Day 19 - some good things

Romans 8:28-29

"And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren."

There are things in this world that are just bad, there is nothing good about them, cancer is one of them. I cannot say anything good about Silas' cancer. It killed him. 

However, God can, and does, bring good about despite the bad things that happen in our lives. He does work things together for good. 

Today I want to share some of the good things that came about through our experience with cancer, that might not have happened otherwise. 

1. We met some amazing people! Doctors, nurses, and many other people who will be part of our lives from now on. I can't imagine any other way of having met some of these amazing people and I am so thankful that the Lord brought them into our lives. 

2. We were given the opportunity to share the Love of the Lord with so many people! Through hospital stays, through sharing Silas' story on facebook and through Caring Bridge, we have been given many opportunities to share the Lord with others, and so many have accepted the Lord! 

3. As I said in #2, many have accepted the Lord through Silas' story and testimony, and many people have also come back to the Lord. So many people have told me that they began to pray again after years of not praying. 

4. We have come closer together as a family. We spend more time together and are more purposeful about spending time together. Enjoying each other and making the most of the time we have together. 

5. We take advantage of the opportunities that present themselves more now, rather than saying "oh, not now, maybe one day". Rather than saying "maybe one day" we say "why not today?"

6. We became more involved in our community, we got to know our community better. 

7. We gained a much clearer Heavenly perspective. I think I have always looked forward to Heaven one day, but it has become so much more real, and so much more glorious. Heaven is home, my real home. Silas used to say that Heaven was his real home. Near the end of his life he said "OK, I'm ready to go home now". Heaven is my real home too, and I look forward to the day that the Lord calls me there.