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Today is World Cancer Day. Actually, for my family, right now, every day is cancer day. I had planned to kick it Old Testament and write about my husband’s tonsil cancer using an analogy of the wilderness wandering. I mean, who doesn’t know the story of the 40 year detour God’s chosen people took before they could inhabit the promised land He had for them? Most of us have either studied it, been taught a Sunday school flannelgraph of it, or seen Charleton Heston act it out.

To be honest, the last 5 years have felt like a wilderness, or desert of sorts. I mean, it hasn’t been bad the whole time. We’ve had good times and good friends and generous family. We will call these “manna”. But on the same ground, we’ve also stepped in a lot of poo. At least it hasn’t been 40 years of poo. Not yet anyway.

That sounds so doom and gloom. Yes, we grieve some of the things we endure, but we don’t grieve as those who have no hope (1 Thessalonians 4:13). We have the promise of a better time and better place – same as the Israelites. We have a Father who walks beside us now in our affliction. And through Jesus, He guarantees us a heaven free from pain and suffering. Relief comes. One way or another.

But oh, the pain we feel right now. Are you sensing a lot of back and forth in this diatribe? It’s how I feel on any given day. Joy and sorrow. Pain and delight. Love and fatigue. Laughter and frustration. But we can hold all of it.

Am I emotionally exhausted or hopeful? The answer is “Yes”. I can be both. And the God who keeps all the planets spinning and the myriad stars in the sky can also handle the totality of my emotions.

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God Speaks Into My Wilderness

As all of these thoughts and feelings were rolling around in my head, I opened Jessica Thompson’s book How God Loves Us: 40 Days to Discovering His Character in the Fruit of the Spirit. My Heavenly Father met me on Day 2 of this 40 Day devotional.

“[God] acknowledges the suffering. He doesn’t minimize it. He calls it as it is…The Lord sees that you are in the wilderness. He doesn’t say, ‘This isn’t a bad spot at all! Just have a better outlook, and you will see this isn’t actually a wilderness at all – it’s an oasis!’ No, the Father recognizes that the place you are in is difficult. He doesn’t try to pretty it up or put a good spin on it.

Yet God declares that we find favor even there. We find the outlandish favor of His love – the favor of a Father whose love is not dependent on how we are dealing with our circumstances but depends only on who He is.”

I’m not sure I can add anything else. I’m just so grateful for the manna – the glimpses of the promised land – that we get to experience here. And for the favor He still grants on the days I throw myself a pity party. I’m even more grateful for the undeserved reward yet to come.

And now for this week’s featured post from the link up!

I had to share my fellow link up host Maree Dee’s Three Reasons to Participate in Grace and Truth Christian Blog Link Up – mostly because I agree with all three reasons!

1. Share 1 or 2 of your most recent CHRISTIAN LIVING posts. (No DIY, crafts, recipes, or inappropriate articles.) All links are randomly sorted.

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3. Every host features one entry from the previous week. To be featured, include this button or link back here on your post (mandatory to be featured, but not to participate).

We encourage you to follow our hosts on their blogs or social media.

MAREE DEE – Embracing the Unexpected
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We have rounded another year. I say “another” as if it retains any semblance to the others. It doesn’t. But I have lived (somewhat), written, felt and survived to do it all again. I am so very thankful that the challenges of 2020 pushed me closer and closer to my Heavenly Father, but now I would like them to end (said in jest – sort of).

I want to thank you, bloggy friend, for taking the time to follow my writing and for any amount of time sacrificed to read these words. It means more to me than you could possibly know. And each and every comment left was like a present for me to open. While I know now more than ever that I have no idea what topics the future will provide for this website, I still plan a little, holding it loosely. Proverbs 19:21 says, Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails. NIV I desire deeply for God’s purpose to be fulfilled here.

So I looked back for research at what posts you all enjoyed most from last year. This information helps me hone in on what is helpful and meaningful to you. So I present to you (in case you missed any of these or would like to revisit) the top 10 most viewed posts from my site in 2020. And thank you again being such an important community for me. (Also, take a gander at my list of the top posts of 2019 here.)

10. The Good Thing V. the God Thing February 7, 2020

Mark 1:40-45 tells the story of a man Jesus cured of leprosy only to command him to keep his miraculous healing to himself. Common sense seems to say that Jesus’ ministry would only be enhanced by the sharing of this good news. But God’s ways are higher than our ways (Isaiah 55:8-9), so we must seek His guidance in all things and not forge ahead using only our own feeble wisdom.

9. God is Good…but Life is Still Hard March 6, 2020

Certain situations and events from the year past drove me to study Job. Good ol’ Job who lost his wealth, his family and finally his own health. Although he lamented (this can be so healthy), Job never lost his faith in God. In the midst of his heartache – before any earthly blessing was restored to him – Job exclaimed, “I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth.” (19:25) When all else slips away, we can cling to that.

8. I Love… February 14, 2020

This Valentine’s Day post only touched on romantic love. It’s more about the many things and people I love and am thankful for in this life. Even though I wrote this pre-Covid 19, reading the list again encouraged me. So many of my treasures I still enjoy in the midst of it. I hope it encourages you too.

7. Better Late than Never – My Thoughts on Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd and Others June 5, 2020

As the death of several black Americans set our world on fire last summer, I struggled with whether or not my voice in matters of systemic racism and injustice mattered. But I finally had to speak – with people that I know and with my computer keys. I forced myself to examine my privilege and any biases and prejudices with which I view the world. I don’t pretend to be “woke” to the things I’ve been blind to, but I am determined to keep working on it. All life has value. Genesis 1:27 says God created mankind in His own image. The Bible lists no exceptions to this. Black lives matter.

6. The Pursuit May 8, 2020

Using a different translation of Psalm 23:6 gave me a deepened perspective on God’s vast love for us. He created us, He loves us, and He wants us. In this world that is still so full of uncertainty, I find great comfort in this. In Him.

5. Farewell to February February 28, 2020

This was the only month end review to make the list. Reading again about all my social activities pre-virus almost brought a tear to my eye. May it be again soon, Lord.

4. Today I Cannot…a Coronavirus Lament May 15, 2020

The title of this one explains itself pretty well. It took me a couple of months of lock down to reach this boiling point, but many of these things still grieve me (although some days my will to endure stays stronger than the moment in time I penned this). Maybe you can relate to some of my things. And maybe you just need to read the verse at the end for comfort and hope.

3. A Conversation on Race, Part 1 June 19, 2020

Two fellow bloggers of color, Yvonne Chase and Calvonia Radford agreed to an interview on the issues of racial injustice that news journalists and the everyman with a cell phone brought to the forefront of our consciousness. I will warn those of you that look like me that it’s not easy to read. But I pray you will be prompted to examine your own heart against the feelings and facts they share. We still have a long way to go in the arena of race relations in America. You might just find a good start here. And don’t miss the links to their websites. Read Part II of this conversation as well. “In a racist society, it is not enough to be non-racist, we must be anti-racist.” – Angela Davis

2. These are a Few of My Favorite Things (100 to Be Exact) November 6, 2020

“If I am losing it beyond the normal parameters of losing it, I write out or say 100 things I am grateful for.” – Jami Amerine. She calls this a gratitude blitz and I tried my hand at it a couple of months ago. That this list landed in the #2 spot tells me a lot about our need for positivity right now. Hopefully something you read here will touch you, encourage you, entertain you or motivate you to make your own list. And maybe we will decide – at least for a moment – that things really aren’t that bad.

1. Dear Teenage Daughter, You Aren’t Entitled February 21, 2020

I suspect from this #1 post that some of you deal with the challenges of an entitled generation. I promise you that this letter, written two days before my teen’s birthday has a happy ending. And she gave me her permission and approval. Part rant, part lesson and confession from me – it is all heart. And I could not love her more.

This concludes a year in the life of this blogger. A year I honestly hope we never see the likes of again. But important lessons for me – and maybe you – reside here. I hope you are informed or encouraged, and I pray God is glorified here. I thank you, again, for being my reader friends and hope this relationship continues into the new year. Also, happy birthday to the best Papa in the world (and Elvis).

And now for this week’s featured post!

In keeping with the theme of my post for this week, I chose Heather Hart’s Top Candid Posts of 2020 on candidlychristian.com. I would love nothing better than for you to hop over and see some well-loved posts from one of my teammates at Grace and Truth (after you read mine of course). 😉