Be the Miracle

For the past 8 months I have written every Tuesday about traveling the #NarrowRoad with Jesus. One of the things that has jumped out at us over and over again is that we all need help on the journey. Jesus taught us to love one another, to take care of one another and to reach out to those in need. And today I come to you with a very special opportunity to do those things in a very concrete way...

Yesterday's post was all about WHY I love my best friend Lisa Jewett. Now I want you to love her too- with the love of God whose name is Jesus! Many of you know that Lisa is battling ovarian cancer. It has only been about 12 days since she was diagnosed, and the things that have transpired since have been completely overwhelming. Surgery was scheduled and then postponed when a second CAT scan showed additional spots in her lymph nodes. She began chemotherapy this past Thursday. There will be 2 more sessions of chemo (3 weeks apart each) and then the surgery with a 6-8 week recovery period, to be followed by 3 more chemo sessions. That is the plan as it stands now. I was in the room with Lisa during chemo, and I sat and held her hand much of the day both Friday and Saturday. I was with her again last night. I am a witness to the fact that this is very hard on my friend. She is going through a painful and draining process which may make it impossible for her to return to her work as a 1st grade teacher this year- a profession she has loved for 22 years now. The doctors and her family and friends all believe that Lisa is going to beat this cancer. Our favorite number right now is 80, because her oncologist says this treatment is 80% effective on her type of cancer. But it is going to be a long road to travel.

Lisa has a a great support team in place. Her two adult sons are local and are stepping up in big ways, and the love of her 4 grandchildren is a huge boost to her spirits. Her teacher friends are reaching out to do anything they can. Her sister from Tallahassee is helping in a variety of ways and was here over the weekend. And the rest of her family is on the job as well. They are not actually blood relatives, but simply people who have adopted Lisa and who will do anything for her. My family is on that list- and the list is long and filled with people who love her. She will never be alone on her journey.

We know that healing her body is a two part process. The medical professionals will use their skills and technology to help defeat the disease. And we pray every day that God has a miracle in store for her. We covet your prayers as well. But our role does not stop there. YOUR role does not stop there. When we love, when we care and when we GIVE we can not only see God's miracles happen, we can BE a miracle too. You know that teachers are horribly underpaid, and even with insurance Lisa will have enormous medial expenses. It is entirely possible that she will miss an entire year of work. She has more than enough things to worry about and stress over. We can help keep money from being an additional burden. The teachers at Baycrest Elementary School have established a Go Fund Me account for Lisa with a goal of $8000 (My big honkin' prayer is that we double that amount!). It is a way for all of us who have the means to share in her burden by making donations to ease her financial fears. By giving, you will be doing so much more than just making a contribution; you will be part of a miracle. When we all give and when we all love we can all BE the miracle. Lisa needs miracles right now. She needs us. Sometimes the pain and tragedy in our world feels overwhelming, and we do nothing because we feel helpless. We may not be able to change the world, but we can change the world for ONE person. We can make a difference!!!

So click this link -----> Donations for Lisa! Do it now. Whether you can give $5 or $5000, every cent will help Lisa push forward in her battle with this insidious disease. And then in a few weeks or whenever you are able, DO IT AGAIN! We are God's Plan A for making a difference in this world- and there is no Plan B. Join me. Be the miracle. And please share this post with your friends in the name of Jesus. There is work to be done as we walk the #NarrowRoad...