“Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, ‘Thus far has the LORD helped us.’” (1 Samuel 7:12)I thought, perhaps, that it might just slip by. But it didn’t. It hasn’t. It’s here.
Today. A mile-marker in my fight against cancer. An anniversary. One year of survivorship. One year of wearing the pink ribbon. One year beyond hearing those first words of initiation from my doctor…
Mrs. Olsen, the tumor is cancerous … Invasive Ductal Carcinoma.
Her words are as vivid to me today as they were 365 days ago. Not as shocking as they were back then, but just as real. I don’t suppose I’ll ever forget that moment. I don’t suppose I’m meant to forget. Some moments in our journeys are intended for remembrance. Not to serve as an idol but rather as a memorial. A stone or two gathered in our pockets that, from time to time, can be touched, felt, held, and raised in honor to the one God who’s been faithful to walk the road with us.
Thus far, the Lord has helped us. Thus far, the Lord has helped me.
As I’ve thought about Samuel and his “Ebenezer”—his stone marking the place of God’s deliverance—I’ve looked around my house for what might serve as mine. What stone, what tangible “holding” can serve to bookmark this milestone in my survivorship? Seems like there should be something, some way of honoring this occasion with the respect that it deserves. Some sort of celebration to acknowledge the accomplishment.
Alas, no parties. No balloons. No etchings in marble. No altar of stone.
Just life. A new day to live with the rich perspective afforded to me because of a year’s worth of struggle. A few words of remembrance from my pen. A few words of prayerful pause from my heart given to God in thanks for the deliverance I have known. A few moments of looking back at the journey and believing God for the next 365 days that will follow this one.
When I began my cancer survivorship on August 23, 2010, I did so with one overriding prayer in my heart. Knowing what was coming, knowing something about the requirements of my disease, I asked the Lord for his enabling strength to keep me writing from time to time. I knew there would come a “look back” day—a season when I would want to reflect upon the fullness of my walk through cancer. Today, a year down the road with nearly 100 posts written since that time, I’m able to look back and to trace the love and faithfulness of God that has been present in my pain. And therein, I find my “Ebenezer.”
Today I raise this collection of remembrances to God and call them grace. Call them mercy. Call them deliverance. Call them enough. The beauty in my “Ebenezer” is that it is a stone you can gather around as well. Because of God’s empowering Spirit within me, I’ve been able to chronicle some of my journey. Lovingly, you’ve come alongside me and shared in my struggle. Together, today, we can gather around this collection of words … stand around my story, and raise our voices to the Father in thanksgiving for what he has done in the last 365 days.
Thus far, the Lord has helped me. Continuing forward, he will do the same. I am a child of promise. A child of the kingdom. A child who knows who her Father is and a child who trusts him to walk her safely home.
I pray you know the same. As you look back on your previous 365 days, I hope that you are able to trace the hand of God’s faithfulness in your life. Most likely, it wasn’t evident to you on a daily basis. But I imagine that in its entirety, this last year has afforded you some moments of knowing and living the promises of God. Today is a good day for reflecting, for remembering and for speaking the truest witness of your faith.
Thus far, the Lord has helped us all. Continuing forward, he will do the same. As always…
Peace for the journey,
~elaine
Elaine…
Today I lift my voice in thanksgiving to our God for your 1 year celebration!
Your words…"Alas, no parties. No balloons. No etchings in marble. No altar of stone." struck me… as I am sure there is much rejoicing in heaven as you thank Him for His grace and mercy. Maybe no etchings in marble… but etchings in your human flesh that remind you that nothing is impossible for God. That in this last year your doctors have worked alongside the greatest healer of all time! Your story is etched in my heart… your story is etched for others to read in your blog posts regarding your pink path…
"Seems like there should be something, some way of honoring this occasion with the respect that it deserves. Some sort of celebration to acknowledge the accomplishment." – You and your faith my friend are what is honoring this day! You are honoring our God for His tender mercies.
I love you and I am so thankful for you! I am thankful for God's mysterious ways that continue to work in our lives!
God bless you! Today and ALWAYS!
Love,
K
PS: This October marks my sister's 9 year survivorship! Our entire family has been interviewed for an article in the local paper… we are celebrating God for my sister too!
The beautiful bouquet of flowers in this picture just arrived on my front door step from friends. Apparently, there is to be a little celebrating today! Thanks for remembering me, Brown family, and for knowing that I needed them.
peace~elaine
You will not forget that day, Elaine – I still remember when Marc heard about his mass, and that was eight years ago this month.
So glad you see Him there with you. He IS.
Congratulations~ Thank you so much for sharing your journey, your peace and your hope all along the way…God is using you in mighty ways and healing others in many ways! Praising Him for your life!
GOD BLESS YOU FRIEND…
This is a day of celebration, Elaine! Not only is it the anniversary of 365 days of survivorship…it is the anniversary of 365 days of being an inspiration to others facing similar challenges in their lives! Thank you for your transparency over the year and may God continue to bless you in the years to come!
Living for Him, Joan
Thus far…God has allowed you to enlighten and empower hundreds of readers by sharing your story so eloquently. I know everyone reading this rejoices with you! God bless you!
Hallelujah! Thank you Jesus, for giving Elaine a year to celebrate your goodness.
As always, your words touched my heart Elaine. I love the picture of the teacup and flowers and imagine when the flowers have faded, you sipping tea in the pretty teacup worshiping the Lord as you read His love letter.
Bless you my friend!
Love ~ Danie
Congratulations!! One year–definitely something to celebrate. You and your family mark this awesome occasion with some special remembrance. Blessings to you, Elaine!
As you have shared these 365 days, I have grown, grown as I observed a tested faith, that always bounced back up when pressed down. I can't tell you how loudly that speaks to me Elaine. It is the word and heart of those 'in the midst of' that still captures my attention and testifies to His faithfulness.
The amount of times I have visited you here and been encouraged, blessed, touched and challenged, through smiles and tears, are enough for me to present you with a HUGE cyber bouquet of everything beautiful on this day of celebration. I wish I could bring you a cake and just knock on your door and tell you how proud I am of you tonight!
Love you girl… there is SO MUCH ahead for you, and in turn, I will keep coming here and getting my 'blessing cup' filled.
xo
Elaine,
I was hoping you would post today. This was so touching, I was in tears by the time I finished reading it.
I started to blog shortly after my cancer diagnosis, I was inspired by Joshua 3:19-24 I too wanted to have a place where I could document how the Lord was meeting me, how he was changing me. A place where I could record his mercies, grace and faithfulness.
Thank you for being willing to share your journey, you are a blessing and an inspiration.
Blessings to you
Elaine, we understand the significance of this moment for you completely, and celebrate God's mercy and love in your life!
This summer we marked 10 years that our 11-year old son Jonathan has been off chemo, and continues to be in remission. God is so good! He wants us to revel in these moments of Blessing, and remember that we live in His Grace each and every day.
So revel in your remembrance, in your survivorship, and in the Blessings your writing has brought to many others facing this dark path.
Have a Blessed Day Dear Lady!
Tonight my heart is Grateful that God has sustained you thus far.
You have been and continue to be a light shining forth HIS Light and for that I am also grateful.
You have encouraged when You needed encouragement. You have loved when you needed love and blessed all of us, your readers.
I am honored to have walked this journey with you from afar!
You hold a dear and treasured place in my heart friend!
Hurray to God for 1 year!!!
Love Ya, Cindy
I think that you should celebrate an entire season – savor God's greatness and tender mercies. I don't think one day can contain it all! I am so happy for you:)
My hubby and I both cried tears of joy and thanksgiving as I read this post to him earlier this morning.
JESUS in you so touches us. Thank you my precious friend.
Celebrating Him and you today, Kathie
wifeforthejourney:
This has indeed been an emotional time for me. Though it seems, like we have been "doing cancer" for about twenty years, it is hard to believe that 8/23/2011 makes just one year. Your blog offers a very meaningful "timeline" of this past 12 months – its trials and triumphs.
How I remember (without needing to go back to the blogpost dated Sept. 2, 2010) the good news and promise following your first surgery – that I was going to get to keep you. After that, I knew that come what may we were going to be ok. Though you have endured much, suffered much and surrendered much – 8/23 remains a day to celebrate you!
Love you, and all your blogland friends that have gone with us on this journey!
~ Billy
Elaine,
Praise God for you! Today I lift you up in prayer and praise God that you have given Him the glory through this journey! What a blessing you are!
Teresa
Thus far, the Lord has helped us all. Continuing forward, he will do the same.
AMEN!
Love that reminder "Thus far the Lord has helped us". Amen — thus far He has helped me, too, through the hard moments of life.
Celebrating your one-year survivorship with you, Elaine!!
You are extraordinary. I love reading your posts. Thank you for your faithfulness to our mysterious, powerful, all-sufficient God. I've never met you, but you are an inspiration to me. ~Sarah
Praise God for this year marker. It has carved onto your heart many good things, greater compassion, stamina, faith, and dedication, just to name a few. God has much work for you to do and is equipping you a little more each passing day.
Blessings!
What a year it has been, sweet friend. I am so grateful to God for sparing your life, and consider every single day good reason for celebration! 🙂
Love you…
Father, I raise my voice to you in thanksgiving for what You have done in the last 365 days. We look back and see your love and faithfulness in Elaine's life, in her family, and in our own.
"The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song." Ps. 28:7
I'm kind of basking in YOUR Ebenezer today after reading this post. There seems to be plenty of glory to go around here!
"Hither by Thy help I've come…and I hope by Thy good pleasure safely to arrive at home…"
precious milestone. my favorite hymn. much love and grace has been evident in and through you, dear one, as you have shared your last 365 days with us through writing in ways that those not in trial would never be able to. your God has proven to us all that no pain is in vain in His perfect economy! YOU are testimony to that!! thank you for sharing your life.
Oh, happy anniversary, my friend! How thankful I am that He has helped you thus far–that He has carried you. And I am so grateful for that answered prayer. How His strength has been revealed through you! I shout out praise today on behalf of my friend, Elaine! Love you, lady. So thankful for health restored–even if it is still a journey. So many hugs.
Elaine – you have been a beautiful testimony in your 100 plus posts over the last year. Thank you for sharing your heart and your story…and your saviour! God puts each of us on specific roads and our privilege is to bring Him glory as we travel those roads. You have travelled this "cancer road" with His glory in view…and we have been blessed.
Elaine, this was beautiful. I am thrilled to share in praises over your celebration of one year…
We have all been blessed by your journey – the moments when you struggled in the trenches, and the moments when you soared. Thank you for sharing so honestly with all of us.
Thus far – such beautifully comforting words…
Yes, God has brought me and my family thus far – and He will continue to lead us into the future that He knows all about.
I'm placing a stone right here – today I mark His faithfulness.
GOD BLESS!
Thank you Jesus for giving us Elaine…this journey has been traveled well and its blessings never cease to amaze me. She is your servant Lord and we are so grateful to also call her friend.
Pamela
I read this a week ago, and now I am back to comment…
Elaine, it has been a privilege for me to walk with you these past twelve months. Before August 2010, I had been reading your posts off and on… but I am proud to say that from the first Cancer post you wrote on your blog, and videos as well, up to this one, I have read everything, and yes… I have been with you this past year.
What a privilege indeed. To have walked with you as you walked with the Master, and as you held His hand, I have felt His power touch my life as well.
You have been a blessing…
Keep on, dear Elaine. I am praying for you and your family in the coming hurricane. The storm is named Irene… and Irene means "peace"!
Peace indeed, for the journey!
Much love
Lidj
Congratulations my friend! You have had such an amazing testimony to who God is…You have inspired, encouraged and equipped so many of us with your words…
Many Blessings!
Sorry that I am late to the party! We headed to the Grand Canyon on the 23rd and now I am home and finally checking up on my sisters-in-blog.
I love your thought to find something that could call to your remembrance not just the day but The God of The Day. The God who brought you through and enabled you to chronicle when most would have hid. You inspire me and challenge me. Praying for a continued recovery… whatever that looks like… and more celebrations that include praising our God for His faithfulness in the good times and all the time.
Much love!