I remember it clear as day, that breakfast at Laity Lodge.
It was my first time there, the first time I would meet many of my online
family at The High Calling. We were getting ready for breakfast—considering heart
prayers—when Jennifer said it.
“Elaine Olsen is
having her surgery today; we need to keep her in prayer.”
“What?” Asked
Laura Barkat.
I nodded, because I knew too, had been praying for my sweet
sister.
“Elaine Olsen. She
blogs at Peace for the Journey? She’s
having a double mastectomy today.”
That was two years ago—that day we whispered prayers over
Tim’s pastries and granola. And we’ve walked with Elaine through all the
terrible that is cancer—we’ve walked as much as a sister can…praying and
cheering…listening to the story.
And the amazing thing about my friend Elaine? She not only
openly shares the terrible, but she mines deep places in her heart to find the
wonderful too. And she shares. When
Elaine learns something—when she finds a blessing in a hard place—she is not
the type to keep it to herself. Didn’t Jesus tell us to love each other? Didn’t
James say to consider our trials pure joy?
Standing here on the sidelines of Elaine’s story, I’m learning
how hard these words can be. How beautiful and wise.
As Elaine fought her battle, another person I love was
diagnosed with breast cancer. Someone close to home. And what do I know of
these things except the wonder of how a person can have such grace in the midst
of this kind of war—because it is a war. The fingers of the Fall take on the
skin of this disease and it touches every inch of person’s life—body and soul—until
we are left pleading, No more…no more,
please.
It must change a person. It changed me in the watching.
In her new book Beyond Cancer’s Scars Elaine speaks openly of the journey. She still travels. When
I bought one of her books for my loved one, she sent me another to give away.
Because she wants these words to reach the wounded. That’s the kind of person
she is—it’s not about sales or publicity or a platform for Elaine. It’s about
getting this book into the hands of the people who need it.
If you leave a comment on this post before Monday you’ll be
entered into a drawing for a signed copy of Beyond Cancer’s Scars. If you tweet
about this giveaway or share it on facebook, you’ll get another chance for
each. If you know someone whose life has been touched by cancer, this book is
such a comfort. You can order it from Amazon here.
20 comments:
my son in law’s mom is going through a cancer battle...would love to share this book with her. thanks~
My MIL is fighting breast cancer, too. What a fight, like you said, Laura.
She sounds like an amazing woman; I pray for her God's best for her journey. It's been my, all too recent experience, there are more folks unwilling to listen than there are to listen.
In my case, Dave died and as the date of his death recedes into the past, people want to turn a deaf ear both to hearing about his death and my plight.
I'm writing a book to help others prepare for the death of a loved one. It comes to us all...no matter our gender, status, ethnicity, etc. Death either comes for us or to us; it's best to be as prepared as possible.
Thank you, Laura, for your support, your genuine love for me, and the grace with which generously share the spirit of this book. "Beyond Cancer's Scars" is an invitation to those who are walking through their suffering "something"--whatever that something may be--to get off the sidelines and enter the fray to lay claim to a stronger spirit in Jesus Christ.
It's all I knew to do in the midst of the pain . . . to reach out to God for more. It's all I know to do today, to keep reaching out to God. The more I reach forward, the more I realize that he's just that close to me. Just that close. I pray that each one reading this today will know the closeness and comfort of our suffering Lord and Savior. He gets the pain. He gets us as well.
So privileged to walk the road with the love of my Father and the certain love of a friend. Thank you.
peace~elaine
What a beautiful tribute to a lady I will call 'elegant' in her expression of her 'working out her salvation' through the pain allotted to her. Elaine has encouraged and inspired me much. Would love to get a signed copy of her book.
Your friend, Elaine, sounds like an amazing woman. I, too, have a friend in the trenches of the cancer-war zone. (Really, are there any of us not touched in some way by the ravages of cancer; whether personal, family or friend?) God certainly does strengthen and equip, and I stand amazed - thanks so much for this giveaway.
I always welcome a book that could comfort someone, would love to be able to share one...on such a difficult topic.
A beautiful post, Laura, esp the thought of all on the sidelines, prayers over pastries.
As I continue to approach that door to heaven, and find myself short of breath more than usual, I wonder how many of my numbered days I have left (here on earth.)
I am confident that I shall live forever, but there is still much to do here, so I pray for a few more days.
So timely Laura. I will buy it regardless. Cancer is hitting so many close to me right now.
So timely Laura. I will buy it regardless. Cancer is hitting so many close to me right now.
I need this book. I am still floundering in cancer's scars.
Tweeted and Facebooked it as well. :-)
I am entering to win this book for a friend who has fought cancer.
Sounds like a blessing of a book (and author)! Thank you for sharing this, Laura.
Thank you for sharing about this book. My assistant is fighting through chemo, 4 treatments down and 2 to go. They had to hospitalize her this last time. I am ordering this for her now!
oh friend. this book sounds wonderful... my father in law was just diagnosed with cancer. so hard. thank you for shining a light in a dark world, dear laura.
Silent in ignorance and compassion.
I think I'm too late for the giveaway, but thank you for the recommendation. A dear friend is still recovering from breast cancer and the poisons used to treat it. She loves the Lord but is having difficulty moving "beyond." This book might bless and encourage her.
May the Lord give your loved one victory in her health battle and drive every cancer cell out of her body, not to return in any form ever again, in Jesus' name.
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