thread for middle age to older Christian women.
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Dear sisters,
I know many of you are weathering some very scary personal storms right now. I am praying that your rainbow will come soon.
Love,
Nancy
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Nancy, I'm always in awe of rainbows, because He who created it is faithful.
Joanne, you and your family are in my prayers.
Jean, Praise God for his favor.
Prayers to all that are going through pain and hard times.
God Bless
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Dear Ladies,
I just received word that my friend (also the illustrator of my two young adult fiction novels) has just been dx'd w/cancer. She's a few years younger than me, and will have a full hysterectomy w/lymph node removal. I don't think she knows what stage it is yet. She would appreciate prayers.
Thank you,
Lita
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Leta, just prayed for you friend. I am sorry to hear of another member of our club that no one ever wanted to join.
I have had this song on my heart all day and when that happens I like to share it with you. Listen if you have time.
Love,
Nancy
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Nancy,
Thank you
).Lita
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My friend that I have asked for prayers has passed away. His funeral is tomorrow. Will be the third funeral in 2 months. Very sad.
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sisters in Christ
I have not posted lately because life is busy. I was doing really well. Tumor markers had dropped to 15 and I was helping on the farm and enjoying my good health. That changed 2 months ago. Had a gallstone attack & after getting c t scan saw mets to pelvis & spine & tumor markers started rising. I am starting Xeloda on Saturday which is pill form. I have a very hard time swallowing pills & this cannot be taken with food. Has to be taken 30 mins after meal. I am still able to work but next week I'm alone in the office & not sure how this will affect me. I would really appreciate your prayers. Satan is putting a lot of fear in me. I keep praying but the fears are there.
I am so glad we have this thread. I pray for you and I need to catch up on reading the posts.
Thank you for your prayers. May everyone have a peaceful night & minimal to no side effects
Charlotte
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capinva, so sorry for this news. Prayers went up and will continue as you travel this new fork in the ca road.
Everyone, I have been lurking whenever I come to BCo and have seen and prayed for your concerns. God is great and He has not, and will not, leave us.
Blessings.
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Dear ladies,
I am having computer issues so will probably have to take my computer in this weekend. It was tied up for hours yesterday trying to update and just cycling and going nowhere. I posted this verse because sometimes we just don't know what the Lord is doing in our lives but He asks us to trust Him. Charlotte, I am so sorry to hear your news. I posted this verse for you and now for many of you in this same situation and for those who are dealing with challenging life issues which is probably all of us. I have continued to pray for you and my heart is heavy for you and for those who are dealing with mets. During my lap swimming I do pray for you dear ladies and throughout the day as the Lord often lays on my heart those who are particularly going through a hard time. I know for many of you are in need of a physical healing and some of you are in desperate financial need as well and some dealing with both issues. I pray that the Lord will encourage each of you today and especially He will comfort you when waves of fear try to invade your heart and mind.
Mini, I am sorry for your loss. Prayers for all the family and friends.
Phyliss, good to hear from you and I hope you are doing well.
Love,
Nancy
Proverbs 3:5-6New International Version (NIV)
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.[a]0 -
Capinva, who told you that Xeloda (capecitabine) can't be taken w/food?
I've been taking Xeloda since May, and my MO said to take directly AFTER a meal, but not later than 30 min after. Most people's stomachs don't empty w/in 30 mins...especially the proteins and fats, which take longer for the stomach's acid to break down. Carbs exit faster because sugars get absorbed quicker (if there's anyone out there w/dietician or nutritionist experience, please confirm or correct).
You shouldn't have a problem swallowing those pills one at a time if you save a little bit of food at the very end of your meal so you can swallow the pills with (for example) spoonfuls of yogurt at breakfast, apple sauce at lunch or mashed potatoes at dinner. I've been taking the pills w/in a minute after I finish a meal, and I know they're in my bloodstream and doing something because I have all the lovely side effects
Hope this helps
) Lita0 -
Nancy, the verse you posted from proverbs has become one of my favorites. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding." Sometimes, that is all we can do. I've been reading all the posts and pray for each of them that God will find a way to help those who need it so. Sometimes there just seems to be so many things to pray for, but also to be grateful for. I hesitate to ask for prayers when there are so many serious problems everywhere. However, if there is room on your list I need to ask for prayers for my husband who is having a lot of joint and muscle pain that keeps him up at night and without much sleep, I think he is falling into depression and all my suggestions are falling on deaf ears, including seeing his doctor. It began after his mild stroke in 2014 and grew worse when my cancer came back. So, we could both use prayers.
May God bless you all with His healing mercy.
Faith
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Hi Faith,
My laptop which is the one that I usually respond to on BCO is in the shop and I may not get it back for a couple of days. I am waiting to see if it is going to live or die at this point! I had my desktop tied up this evening removing malware and such so I haven't been able to get online until now and it is quite late.
Faith, I will certainly pray for your husband. I know how very difficult it is for the spouses and family. Actually one of the spouses of my close friend from this thread who died exactly six months ago has been on my heart as well as her twin boys that are still in college.
I was sort of watching this country music awards show tonight as I was multitasking. Carrie Underwood sang the lyrics talked about this world being our temporary home. Of course those of us who know the Lord know that but this song really ministered to me and the Lord was reminding me that there are so many better things in store for us after we leave this old world.
As I walked through the last months of my friends life with her( in cyberspace only) she got closer and closer to the Lord as her situation became more serious. My constant prayer for all of you that are in very uncertain times with your health is that you will all draw closer to the Lord because that is where your safety is. That is where all our safety is no matter what we are going through. I love the Psalms that talks about abiding in the shelter of His wings. He is our safe place and I pray for you and for your husband and for all of you dear ladies that you can draw closer to the Lord and rest in His comforting arms and in the shadow of His wings. He is waiting to take each one of us home at His appointed time. In the mean time I know for myself I want to really live each day here on earth before I go to my eternal home. Cancer has taught me to appreciate life and to embrace it with my whole heart.
I hope we can all pull together and support each other. I know there are ladies that pray but don't post or not very often. I hope we can pull together and give each other emotional support besides prayer support. I know many here are going through some very hard times right now and may not have the strength to post.
Have a good night's rest dear ladies.
Love
Nancy
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Dear ladies,
Please take a moment to listen to this. I know many of you are in a place of brokenness and and dismay. I think this will minister to you.
Love
Nancy
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Amen! That is a great song! Thank you for reminding me Nancy! When I was young in the faith my prayers were more like orders to God and then when He didn't respond in ways I liked I became resentful or loss faith. Nowadays when I pray I always end the prayer saying: In the name of Jesus, Your will be done and not mine. That's my theme.
Aurora
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All, I ask for your prayers again. A very dear and long time friend over 20 years passed away suddenly early this week. Another friend gone too soon. I ask that you pray for her family as she was planning the funeral of her Aunt who passed away 6 days before her. She is an awesome and powerful woman of God. Her mother and family have been co-laborers with us for many years. Her mother is showing so much strength but communicating very clear her broken heartedness over losing her youngest sister and oldest daughter in a span of 6 days. Targeted and specific prayers for her my friend's two oldest sons who are grieving very sorrowfully and spewing a lot of hatered toward GOD, THE FAMILY AND JUST LIFE. My friend's mother is calling on all intercessors she knows to stand against the onslaught of the enemy as she knows this is a spiritual battle. I am asking each of you to help stand in the gap as evil is try to overshadow this of family of God during this time. Thanks in advance.
Love across the miles,
Angie
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Nancy and Aurora, your words ring so true! It is during our difficult times and when God doesn't answer according to our will and wants that faith tends to wax and wan. As women of God we are an open book to many who watch us go through our life's suitations and they are taking note of our responses. Standing faithful and being an ambassador and witness for Christ is important in Winning and maturing souls in Christ.
Thanks so much for the song and powerful words!
Capinva, Jean, Joanne, Nancy, faith and others praying for you always.
Aurora, Mags And Lita, praying your current treatment is bring stable results and continued regression.
Love across the miles
Angie
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"Thy will be done" is a beautiful song and it is really hard to trust in sometimes but that's what we need to do. Thank you for posting that Nancy. Thank you for your many prayers for all of us
Angie, I'm so sorry this has happened to your dear friend and I will certainly keep that family in my prayers. The devil's work is all around us and we really have to fight hard against him most of the time. There is a prayer I turn to often and just the title says it all. "Jesus help me" it's good for all situations.
Peace to all of you, Faith (in the future)
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thank you ladies for praying for me. I was able to swallow the Xeloda this morning without any trouble.
Nancy I love that song . Such a powerful message.
Faith praying for you and your husband.
Angie praying for your friends family and for you. So hard to lose someone we love.
Praying for all on this thread. Praying for peace and no side effects
Charlotte
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Angie, praying for your friend"s family that God strenghtens their faith in this difficult time. God is in control.
Aurora
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Good evening ladies,
I am still without my laptop so I am just now getting to respond. If you haven't had a chance to listen to that song i hope you all will do so. I am glad that some of you had a chance to listen. I will share later why she wrote that song but for now I am praying for you dear ladies.
Angie, I am praying for your great loss and for the tremendous grief this family feels. I pray for the sons who are angry and need compassion in their grief as they are lashing out. I pray against the enemy and that he would be bound and not have any hand in upsetting this family any more. We pray protection over this family and that in their honoring God and giving Him praise and glory it will thwart the darts of the enemy.
Charlotte, I am glad to hear you were able to swallow your pill. That is an answer to prayer.
Joannes' granddaughter who is going through such a difficult time with her children having to be carted back and forth from their mom to their Dad and fighting for justice for her children is having surgery on Monday. She will have the other half of her thyroid removed at that time. Joanne and her DH will be at the hospital for her and I know this whole ordeal with the children has been so difficult for them. Please pray for this whole family and that her granddaughter will get through the surgery with a quick recovery so she can continue to fight for her children.
Some have the belief that we as Christians must have a rosy life and be happy all the time. The truth is we suffer pain and agony as the world does. We have moments of fear and doubt just as the world does. We have times of disappointment and times of feeling that we can not take one more day of our life just as the world does. The difference is that we have a hope that the world needs. We are still human and go through the same emotional gymnastics as everyone on this earth. When we come to the end of ourselves we still hang on to the hope of glory in Jesus. We know that His promises are true. In the end we will see that it was all worth it. Some of us may be on this earth for a very short time. Others may live into their 90's. In the end for those who believe in Jesus and that He is our savior it doesn't matter how long we live on this earth because in the realm of eternity it is all a nano second in the big picture. God has everything under control and He is working good in our lives no matter what it may appear to us with our limited human vision. I have said this many times and I continue to tell myself this as well. We CANNOT base our faith on our feelings.
I heard a quote today on the radio from what Sheila Walsh apparently posted on her Facebook page. I am loosely quoting as I don't remember verbatim but here is the gist of it. She says on the days that I feel lonely and unloved I remember who I am in Christ and I straighten my crown and move forward. I love that. God chose us before we were even a twinkle in our parent's eyes. He loves us so much and if we can even have an ounce of that penetrate our heart and mind and soul we will all be okay. In fact we should be better than just okay. We should put on our dancing shoes and celebrate that.
I love and care about you dear ladies and I hope that you can all have a restful night and have a good start of a new week tomorrow.
Love,
Nancy
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Am I the only one here having a hard time getting back tobliving. The life I had before cancer doesn't exist any more and I am feeling very lost. I do read every day and pray for you all as I read. Love, Jean0
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Am I the only one here having a hard time getting back to the land of the living? The life I had before cancer doesn't exist anymore and I feel very lost. I don't know if it's the AI or just everything I've been through but I find myself crying very easily lately. I do read your posts and pray for you ladies as I read every day. I thank God for this thread for I feel very lost alone. Love, Jean
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Am I the only one here having a hard time getting back to the land of the living? The life I had before cancer doesn't exist anymore and I feel very lost. I don't know if it's the AI or just everything I've been through but I find myself crying very easily lately. I do read your posts and pray for you ladies as I read every day. I thank God for this thread for I feel very isolated. Love, Jean
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Dearest Jean!! You have so much on your plate!! Feeling sad is normal!! Our Lord does not want you to suffer!! It is OK to seek help!! There are many Christian Psychologists out there!!
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Dear Jean, I think so much of what you're feeling is very normal but I also think that the Femara definetly affects your moods and leads to depression. I've just been reading another thread about feeling depressed from the AI's and many women say that taking an antidepressant has made a big difference in their lives. There is nothing wrong with getting some help from medication. God does not want us to suffer. It might be time to talk to your doctor about this.
However, after saying all this, I do think we suffer from PTSD and various stages of grief also. There is life after cancer but it's a new normal. I'm still struggling with living this cancer life once again after it came back again and some days are really hard but then I believe the prayers of so many others help pull me through those days. We sang a song in church today called "Jesus, You brought me all the way". I believe it was so uplifting for the whole congregation but it especially spoke to my heart.
I am praying that you find what you need to get through this tough time.
Faith (in the future)
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Dear ladies,
I finally have my laptop back. I had a document I had been working for hours on and I thought it was backed up and it wasn't so there were some stressful times this weekend not knowing what was going to happen. My documents are intake and my computer is working praise God.
Jean, I have been through some really down days recently. I have been pulled in a milliion different directions with family, friends, my own regulating my thyroid meds, my cancer AI and my computer problems. These days took me totally by surprise as I have had many things to celebrate lately which I will share one of those things possibly later. I agree with those who have already said that we have to transition into a new normal. Those of us taking pills it is a daily reminder, those who are in active treatment and ongoing treatment certainly always have cancer in the forefront of their brains and emotions. I know for myself that I have to be intentional about being close to the Lord. It is a daily and sometimes hourly thing that keeps me protected and on track. If your situation requires some medical intervention I think you will know that if and when it happens or maybe you are feeling that now there is. There is certainly nothing wrong with getting some intervention if you need it.
Continued prayers for Joanne's granddaughter who had the remainder of her thyroid removed today. Pray for Joanne and her family as they are going through such a hard time right now. Pray protection over the children involved as well.
Also continued prayers for this family in Angie's church who have suffered great loss.
Have a good evening dear ladies. Know I am praying for you.
Love,
Nancy
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Nancy, you have had a lot on your plate as well!! Thank you for keeping track of all of us!! So many trials and storms!! God is in control and gets us through them🙏
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Jean, I share your pain and despondency. I heard a character on the TV show "Fear the Walking Dead" make this comment last night:
"You'll never be the same. Then one morning you'll start thinking like someone new. Someone you don't know yet...the person who comes after."
This was said by the character named Strand, episode entitled, "Pablo and Jessica." I played that segment back a couple of times so I could write it verbatim. It just made me cry.
Thinking about this in terms of cancer, I'm not the same Lita anymore, and I never will be. Having been dx'd with Stage IV cancer 5 mos. ago, I'm a shadow of what I once was (my face is drawn and I've lost over 30 pounds). I'm trying to figure out who I am now, and navigate thru this nightmare. I haven't started thinking like someone new yet. I don't know how much more time God will grant me w/my family and friends down here on Earth, so, in a sense, I am already a dead woman walking, one of "The Walking Dead."
I try to stay positive and keep praying and staying grounded in the Word, but it's really hard. Our church is starting a support group just for cancer patients. I hope it will help.
Lita
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Dear Jean- No you are not alone! And if each of our stories help you realize that I will share a bit of mine.. As a "longtime survivor" dealing with breast cancer since 1998, there have been numerous adjustments that I had to make or go through. Always while wondering if I'd be normal again. I think what I finally realized is that God is shaping me into something new that He can use and also for reasons only He knows. And I agree with others that continual deep sorrow should be addressed medically to assess whether an antidepressant is a good idea. Yet tears (I have realized for me) must come, break throughs can happen and "new normals" discovered, and the best way I can describe the process is submission and acceptance to His guiding hand trusting He knows best.
You have probably heard this song- what if your tears... It speaks to me often.
http://www.metrolyrics.com/blessings-lyrics-laura-...
Praying for you today Jean
Allison
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