3 women/3 cancers/ONE JESUS

Monday.

Some people start dreading Monday's on Sunday and wake up every week with this attitude...

But then by Friday their attitude has flipped and they feel like this...

Not all people are like this though. 

There are some who wake up like this most days...

Just choosing to praise God before the day even has a chance to get to her. 

Over the last few weeks I have found out that 2 women I have blogged with over the last two years and have had the privilege of meeting both in person are battling cancer. Then over the weekend I found out that a guy I know through high school is married to a woman who is also fighting for her life. 

All three daughters of the King, wives and mothers.
Let me introduce you to Elaine, Veronica and Amy.

When I look at the things I complain about I feel so silly to know that there are 3 of my Sisters in Christ waking up every morning knowing that they have something in their body that doesn't belong. 

And as I have read through each one's blog and/or CaringBridge posts they are all three looking like Elaine does in this picture...

They may be the first to tell me that it's not all it seems to be and that they have their bad days too. That's fine, they're human, but when I see a woman in the midst of a battle for her life and her belief in God hasn't wavered, but instead increased, the picture above is what they each look like.


Just letting their Jesus soak through them.  

My heart is heavy for each one of them. 

They have children and husbands who adore them. 

They have already or will soon lose their hair. 

They are physically weak and sick. 

But even with all they are physically and emotionally enduring, each lady is
praising, seeking and trusting in
Jesus Christ, their Savior.

I introduced the 3 of them over the weekend via Facebook and through tears, laughed as I read Amy and Elaine telling Veronica how she is "rock'n" the bald head look.

 They are encouraging each other and praying for one another and they are sharing their stories.

And they know the One thing besides cancer they have in common is Jesus Christ. 

Three beautiful women in different parts of the country. 

Three different cancers invading their body. 

ONE Savior.

Not one of them has turned away or stopped trusting Him. 

In Amy's CaringBridge post today she expressed her anger at the enemy and I loved how real she is. 

The last time I talked to Elaine was over the summer.
She had just written her first book and I called to congratulate her. 

So now that she is in a battle, does she toss her own book out or rely on all God has taught her up to this point? I mean c'mon, can one really have Peace for the Journey when it comes to cancer?

So what am I learning from these three beautiful godly women? 

So far, I have learned to embrace my Jesus. 

Praise Him all of the time. Not just when it's Friday. 

Seek Him deeply.

You may not have cancer in common with these women, but if you are saved then the One thing you have in common with them is Jesus Christ. 

And whether we have cancer or not, He wants and desires our praises. 

He doesn't want to be your god who you turn to in an emergency or on Easter and Christmas. 

He wants to be your God that you want more than what your flesh wants. 

He wants to be the God that you talk to about every little and big thing in your life. 

He wants to be the God you surrender completely to.
He wants to be your Everything when you are sick and when you are healthy.
He wants to be the reason you leave yourself behind.

These are women filled more with Jesus than they are cancer. 

And that's what life should be about. 

Many of us may never get cancer or any other life threatening disease.  

We may just seek Him out of convenience, not desire.

I think what is scary is that we can go through life and not ever really get to know our Savior.
And by choice we may never get to know Him past the baby in the manger.

I don't want to wait until life takes me to an unfamiliar place before I get on bended knee. 

I want to choose to daily surrender fully to Jesus now.
I want to be like these women and do it before anything dangerous comes my way.

From what I know of Vern and Elaine and what I've read about Amy, these women were praising and seeking their Savior prior to their diagnosis.
Now they've just taken it up a notch.
How many unbelievers will cross paths with these women? 

Doctors, nurses, lab technicians, volunteers...

How many lives will be changed watching them stay faithful to the Faithful One? 

Their love and passion for Jesus that no matter what, will not be surrendered.  

Amy woke this morning to see one of her children in bed reading her Bible. 

Not playing video games. Not texting, not watching television. 

Reading God's Word!

What a way to start your day off. 

Three women 

Three lives 

Three cancers

ONE 
JESUS

One Jesus who knows exactly what we're going through.

Please keep these women and their families in your prayers and go visit them...

Veronica (Vern) Hutcherson at her CaringBridge website.

Elaine Olsen at her blog Peace for the Journey and to order Elaine's book, click here.

Amy Bowman at her CaringBridge website or her blog New Nostalgia

*And all 3 are on Facebook.