Tag Archives: guest post

Faith in Living, Breathing Colour

Posted in Spiritual Growth by

Hey everybody, here’s something new and different! My friend Heather and I are swapping blog posts – my post is over on her blog, and she’s written a post to share with all of you!

I’ve known Heather for a few years through Red Rock Bible Camp. She used to work on staff here, and now she comes back as a guest speaker during the summer or for retreats. I always look forward to her coming out here, because she’s such a fantastic person to talk with – upbeat, encouraging, fun, inspiring, and wise, with a heart that is seeking after God. I read her blog every day, and now you all have the chance to get to know her, too! Check out her blog to hear more from Heather!

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Two months before my wedding my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. Weeks after her diagnosis and first surgery, she was told that because of a genetic strand she carried, she had a 50-80% chance of the cancer returning. This led to four months of chemotherapy and three major surgeries.

Life can change so drastically in just one day. One phone call, one blood test, one surgery later and suddenly everything looks unfamiliar. What does it mean to have faith in the midst of chaos and confusion? What does it mean to trust, when your world has been shaken up, turned around and poured out? The tidy answers I’d always given others struggling seem dried up, empty and clichéd. And yet I knew I had no hope without my faith in God.

“Faith is being sure of what you hope for and certain of what you do not see” Hebrews 12:1 NIV. This verse – one that is preached, taught and spoken so often – takes on a whole new weight in the midst of struggle. It’s one that both encouraged and frustrated me as my flesh and spirit fought over its meaning.

My flesh said being sure and certain of what I cannot see is ridiculous. Reality and truth is what I see – my mom is sick, she is broken and she is suffering! However my Spirit fought back saying, “This is what faith is!”

Faith isn’t seeing your prayers answered; it’s believing they will be even as you wait.  

It is looking into the face of my precious mother laying in a hospital bed, with a dozen tubes, chords and drains hooked up to her and believing that she is healed! Believing for a miracle.

Over the course of her battle with cancer I’ve see many amazing miracles in my mom’s life. But my faith grows most on days when I see my mom weak and sick and when I pray, “God, I believe you are making her strong and healthy”.

Our faith doesn’t grow most when we see miracles, but when we see nothing and still choose to believe that God keeps his promises.  

That is true faith.

Whatever difficult situation you see right now, know that it is an opportunity for your faith to grow.  It is an opportunity to be sure of what you hope for and certain of what you cannot see. It is a chance to say, “God, I truly believe that you are who you say you are. That’s all I’ve got and that’s enough”.