Female in Motion

And so, I join the ranks of the warriors in pink. I was diagnosed with breast cancer last Friday, two days after celebrating my 50th birthday. The test results were supposed to be ready on Wednesday, but they wouldn't tell me over the phone. That's when I knew. The Hubster and I sat in the exam room, waiting for my family doctor to bring the news. During the 15-minute interval, I wrote down questions to ask about treatment and the Hubster alternated between rubbing my back and holding my hand. He was nervous. I was resolute. Dr. Davis entered. He sat down and said, Well, it's cancer, Carol." "I already knew," I said. Michael Jackson's "Man in the Mirror" was playing in the hallway outside. It was strange because they usually listen to contemporary Christian radio. As we left, I watched the people around me. It was a normal Friday. I knew what I had to do. I am ready to fight. "Why me?" didn't even cross my radar. Most people would ...

My church sends a check every month to a Hell's Angel. Well, he used to be a Hell's Angel. Now he's a missionary to Okinawa, Japan. Cool, huh? Talk about a radical conversion! This man left his past behind and walked forward into God's plan. I wonder if the Japanese missionary is ever bothered by bad memories? I've worked out a great way to keep my past mistakes in the past. First, I ask myself some questions. Where is this bad memory coming from? Just because it's in your head, doesn't mean it came from you. It could be from the Father of Lies. Satan likes to keep you defeated. Have you already prayed for forgiveness of this sin from the past? Then why dredge it up again? Dismiss it out of your mind. God has forgotten it. Jeremiah 31:34 says "...for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more." Time for you to do the same. The Hubster likes to imagine himself blowing up the bad thoughts. Guys like to blow st...

It starts like this: "Our dear and most Heavenly Father, thou art a righteous and holy God and in Thy Word Thou hast promised us 'The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.'" Or maybe it goes like this: "Dear Lord, I need a million dollars, a pony and a jet plane, right away!" Or it could go like this: "Hey, Dude, what's happening?" Do any of these prayers sound familiar? We all have different styles, but does this make any of these wrong? Nope. Prayer is something completely subjective. While some people feel more formal when addressing God, other folks like to keep it casual. The heart of the matter is the conversation . Your Savior wants to hear from you. He wants to keep the communication going. He wants you to be yourself in your prayers. So whatever your prayer style, remember how much He loves you and wants to hear your voice. When I spend time in prayer, I get the opportunity to unlock my heart, o...

A letter came in the mail today. A dear friend is going through hard times. A missionary to troubled teens in the Kansas City area, this man also works full-time at a secular job to provide for his family. Last week, he was fired from his job for something he did not do. He's discouraged. I know a woman who is waiting on a sign from God. Her life is in a holding pattern. She has a family, a great career, loving friends, and she wants more. This woman wants to step out by faith on a new mission, but God hasn't said the word yet. She is discouraged. Last week I got two rejection letters for my writing. After two years of submitting my work to publications, I still have no success. My blog is gaining new readers and I am networking with lots of talented writers, but I want to be published. I am discouraged. Elijah the prophet was discouraged, too. God sent him to preach to the people of Israel, but King Ahab worshipped Baal and the altar of God had fallen into ...