Good Morning, Warriors!!!
This morning I wanted to share an email I sent to my cousin. I think I have written about her before, but she is in her mid-40s and for the last several years has been fighting cancer. She had breast cancer and had a mastectomy, chemo and radiation. The cancer then showed up as a tumor on her brain and once again the whole treatment regimen including surgery to remove the tumor. She has fought this like a champion and mostly with an incredibly positive attitude! She has had moments … and posts … where the word “cancer” is preceded by a word that starts with “F”, but overall she has been amazing. The doctors gave her 3 months to 1 year … many months ago … but, she insists she is not terminal and only becomes terminal when she “gives up”. She knows my beliefs and I have shared with her many times, but the other morning I woke up with her strongly on my heart … as the email below indicates. I have deleted some names, etc for privacy. My cousin absolutely loved our grandma and was devastated when she died.
I am very bad about “writing people off” meaning, if I share something with them (gospel, an opportunity, etc) and they don’t want whatever it is, I am done! This particular morning, I couldn’t ignore the Lord’s prompting and it has really been encouraging to me to reach out to others whom I know don’t know the Lord. I share this as an encouragement to reach out to those you have been praying for! Here is the email I sent her. Blessings!
“I just wanted to share something with you that happened this morning.
I do not sleep well in general and frequently wake up before my alarm goes off at 5:30am. Sometimes it is 1 minute before like this morning and other times it is 15, 20, 30 or more minutes before the alarm. Sometimes I suddenly wake up in the middle of the night and I feel that God wakes me up to tell or show me something … probably because once my day gets started I don’t take the time I should to listen to Him! Sometimes I wake up with a certain song playing clearly and loudly in my mind. One time I woke up and had three words (Discover, Define, Develop) so clearly in my head it was as if someone was saying them out loud in my room. I haven’t seen anything come from them yet, but I believe these words are related to an endeavor I will pursue after I retire.
Probably because of all of the pictures of Grandma on FB the last couple of days, but this morning I had one of those moments! The first picture I “saw” was the one with Grandma all decked out in Cardinals clothing and hat sideways all gangsta style! But, you were there with her watching the Cardinals play on TV or something and you said, “It doesn’t get any better than this, Granny!” The next instant was a picture of Grandma embracing Jesus (obviously in Heaven) and just as clearly she said, “Yes it does!”
I am a first generation Christian in my family and I believe with all of my heart that Grandma’s prayers are part of why that is. I remember growing up and getting cards from her with scriptures and her saying that she is praying for me.
I hope this doesn’t come across as fatalistic and I am NOT insinuating that you are going have the opportunity to see her any time soon, but I just wanted to share it and let you know I am thinking about you and praying for you like Grandma did for me. And … I don’t know where you are with all of this, but I would be remiss if I didn’t encourage you, if you haven’t before, to accept Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior. You have been through so much, and I don’t think I would not have handled it as well as you have, but that doesn’t diminish God’s love for you one bit. It would be very easy to feel like He has turned His back on you, but He hasn’t!
I am going to send some info and a prayer similar to one I prayed some 32+ years ago in a separate email. This is solely between you and God! But … being the eldest cousin … I am commanding you to pray it!!! Just kidding of course. I am a stubborn person and struggle to be a decent person, but I can only imagine where I would be without His presence in my life!
Father, give us opportunities, the boldness, the words and the timing to reach out to those for whom you have appointed for us to share You with! I also pray Lord that you will prepare their hearts to receive what you have for them. I pray for salvation for my cousin and for your healing touch that others may come to know you through her! In Jesus name! Amen!
Barnabas Man 