As a kid I loved reading mysteries. I would curl up with a new Nancy Drew novel, break open the pages and speed through the chapters. Of course, the first few chapters read quite casually as the author set the scene and developed the characters, but as the plot line thickened and events turned suspenseful, I couldn’t read fast enough. So I would conveniently place a book mark where I was, flip a few pages ahead to see how things turned out, and then resume reading from the bookmarked place. Somehow knowing who-did-what-and-how gave me the endurance to read through the middle suspense chapters with peace and calmness.
What if you could read the story of your life backwards and see how everything turned out? Would it make enduring through trials and tribulations easier, knowing the end result?
I knew Micki Green from serving on staff with her at Grace Community Church. I watched her walk through this journey with cancer and cling to her faith in God. Her sense of humor and homemade melt-in-your-mouth chocolate cake made the church office a little slice of home.
As I sat down to write her story, I read much of her Caring Bridge entries with the end in view. I knew after chemo she was declared “cancer free” and spent close to five years that way.
So as I read her day-to-day journal of those days at MD Anderson, it was like I had skipped ahead a few chapters and then resumed my reading. I knew God would hear and heal. The chemo that produced painful side effects would work. The pain would subside. She would have a normal or “cancer free” day (as she called it) soon.
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