! I hope your health is restored, your broken foot heals and that the birds stay outside your windows! 🙂 I have a feeling many blessings are around the corner for you …God bless!
Cyndi: I will include your friend’s sweet little girl in my daily prayers. Courtney’s right that this world is hard…and I love your answer to her…we are not of this world, and every tear will be wiped away when we go to our eternal home. 🙂 Still, we who are a bit older and have experienced more can help those who are younger to remember that “This to shall pass…” and that our strength for the hard parts comes in Christ. Please let your friend know that your friend here in PA will pray! 🙂
Hi Cyndi,
I am so sorry that your friend has to go through this tremendous heartbreak and that her baby daughter will have to endure such extremely difficult treatment. I think your answer to Courtney was perfect. This is not our home and we do not get to make the decisions, no matter how hard that may seem to understand. My beautiful, late mother-in-law, when she found out she had liver cancer and only 3 months to live, said to me, “Judy, this is not for us to understand, God’s ways are not man’s ways.” All of these words we offer up to the suffering to help shine a light for them and remind them that our God will be with us in whatever we must go through. When we watch a child suffer, those words are especially hard to grasp. We can be thankful that at 2 years old, this baby girl doesn’t know what is happening to her, we can be thankful that when she feels so sick she has her Mama’s lap to curl up in and her arms to hold her tightly and her voice to soothe her. This is God helping us through the deep waters. My prayers are with your friend and her sweet baby girl.
So very sorry to hear of your friend’s little one. But you are so right… This is not our home…. And sometimes we take our eyes off Jesus…. But God has a plan… Through this… Praying for peace and strength. I look to the hills. Where does my help come from? It comes from the Lord.
Cyndi, I loved the pics you posted of setting up your daughter’s new home and helping her at every turn. Of course I don’t remember because I was so little, but my parents divorced when I was 3. My dad left and my mom later found out he had been cheating for a long time. Her world crashed. She planned to married for life. My grandmother (ironically, my dad’s mom) was the one who was the most influential in getting her back on her feet. She spoke truth to her. She listened to her. She helped us move to a new house and set up new life. I stayed with her some weekends so my mom would have a smidge of a break – the life of a single parent means NO alone time ever. My mom said she pretty much shook her and told her that she had no choice but to move ahead. She had me and I was counting on her. I just can’t even imagine. She was 27 years old?!?!?
That was 40 years ago. I’m so so so thankful for those friends and families who were safe and supportive of my mom and me. My mom became a Christian about 3 years later and of course, that was the most influential decision ever.
I love how you have protected your daughter and not told all the story here on a blog for random people to read. Some things are personal! But what you have shared has shown how much love and care and support you have given to her and her son.
There is nothing perfect about a marriage ending but having a place to land and people who love your more than you ever know? That’s a gift.
So sorry to hear about your friend’s daughter. Glad the surgery went well. Will be praying for complete healing. My #2’s beaus sister had a tumor when she was 3 years of age and underwent surgery and treatments. She will be starting her freshmen year in college this fall. Our God is an awesome God.
And Cyndi, I love the chambray shirt too! And even though we’ve never met I love you as my sister in Christ!
Tragedy is all about us. We have a friend whose 6 year old daughter has an inoperable tumor on her brainstem. But God is using this to draw people to Him. I have regular trials that are seemingly more frequent and I’ve come to call the Job Syndrome. I have health issues including fibromyalgia. Last Monday I started iron transfusions for anemia after having bled for an entire year before getting a doctor to give me a hysterectomy. Wednesday I got rear-ended in a parking lot. Thursday fell down steps as I was walking into work broke left foot injured right knee. Friday cat brought a live bird in the house which frantically flew through the house. Daughter is dental assistant and developed carpal tunnel in both hands/ wrists after just having emergency surgery a month ago. It goes on and on. But Satan, like with Job, is hard at work desiring us to turn our backs on God. And when the old devil can keep us tied up and occupied with all this stuff he thinks (and often can) he can keep us from The Lord’s work because we’re so occupied with stuff or are physically down. Sometimes all we can do is take care of today and remain faithful in it all. That alone is a testimony and it strengthens us as well. So I have to be thankful for what IS because our God is in control and He does take care of us. Praise Him.