A Verse to Memorize from Lorrain

Last night I sat in a room with over 100 women from my church and listened to Lorrain tell her story of living with inoperable cancer. When I see Lorrain in the hallway - she is always smiling - and she opened by saying - "I've been asked to share how I am able to have joy and smile in the midst of my trial and my answer is God - but I think you all want to hear more than that." - and we laughed!

About 7 years ago Lorrain battled breast cancer and won. Last year when she went in for a routine exam, she requested a chest exam where they found lung cancer. Lung cancer is rarely curable. So for the past year she has battled this mean monster. She has lost her hair - and as you can see in the picture it is back! But after chemo and radiation - this nasty cancer stuck around. She is now on a daily pill (just released in 2008) that keeps the cancer in a form of remission - but no one knows how long it will be effective. One side effect for her, is a rash that burns on her face. Lorrain has suffered a lot of blows to her vanity - and she shared how, even after losing her breasts and hair, this rash on her face has brought her to tears.

And then she said something that made me pick up my pen --she said - "I have a verse that all of you should memorize. This verse has comforted me." I heard paper rattle, pens click and I was hanging on every word and ready to hear -- what verse does someone turn to in a time such as this? Then she said it - "memorize John 11:35 " and she paused. I thought hmmmmm... John 11:35 - it's not ringing a bell - I've memorized a lot of verses but this one is not coming to me. "Jesus wept." she said.

That is not what I expected her to share - and the impact of that one line will stay with me forever. The shortest verse in the Bible "Jesus wept." has never really "spoken" to me before and now it has a loud voice. Yes, even Jesus wept. It's okay to cry. I try not to cry in life - it makes me feel weak. I am always embarrassed after I've cried. But "Jesus wept."

Then Lorrain said: "Someday we will look back at the dirty little speck we called earth and wonder why we ever asked for more time. But for now it's all we know.

"Life is a vapor."

Yes, Life is a vapor - and life really is a bowl of cherries - sometimes it's sweet and sometimes it's the pits. But Lamentations 3:22 and 23 say "Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." If you too are in the midst of a trial - go ahead and cry, "Jesus wept."

Walk with the King.

http://www.womenlivingwell.org/