The Ask Me Anything Episode
Click here to listen!
Cancer throws up a ton of questions and this week I’m answering the ones you’ve sent in.
If you’re wondering how to love the person you’ve become, what to do when you’re Jesus loving friends don’t stand by you, or even what kind of tea I drink…
Read on before I pray over you using a beautiful love letter, written to you, from God, entirely in Scripture.
Of course this is a podcast and blog about learning to thrive, not just survive, no matter what our cancer diagnosis throws at us.
And how, in the middle of cancer, we can discover life doesn’t have to be pain-free to be full, and then go live it.
Because life is for living and Jesus came so we can have life in all its fullness, abundant life…
That life isn’t waiting off in the future somewhere when you’re cancer’s done.
Nope, the full life he has for us is right here right now, no matter what.
Before we dive in, I want to mention that I’ve changed the names and some of the details on some of the questions simply to love you all well and hold your trust as we share our stories.
So let’s dive in and I’ll kick it off with a fun and light-hearted question I’ve had from so many people I couldn’t put one name to it.
You love tea and always seem to have a mug of it in your hand. What’s your favourite kind and where do you get it?
I have to confess that I am not into fancy teas. I love what we call in England – Builders Tea. It is plain English Breakfast Tea called PG Tips.
I have it within 30 seconds of waking up and many cups throughout the day.
Because I drink so much, I don’t buy it from a local supermarket…
I hate to confess this, but I buy it on Amazon in bulk – I buy 480 tea bags at a time!
No Name: I’ve just found out my daughter has cancer. How do I encourage her? She lives 250 miles away.
First off, I am so sorry. It is hard times right now anyway, and there is something wrong with a parent watching their child suffer.
Being diagnosed is so, so difficult.
Everyone deals with their cancer diagnosis differently.
I’m sure you are doing this already, but pray for her. Ask her specifically how you can be praying for her.
Appointments, side effects, healing, comfort and peace in the fear.
It is a way of saying “I am here with you in the mess.”
Norma: I’ve had Jesus loving friends not stand by me and I feel stripped and alone.
We do hold each other more accountable when we know someone loves Jesus.
This is so hard, and I want to encourage you that Jesus would never leave you.
I also want to assure you that this is their issue – not yours.
Don’t add guilt or anything else to your plate. The last thing you need to do is worry.
I want to encourage you to find a community who understands where you are at. Find a community that can offer empathy and not just sympathy.
Rebecca: How do I love the person cancer’s made me enough to allow her to thrive? She’s weak, anxious, obsessive, and forgetful. I feel more of a burden than a blessing.
Oh my goodness…You are not alone – so many of us have felt like this…at times, it feels like we are a shadow of our former self.
The first thing I would like to invite you to do is to grieve the loss and passing of your former self.
Take some time to acknowledge how hard this is and what a loss this is.
Then I want to encourage you to evaluate if you need to re-define what it means to thrive.
Thriving may look different now.
Finally, I want to encourage you to make two lists. I got these from Emily P. Freeman from The Next Right Thing Podcast.
Make a life-giving list and a life-draining list. Focus on doing and putting into your life the things on the giving list.
I want to encourage you to seek professional help for any anxiety and depression that you have as well.
What books did you read while you were going through cancer?
I often felt too tired to read, but I did enjoy young adult fiction like the Maze Runner Series!
That isn’t necessarily a resource or encouragement for someone going through cancer.
I needed more of a friend to encourage me and practical help to show me the “how-to’s”. That’s why I wrote Breathe Again! To be part friend, part spiritual cheerleader, and 100% down-to-earth.
Well that wraps up this week’s questions and I have to say I really hope you found this helpful and encouraging.
It’s super helpful to know other people are struggling with some of the same things you are.
It helps you feel not alone and hearing how they can deal with it has hopefully encouraged you to do some of the same things.
If you haven’t already, you can download your own copy of our TRUST prayer practice on a beautiful book mark below!
Or listen on Apple Podcasts.
If you haven’t already, download your TRUST prayer book mark HERE so you can pray along with me and pray with more confidence and less doubt in the week ahead.
Did you enjoy Chemo Chair Prayers? Would you help others dealing with cancer find it by hitting subscribe and leaving a five star review HERE? Thank you.
Not sure how to leave a rating and review? No worries. Here are some step by step instructions – it’s easy!
