In All Circumstances

Pretty tall order, I thought as I closed my daily devotional. I’d risen early, needing to spend some time in prayer before we headed back to the hospital. It had been 10 days since our daughter Katy had been admitted, five days since we’d heard her frightening diagnosis.

Each morning, for a few blessed minutes before I came fully awake, I was unaware of Katy’s circumstances. As I opened my eyes, swung out of bed and put my feet on the floor, reality would overwhelm me. This was not some horrific dream that I could awaken from. This was real. Stage IV metastatic melanoma in the tumor near her heart. So how could I be thankful, what was there to be joyful about?

I looked out my kitchen window. A late blizzard had brought seven inches of snow the day before, yet we were able to arrive safely to the hospital, along with several other members of our family.

Family and friends. So many prayer warriors, lifting us up daily. Katy’d had a steady stream of visitors right from the start, to cheer her on and give us all encouragement.

Katy’s nurses. Where would she be without these angels?

I began each new morning from that day on with a prayer of thanks on my lips. Even in these circumstances.