An Update on My Karen  “Here We Are One Full Year Later!” March 2, 2016

You may find it hard to believe that it has been a whole year since my Karen was given the diagnosis of cancer? I will never forget seeing dear Dr. Dasha walking into our room. His eyes were saddened. His voice was quiet and somber. He looked at us with kindness. Karen was in her hospital bed and having trouble breathing. She looked sick and even frail as I was standing beside her and holding her hand.

“Mrs. Peck. I am so sorry to tell you that it is cancer. You have adenocarcinoma” Dr. Dasha told us.

We were not surprised. The day before this the Lord seemed to be preparing us that we were dealing with cancer and He had plans for us. Though I besought the Lord to make it something else, something simple to treat, He prepared us well that the answer would not be easy. It hasn’t been easy.

At that moment, several things took place. First I can honestly report to you that my sweetheart never was any more beautiful than she was that day. Second, I can honestly report to you that the peace of God never was any more powerful and precious in our lives. Thirdly, never have we been any more loved than at that moment. There have been times in our lives that we have been overwhelmed with the love of many people. When our little son Jeffrey died and then again many years later when our son Billy died we were surrounded by people that loved us and cared about our situation. Then came the start of the cancer journey and we discovered that people from around the world wanted to join us on the walk. When I post the updates, hundreds and sometimes thousands read them and pray.  We are so blessed.

No one gave us any guarantees a year ago. But here we are one year later. My Karen is getting over her cold and seems to be doing better with that. She had chemotherapy on Friday and is starting to feel better from this. She surely doesn’t look like a cancer patient. How kind the Lord has been to us. Here are a couple of things that we can absolutely say from our cancer journey.

·         The Lord is good. He’s good all the time (“The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble:  and He knoweth them that trust in Him” Nahum 1:7).

·         The Lord is our confidence when we are given no promises by the medical professionals (“For the Lord shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken” Proverbs 3:26).

·         The Lord upholds us when we feel like the rug has been pulled from under us (“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness” Isaiah 41:10).

·         The Lord doesn’t always plan our lives the way we prefer. However, He is always trustworthy (“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths” Proverbs 3:5-6).

·         The Lord is full of grace and gives to His people the grace we need (“And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me” 2 Corinthians 12:10).

·         The Lord cares for us and wants to share abundantly in our lives (“Casting all your care upon Him, for He careth for you” 1 Peter 5:7).

·         The Lord secures and encourages us when we are frightened, overcome, and discouraged (“My sheep hear My voice and I know them, and they follow Me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand” John 10:27-28).

If I had a choice, I would never have chosen for my Karen to have cancer. But I can tell you that in my heart I am fully persuaded that “Neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creatures, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39). The Lord loves my Karen and He even loves me. So Karen and I are walking more closely than ever to the Lord and to each other. She will have another CT scan on March 21st and an important doctor’s appointment on March 24th. I will surely update you on any news that we hear from the scan when it comes. Thanks so much for coming on the journey with us.