God's Calling

A Hypothetical. Follow me on this.

You're in the mall trying on shoes and your phone rings. Your purse, with the phone in it, is lying on the floor a few feet away and your best friend, being closer to said purse, asks if you want her to pick it up. Sure. "It's God calling, do you want to talk?" she asks. Of course you do. You take the phone from her and hurry outside so you can hear Him better. Foregoing the common exchange of pleasantries, the Almighty gets right to the point, "You and your husband have worked really hard toward some fantastic life goals. And I'm proud of you. But I'm going to redirect your path a bit. Before I tell you your new path, I want you to trust that I know what's best for you. Can you do that? I need you to give me your 'yes' or 'no' before I tell you what it is. What's it going to be?" "Of course, Lord. Whatever it is You have in store for us, sign us up. Yes, we trust You!" And then He drops the gauntlet...

"I know you both wanted a baby, but I'm going to give you cancer instead.

When you go to your doctor this afternoon, he won't find an embryo. He will find mixed-lineage leukemia.

In the coming weeks you won't be shopping for maternity clothes, but hospital gowns. No need to browse the bonnets and bows, you'll be picking out chemo-caps and wigs instead.

When you go for routine check-ups, you'll be watching an echocardiogram of your heart instead of a sonogram of your womb.

Instead of decorating a nursery, you'll be decorating a hospital room on the oncology floor.

When you go for your walks, you won't be pushing a stroller. It will be an IV drip with chemotherapy drugs that you lug.

You won't commiserate with expectant mothers about morning sickness and cravings. You'll befriend cancer patients and discuss things like, "How is your treatment going?" and "When will you be getting to go home?"

Your "big news" that you break to your friends will not leave them wanting to throw you a shower but wanting to know how curable you are.

Your sleepless nights won't be because of a tiny precious. It will be because the nurse keeps coming in to get your vital signs.

Your family will all gather in the waiting room. They won't be anxious to know if it's a boy or girl. They will be searching the doctors' faces for assurance and hope.

Your rosy glow will not be because there's a bun in the oven. It will be because there's Prednisone in your blood.

Your mom and sisters won't rush out to buy coloring books and puzzles for your busy toddler. Those very gifts will be to combat the stir-craziness you will go through.

I'm telling you, you will go through nine months (and more!) of extreme discomfort. And yes, there will be life on the other end.

You've given me your answer. You said you would trust me. Are you ready? Now, come, take My hand and go with me. I will see you through it all."


What reads as a hypothetical for most of us is very much the reality that Jen and Matt live everyday. God has called them, as a couple, to lay aside their hopes and dreams for their life together and to pick up their crosses to follow Him. Since Tuesday, September 13th, Jen and Matt's life has been turned upside down. Their life-plan has been totally uprooted. But, once again, therein lies the hope. God will plant new hopes, new dreams for His precious children Jennifer and Matt. Their Christian faith is being put to the ultimate test: will you travel down an unknown road, walking in blind faith, letting go of all you once knew to be, so that along the way you have the chance to make much of the Perfect One who let go of Heaven for you?

Could you do it? If God placed just such a call on your life, a call to a closer walk with Him, would you be ready? The truth is God IS calling each of us. And it's not so much the path He's wanting to take us down that's all that important, but the answer that we will give to Him. What will your answer be?

Prayerful Ponderings:
Please pray that Matt and Jen's hope will be restored. As they realign themselves to all that God now has in store for them, pray that God will strengthen their marriage, their love for one another and, most of all, their love for Him and their commitment to the cause of Christ. I can think of no greater cause and what an honor it is for them to have the opportunity to glorify Him during such a trying time.

Jen's temperature has returned to a nice, normal 98.5 degrees. Mouth sores are a bit of an aggravation and a restless night is leaving her drowsy today. She contracted a PICC line bacterial infection over the weekend but, thankfully, the profilactic antibiotics were started in time to prevent an escalated situation. Some have asked, and her beautiful brown hair is looking just lovely today. Thank you for your concern. She's holding up well and remaining positive. Praise the Lord.

The Vandy Verse:
He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High, abides under the shadow of the Almighty. He shall say to the Lord, "You are my refuge and my stronghold, my God in whom I put my trust." Psalm 91:1-2

*DUE TO THE SENSITIVE NATURE OF THIS POST, PLEASE DO NOT COMMENT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR THOUGHTFULNESS. *