This is a picture of three of my closest friends. I took it last year when we went to the Philips, Craig and Dean concert at my church (and it was freezing!) Today, I particularly want you to meet one of them as I ask for your prayers.  I wished you knew Cathy. She is a remarkable, loving, beautiful woman who was diagnosed at 38 years old with Stage 4 breast cancer. That was 18 years ago. She knows she is a miracle of God and doesn’t hesitate to give Him the credit.

She had a major setback on Friday. A biopsy of a lymph node came back with cancer cells. She knows what she is facing, and that might be harder than being in the dark about what lies ahead. More chemotherapy, more radiation, more strength to fight this ugly battle. She needs your prayers for the long haul of this journey. It’s going to take a lot of fight that she, frankly, doesn’t have. But she knows her strength does not lie in her own power, but in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Ironically, this week, another warrior friend went Home to be with the Lord. Belinda was in my Sunday school class. When you asked her how you could pray for her, she always had the same answer, “Just pray that my faith will be strengthened.” And faithful, precious Belinda with always a smile on her face–though often in pain– would triumph through twenty-three years of the ups and downs of this dreadful disease. Now, she is free of that pain and whole as she looks into her Father’s eyes, and He says, “I’m so very proud of you. You did the thing called Life so well. Now come. Receive your reward.”

He’s blessing each of us as we struggle through this life; no promise of circumstances letting up, but the comforting, blessed promise, “I will not forsake you. I alone will be your strength.” Walk in His strength today. If you pray for Cathy and me, my request is like Belinda’s: pray for us to have more faith. And I will pray for you to do the same.