personal post from ginny :: friend with cancer :: gofund

We all have fun with Throw Back Thursday pictures. This was my #tbt photo last week. Then I received devastating news the same day about my roommate from college (pictured upper right). Melanie has 2 weeks – 2 months left to live. It took my breath away. She’s my age! 33 years is not long enough to call a life on this earth. It has caused me to do a lot of soul searching. I recently had a little scare with melanoma skin cancer. While I waited for test results, I pictured myself having 6 months left to live. It was a grief I’ve never had before. I saw my life flash before my eyes and I wasn’t exactly good with how I had lived it. I begged God for more time. He answered my prayers and I have no evidence of disease (NED) and check up’s every 3 months. I have really refocused on what’s important in life since then. My house is not clean in it’s entirety at any given point, but we have time to read stories, play outside, and host tea parties with Barbie. Our calendar used to be so full with events that we couldn’t breath. We’ve learned to say no.

If you had 2 weeks left to live, how would you want to spend it? I would want to be with my family. My own situation and Melanie’s has helped me prioritize my life. God first, my family second, and everything else falls into place beyond that. It’s a humbling thought that someone my age is going home to be with the Lord. It is a good reminder that only what is done for Christ will last. There is always more that I can be doing for God, my family, and others. Despite the sadness I feel for Melanie and her family, it encourages me to keep my focus on the things that matter.

Here’s Melanie’s story. If you feel led to give to the go fund that’s been set up for them to take one last vacation, that’s great. Maybe your cup of coffee fund for the week can go to Melanie? I’m mostly sharing this with you so you can pray for this family and take a pause to examine the things that matter in your life.

When Melanie was diagnosed with cancer, her little girl Kenzie was 6 months old. They gave her 6 months to live. God has heard and answered many prayers and has given Melanie much longer than that. She’s fought harder then anybody I’ve ever known with cancer. Kenzie is 5 now. I can cry every time I think about Melanie and her family. Even though she was given years longer than doctors predicted, it went so fast. Life is a vapor (James 4:14). I can’t even imagine what it’s like to be in Melanie’s shoes. She has eternity in heaven in the near future. Once we get there, we will know just how excited we should be for that moment. It’s just hard to grasp that joy when you are left behind. I know God will lead us all to Himself and be the comfort needed in our sadness. I’m praying aimlessly at times. I know that God is good, I know that He hears our prayers, and I know that His ways are best. Please keep this dear family in your prayers. Here’s the link to the fund that is set up to raise money for Melanie and her family to have a beach vacation in the near future. The poor girl is freezing with the rest of the Midwest in WI.

Melanie, I have watched you give God praise through all the ups and downs through the years. Thank you for being such an example of what it means to love God with your body and soul. If I ever get to meet your beautiful little girl, I will tell her every memory I have of you, but especially how you loved God with your whole heart. I saw you trust Him with your finances through college, I’ve seen you trust him with your life through your illness. Well done my sweet friend!