Field of Faith

I llness strikes when you least expect it to.

Josefina Running
Originally uploaded by carlosluis.

My best friend's mother is facing another challenge. In remission now from colon cancer for the last two years, last week, they found a recurrence. Ironically, but not coincidentally, her daughter, my best friend, had read the Kay Warren article I had written for the Philippine Daily Inquirer that day. It's really awesome how God uses people as intruments. My friend found great comfort in Kay's message - finding joy in the midst of, in the middle of... because God is in control of every situation in our life.

My friend's mom, Tita M, is an amazing woman. I have known her since I was eight and have been in awe of her talent (she's a writer too), her graciousness and the big-ness of her heart through the years. I am praying that she will once more overcome this latest challenge in her life so that she can do more of God's work.

Without going ahead of the Lord, I know that He will use this latest challenge to speak to her, just as he so often does whenever he allows difficulties to touch our lives. It is always in the challenges that he has our attention a hundred and one per cent and it is where he speaks the clearest and loudest. Our role, I believe is to meditate and listen to what he is saying to our hearts so that in the midst of the difficulties, we can still find the stretngth to do his work, the joy in knowing that he is in control and bring the glory back to him.

During her first bout with cancer, Tita M, set up a beautiful healing garden in the province of Laguna. Read about her Field of Faith and view the pictures here in Anton's blog. I post this here now to serve as a reminder for her, her family, and everyone who loves and cares for her of God's amazing provisions and faithfulness in the middle of the muddle, so to speak. When we are at our weakest, we only need to look back and think of how God carried us through the most difficult parts of the journey. And we can rest well in knowing that he will be there for us until we finish the race he has set out for us.

Out of Tita M's difficulties a healing place for many was born. I pray that after she hurdles this latest challenge, by the grace of God, she will become an even bolder witness to God's graciousness and love so that she can minister and provide comfort to other women who walk the same path that she is on.

This turn of events also made me more aware of how at this stage in life we start to become responsible for the parents who once took full responsibility for us. I received the news of her cancer recurrence on the eve of my own mother's birthday and immediately I was reminded of mom's own mortality and how swift time flies. Events such as these are reality checks that serve to remind us of how brief our stay here on earth is and how we should live each day well and with kindness towards everyone we meet.

On a lighter note, yesterday in the car on our way to church, my son L said the funniest thing. I was talking to his sister, telling her how my system seemed to be out of whack last week. "My hormones must be playing tricks on me again," I told her. To that, L turned to me and said, "War-mones!? What are those mom?" and together, his sister and I replied, "It's what makes mommy want to go to war, on certain days...." Kids always say the darnest things! On that note, may you all have a blessed week ahead!