The past month has been a whirlwind. The last week of June my oncologist finally gave me the okay that I was recovering well enough from my treatments to go back home. The very next day after my doctor's appointment my family and I were on a plane headed home. We were allowed to stay home four weeks and then I would have to return to Texas to have a scan to find out how I had responded to my treatments. Our time at home wasn't exactly how I had planned. I spent half the time sick and even ended up going to Gibb's Cancer Center in Spartanburg three days in a row for fluids and going to Greenville to see my other oncologist. I finally started feeling better but we only had a little over a week left at home and by this time all I could focus on was my upcoming scan.
My mama, my brother, one of my sisters, and I returned to Texas on Saturday, July 20th for my scan that Monday and we would see my doctors and find out the results on Thursday. I hated leaving home but I was surprisingly calm going back to Katy. That week I spent a lot of time reading my Bible, mostly scripture telling of Jesus's healing power. Those passages were such encouragement. I can honestly say that I never doubted the Lord's power to heal me. I know He can do anything. I was just worried that it wasn't His will to heal me. That healing me wasn't His plan for my life. I hate even saying that because I know the Lord's way is far better than mind, but I was scared and anxious. My family and I also did a lot of praying. We pray together daily, but this week we prayed like never before. Praying also helped calm my nerves. I knew that talking to the Lord, asking for His healing, His strength, and His peace was the only thing that could help me.
When Thursday morning rolled around I just woke up and went through the motions. My doctor's appointment was bright and early, at 8:30, which was good because it gave me less time to think. Once we were put in a room at the clinic it took my doctor an hour to come in. By this time my nerves were shot. I was taking this hour wait as a bad sign. I just sat there holding mama's hand and praying. All week I had the same Francesca Battistelli song stuck in my head. The chorus says, "faith is all it takes and you can walk on the water too." Wow! Even though I still believe, it still amazes me what faith can do! That is the faith I strive to have. I kept thinking of these lyrics as I sat there waiting. Finally my doctor came in and from there on I remember about one sentence and the rest is just a blank. I only remember him saying, "your scan is clear." Immediately after he said those words I started tearing up and silently thanking God. Then mama reaches out, grabs both the doctor's hand and my hand, and starts praying and thanking and praising the Lord for my healing. By this time mama and I were both sobbing and when the prayer was over I'm pretty positive I saw tears in my doctor's eyes as well. Such a special moment! Earlier in the week I was talking with mama, telling her how scared I was about getting my results. She said something I will never forget: "You may end up having the best day of your life." That was exactly what happened. The Lord was behind it all. When I didn't know what was coming, the Lord had already been there. He was with me every step of the way and never let go of my hand. He is my Savior, my Healer, and I am so blessed that He has chosen to perform so many miracles in my life. I told God I would never question why I had cancer. I am just thankful for His healing and I will continue to praise Him and give Him the credit He deserves. It wasn't the chemo, the radiation, or my doctors that healed me. The Lord used those treatments and those physicians. He is the Ultimate Healer.
"...your Father knows what you need before you ask Him." -Matthew 6:8
"Then Jesus said to the centurion, 'Go! It will be done just as you believed it would.' And Hs servant was healed at that very hour." -Matthew 8:13
"You of little faith, why do you doubt?" -Matthew 14:31
"Have faith in God," Jesus answered. "I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours." -Mark 11:22-24
Jenna, you are a true light of Christ who candidly shares and does God's will in praising Him in all things - storms and sunshine filled days. You are encouragement to me and I am sure many others. I found myself fighting for life as I knew it in my family relationships but you were fighting for your life. My problems pale in comparison but my challenges were do-able because of your faith shared. Praise the Lord for your healing touch. Shout it from the house tops!
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