"And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet your Teacher will not hide Himself any more, but your eyes shall constantly behold your Teacher. And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying This is the way, walk in it, when you turn to the right hand and when you turn to the left."
So, for homeschool, one of the girls has been reading "Hinds Feet In High Places," a book I was introduced to by the lovely CaraMia, who was in my writing class. I loved the book so much, I made it part of my writing curriculum. I think, for those in the walk with cancer, it's a book worth reading.
The book is an allegory. In it, the Shepherd (Christ) is giving guidance to Much-Afraid, who has an incredible journey that must happen in order for her to reach the High Places. It's much like the journey that we are thrust in during cancer.
At one point, the Shepherd provides traveling companions to Much-Afraid. Here is part of the book:
"Here are the two guides which I promised," said the Shepherd quietly. "From now on until you are over the steep and difficult places, they will be your companions and helpers.”
Much-Afraid looks at the “companions” and realizes quickly that they are very different. Their faces are veiled, and they don’t speak! They don’t seem to be friendly. The Shepherd says they aren’t dumb, they speak a new language.
Wow, that is just what cancer does. The walk is a new language and you have to be able to speak it…
“They are good teachers; indeed, I have few better. As for their names, I will tell them in your own language and later you will learn what they are called in their own tongue. This,” said He, motioning toward the first of the silent figures, “is named Sorrow. And the other is her twin sister, Suffering.”…
“I can’t go with them,” she gasped. “I can’t! I can’t! O my Lord Shepherd, why do You do this to me? How can I travel in their company? It is more than I can bear. You tell me that the mountain way itself is so steep and difficult that I cannot climb it alone. Then why, oh why, must You make Sorrow and Suffering my companions?
If you wonder, what happens when you begin your walk with cancer, well, this is it. YOU are Much-Afraid, quite literally. And you take the hands of your companions, sorrow and suffering, and you travel with them, side by side. They teach you, they put your feet in places you don’t want to go, but you know that you must. They grow you in ways you never thought you would grow.
I happened upon a Pinterest connection today, a lady named Elizabeth who has Pins about her cancer journey. She has also pinned the journeys of others, including several of ladies who have posed showing their scars from breast removal due to cancer. It’s beautiful. These ladies have taken the hands of suffering and sorrow…and they have walked through valleys that most don’t understand. They have grown and become new people. Suffering and Sorrow do that for you. They become dear friends.
To all those who are taking the hands of the sisters today—may your feet be placed in high places…
ps. If you are interested, I have "repinned" one of Elizabeth's pins, perhaps if you are on Pinterest, you will be interested in following her page or at least checking her out! She is a kidney cancer survivor!
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