This is the month of all things pink, designed to create awareness, and for a good cause: breast cancer survival. It is one of the most beatable cancers when detected early, extending survival rates for countless women. I am grateful for it, because I am one of those surviving women.

Last October, on the first day of the month of awareness, I found a lump which was indeed cancerous. No, I wasn’t one who did monthly self-exams. Honestly, I avoided them because of fear of what I might find. [Fear is sometimes often dressed up as denial.] I can only tell you that I found it because God made me aware of it. He is good to me.

From the first time the dreaded word was spoken by a doctor until it was finally eradicated from my body, God gave me awareness of many things.

A year later, now cancer-free and reflecting on all God has shown me since that time, I find myself aware of the following:

o        The Lord is my Healer, and He has done great things.

o        He is a Consuming Fire, and sometimes He allows a “controlled burn” to destroy the                                    dry and dangerous places (like FEAR) in our heart in order to nourish what He intends to grow.
o        It was not and never will be “my” cancer. I want no ownership of it, thank you.

Although I have survived breast cancer, my identity is not Breast Cancer Survivor. Cancer is something that happened to me, one of various trials the Lord has allowed in my life for His purpose and glory, and for my good.

He has designed me to be in community with Himself and with others who love Him. This is the way He demonstrates His love for me, and this is my existence. Our community of faith surrounded my family and prayed for us and cared for us in too many ways to list here. And by His grace I can use this experience to benefit others.

In the words of Paul,
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.
If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.”
(2 Cor. 1:3-7)


So whenever I see a pink ribbon, or pink shoes on an NFL superstar, or pink anything in the month of October, I am aware of His goodness and grace on display in every color and at all times.
To Him be the glory.