ON MY MIND...

Tonight on my mind rests this little girl and her family...

If you don't know her, this is Kate McRae.   When I see her pictures or videos of her, I smile.  She fills my heart with joy, and reminds me of childhood innocence.  Then I'm reminded of how I came to know of Kate. She is 5 years old, and she has an amazing story.  In late June, this little girl was diagnosed with a brain tumor.  I have followed the journey of this girl's fight with cancer since I heard of her diagnosis from blog friends of mine.   

I've seen her parents be overjoyed at the small triumphs, and though I don't know them personally, I rejoice with them.  I read their journal entries of rough days of chemotherapy and a 5 year old little girl who has lost her hair with concerns of what others will think of her, and I pray for strength and courage.  Tonight I read the journal entry that consisted of tears, and I can't help but cry with them.  I ache for them.  I ache for a girl who should never know what cancer is or what chemotherapy or brain surgery is.  I ache for her parents who only want wellness and healing for their child.

Kate is teaching me many things about God and the unity of the body of Christ.  The McRae's live in Arizona.  It is unlikely that I will ever meet them.  It is unlikely that they will ever know that I exist.  I'm okay with that.  The importance in not in being known, but in WHOM we know that unites us.  The courage and strength that this family is walking with is a pure testimony of God's provision in the most difficult times of life; those time that we simply want to throw our hands up in the air and scream at God: WHY?  I'm sure the McRae's have shed their share of tears, and asked God their share of questions.  But they are also pleading at the foot of the cross for their daughter's body to line up with the Word of God.  They are praying for the ultimate healing and the total disappearance of this ugly thing called cancer.  And on the other side of the country, I'm going to stand in faith with them, in agreement.  As the three in the fire, may she come out unharmed and giving all glory and praise to God! (Dan 3:25)

Some have said this is extreme.  Believe what you may.  I chose to believe that God is bigger than any tumor.  He is bigger than any financial distress, any job loss, any destroyed marriage, any wayward child, any diagnosis... and deemed hopeless event.  He is our hope. 

I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 15:13