Guidelines for Spiritual Health: Part One

Physical health is important to all of us. How many times have we heard guidelines regarding: (1) Good Nutrition, (2) Sleep, and (3) Exercise?

These three things also apply to our spiritual health. Though we’re not bombarded with information, we can take a brief look for ourselves.

Good Nutrition

From Moses to Jesus to us, daily bread is required for life (Deuteronomy 8, Matthew 4). We can go to the market and see wonderful food items on display, but they don’t do us any good until we make some commitments.

First, we invest money in them and take them home. Then we invest time preparing them, and after we eat, we enjoy the energy and growth they provide.

How many people have Bibles around, but never read them? All that spiritual nutrition is of no value unused.

The Psalmist said, “Your testimonies are my heritage forever. . . I have inclined my heart to perform your statutes even to the very end” (Psalm 119:111-112).

God’s word is life, let me tell you.

In 2007, I had nine months of treatment for Stage 3 Breast Cancer and IBS (Inflammatory Breast Cancer). I’ve always read and studied God’s word, but it took on new meaning in my struggle for life.

I discovered study booklets from *NAVPress (Navigators) and *IVP (InterVarsityPress). They were great tools to keep me focused, one spiritual topic at a time.

I asked the Lord for a scripture I could personally claim on my cancer journey, and I still quote it to myself:  I will not die, but I will live and proclaim what the Lord has done (Psalm 118:17). That’s what I’m doing today.

Babies sit and wait to be spoon-fed. 

When we first become a Christian, it is important to hear the word of God taught. Gathering ourselves together to worship the Lord will always be important; however, we are to grow up and learn to feed on God’s word for ourselves each day (1 Peter 2:2; 2 Peter 3:18).

It’s interesting to me that the Bereans were commended for their knowledge of God’s word. They listened to the Apostle Paul and then searched the scriptures to see if what they heard was true! (Acts 17:11)

Do you search the scriptures to see if what your spiritual leaders say is true? Even non-readers can learn from **audio Bible sources, if they are careful listeners.

Next week, we’ll share Part Two (Sleep) and Part Three (Exercise) for good spiritual health.  

*I got my NAVPress and IVP study booklets from christianbooks.com online; however, there may be other sources.

**Listen to God’s Word on-line, CDs, or audio books. Google the Bible in audio form.  

Pixabay: Family Picnic, Outdoor Activities, Family Bonding; tanrica.                                                            

Joy Beyond Tears

How often have you seen a grown man cry? Not often, would be my guess. There are times, however, when tears are comforting and just the release of pressure that is needed.

That's what you would have seen back in 2007 when my husband and I had just gotten out of the doctor's office with the report on my breast biopsy: Cancer, Stage 3, immediate treatment needed. 

Out in the car, we shed our tears, then said, “We’d better get on over to the recommended Oncologist’s office.” It had many chairs, nearly all filled. I was not very used to medical scenes because I’ve enjoyed generally good health for most of my life. I sat there thinking this felt like a cattle call, and then I thought what a strange term!

My name was called and my new life began. The interview covered health history, recent medical reports, and insurance. Then I was given an almost immediate appointment with the oncologist.

This wonderful woman did not let me out of her office until she had personally booked my lab work to be done that very day, a MUGA test for my heart, and my next appointment. Her plan included chemo, surgery, and radiation.

My case was unusual in that I not only had Stage 3 Breast Cancer but Inflammatory Breast Cancer (IBC). It was so painful I couldn’t bear to wear a seatbelt or have any pressure on my breast at all.  

What kept me encouraged through 9 months of treatments was God’s word. I found hope in the Psalms. I was reading Psalm 84:5-8 (NLT) this week and it reminded me of the joy I found while walking through my valley of tears.

Verse 5 says, “What joy for those whose strength comes from the LORD.” Verse 12 adds “What joy for those who trust in you (LORD).    

God’s word is true. I experienced joy beyond tears during my cancer journey. Perhaps you’re on a tearful journey of your own. I encourage you to find a translation you enjoy and look for hope in God’s word every day.  

A Reason for Deep Respect

A friend gave me a workbook for Second Samuel.  It was quite challenging, but I enjoyed learning more about David, shepherd boy, king, and writer of about half of the Book of Psalms.

While fighting cancer in 2007, I began studying the Psalms, which means “praise.” I was surprised by some of the laments, but Psalms has remained a favorite. Modern readers will find The Book divided into 150 chapters, some long, some short, with a variety of messages.

My Bible *dictionary explains better than I can some basic categories. They’re helpful for understanding, though not rigid:

             Prayers of lament, or crying out to God

                Psalms of thanksgiving, or praise

                Hymns, even some of our spiritual songs contain words from Psalms

                Psalms of enthronement; David over Israel; God over all Creation

                Penitential psalms cry out for restoration to a right relationship with God

                Wisdom psalms that deal with two kinds of living, godly or evil

True wisdom produces a change in behavior. Wisdom is “applied knowledge.” That requires a personal decision. After we read or hear the word of God, we have to decide . . . follow it or not. Obey it or not. Serve God or self.

David wrote, Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD. Who is the man (or woman) who desires life, and loves many days, that he (or she) may see good? (Psalm 34:11-12 NKJV)

Some people check out right there . . . not interested. But those who continue see some good advice: Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking deceit. Depart from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it (Psalm 34:13-14 NKJV).

Why would David mention teaching fear? He’s not talking about fear as anxiety or worry or utter terror. Fear of God is our response to respect His authority. Read the Psalms, and you’ll see Him as King of the Universe, mighty in power, and righteous in His judgments.

A healthy fear of God honors Him as the source of true Wisdom, worthy of our obedience and worship. Even reading that description leaves you with a personal decision. Believe it or not.  

*The Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Psalms, Book of, p. 1343, Left Column, Holman Reference, Nashville, TN, 2003.

Photo by mahyar motebassem on Unsplash 

Unexpected Blessing #2

I was completely surprised by a breast cancer diagnosis in 2007. No one in my family had ever had cancer as a health issue. 

Before this, my husband and I had purchased a co-op in Phoenix. We were engaged in a full-time ministry and it seemed a nice option for brief getaways, plus a possibility for future retirement.

We were clueless as to any other reason for our purchase.

Unexpected challenges arrived after a lump was found during my routine breast exam. The doctor referred me for a biopsy so I followed through, made the appointment, and shared my insurance information.

On the day of the appointment, I checked in and filled out about five pages of new-patient paperwork. When I walked up to hand it in, the medical assistant took one look and said, “We don’t take your insurance.”

I was shocked! “But you did when I made the appointment.”

 “Well, we don’t, now.” She had no further explanation.

I called my insurance agent, who was also surprised, but said she would check it out. She called later to say the company had gone out of business and notified no one, but she would try to locate another provider.

Unfortunately, no local provider was available. That meant all of my care would now be in Phoenix, a two-hour drive one way.

I signed on with the new company and made the necessary appointments ASAP. I was diagnosed with Stage Three Breast Cancer which led to a full nine months of treatments --- chemo, surgery, and radiation.

I’m still amazed at how God was ahead of us on needed housing. The co-op was a small 2 BD/1BA and I turned the second bedroom into a comfortable office.

I never dreamed cancer treatments meant I’d be alone in a big city for almost ten months. The nice thing is that I felt safe in our co-op community.

Coincidence? I think NOT!

Matthew 6:8 (NKJV) says, “Your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.” That co-op was an unexpected blessing for which I will always be grateful.

(Unexpected Blessings: A Series of 4)

 

Sunshine and Shadows

This has been a day of constant change from sunshine to shadows. The weather prediction was just as flexible . . . rain or snow.

As I tried to study at my kitchen table, I was aware of the constant shift from sunshine to shadow to sunshine and back again. Around noon I thought sunshine had won, but later in the afternoon, rain clouds were the victors.

This weather pattern reminded me of a song my dad sang when I was a child. I can hear him now, strumming his guitar and singing *Back of the clouds the sun is always shining, after the storms, your skies will all be blue; God has prepared a rosy-tinted lining, back of the clouds it’s waiting to shine through.

When something blocks light rays, it creates a shadow. Children seem to enjoy man-made shadow plays. A light is shined behind a curtain and shapes block the light, creating shadows as a storyteller brings them to life.

We have no such control over nature’s shadow plays, but we each become our own storytellers by how we react to the shadowy events in our lives.

Faith in God is what enables me to endure. I choose to believe the sunshine of God’s love is waiting to shine beyond life’s shadows, and in His good time, it does.

Psalm 23:4 mentions the valley of the shadow of death. I experienced that with a Stage III cancer diagnosis along with Inflammatory Breast Cancer (IBC) in 2007. I kept my faith strong through prayer and daily Bible reading. In fact, many verses in The Book of Psalms became prayers to Almighty God.

Life’s shadows have many shapes. Some are created by limited finances or loss of a job, others by threat of divorce or sudden loss of a loved one due to illness or accident.

Are you in a shadow just now? 

Here’s a little prayer for sunshine, based on Psalm 33:22: May the sunshine of your unfailing love rest upon me, Lord, even as I put my hope in You and wait for this shadow to pass over.

*Back of the Clouds, Carolyn R. Freeman, Christian Service Songs, P. 178, Published by The Rodeheaver Co., Chicago, USA, 1939, Song Copyrighted by Rodeheaver, 1931.  

 

  

Movies and Memories

I think it’s a blessing to have selective memories. Movies are just one way we are reminded of things.

Tonight, for me, it’s a movie where I remember the character, but not the title. Let me explain.

I was moved to tears as the female character was diagnosed with breast cancer. It wasn’t just her medical report, however, it was how she had to walk her journey alone.

I can tell you from experience that it’s a shock to be told, “You have cancer that has spread and you need treatment right away.”

Being told I had Stage Three breast cancer meant I was facing a huge health challenge. But it became even more challenging when, due to an insurance mix-up, I had no access to immediate treatment.

By the time I got an appointment with an oncologist, I also had Inflammatory Breast Cancer (IBC) which is very painful. I was told having both a lump and IBC is not common.

It’s not unusual to count life events before or after pivotal years. For me, that became 2007. I had eight sessions of chemo, a modified radical mastectomy, removal of eighteen lymph nodes, plus nearly seven weeks of radiation.

It’s not hard to thank God for making my treatments work. I’m thankful for His answers to prayer for excellent doctors and technicians.

God’s presence was very real and His word trustworthy. He was the Good Shepherd who walked with me through the valley of the shadow of death (Psalm 23:4).

I experienced His nearness to the brokenhearted (Psalm 34:18). I also experienced hope and joy as I put my trust in Him (Psalm 33:20-22).

Fourteen years have brought many challenges and changes. What has not changed is my source of hope. I still read His word and pray personal prayers on an everyday basis.

Facing tough times? This hope can be yours, too. 

Good Medicine

The right medicine can do you a lot of good, and some really good medicine is free. There's a catch, though . . . you have to look for it. 

Proverbs 17:22 (NIV) says, "A cheerful heart is good medicine." You could take that a couple of ways:  (1) Instead of floating through your day with negative thoughts, make it a point to think positive, or (2) be on the lookout for humorous events and conversations around you.

A cheerful heart is a very individualized medicine. I learned to look for it daily while undergoing chemo, surgery, and radiation for breast cancer in 2007. I found this medicine so enjoyable that I kept on taking it.

People are always happy to get free medicine samples from their doctor. Here are some samples of my own:

    (1) I shared this one with a friend just the other day. I was once taking sermon notes when I heard the pastor say, "Let everything that has breath praise the Lord---even if it's bad breath!" He was quoting the very last verse in the book of Psalms, but every time I remember his tagline I have to smile.

    (2) In a thrift store one day I was musing over some colorful floral-motif plates. Without thinking I said aloud, "I wonder if my husband would eat off these?" A lady nearby said, "It probably depends on what you put on 'em!"

    (3) A friend shared this one: She overheard her grandson call a playmate "Stupid!" She called him in and said, "You can't call somebody stupid. It's not nice." He said, "I'm sorry, Memaw," and went back outside to play. He surprised her by rushing back in a little while later asking, "But what if they really are?"

You don't always need a full-strength, laugh-out-loud belly buster. Good medicine works in smaller doses, too. Just follow these instructions: To be taken multiple times daily, with or without food.

Fascinating First Lines: Part Three

FASCINATING FIRST LINES

Part Three

Mission Accomplished! This week completes my Fascinating First Lines trilogy. If you missed parts one and two, they are archived in New Day by Darlis.

Prickly Porcupine

Who wants to pet a porcupine? Not me. I reach for soft, silky, fluffy things. They are relaxing to my fingers . . . promising to my feelings and comforting to my frustrations. That's why you never see Linus without his blanket. He's smart enough to create his own comfort zone. When I was fighting cancer, I had a small blanket. A friend made it out of soft pink flannel with fringed edges. I touched it and felt cozy. Chemo lost its hold on me. I rested, feeling safe and secure.

Pens Capture Creativity

My pen is my partner. If I wrote mystery novels like Jessica B. Fletcher, it would be my partner in crime. But non-fiction is my game, so my pen is a sword of truth. With pen in hand I write fearlessly into the sunset. Words fly here and there. Truth, as I see it, emerges. Whether others see it as truth is up to them. My pen and I simply work to create an offering.

Thoughts and Actions are Partners

You'll find your way if you push yourself beyond what you think. Life gives new challenges every day. In fact, some days you say, "Enough already," but nothing changes . . . your challenges remain. You stare them in the face and think I've tried everything. But have you? The Bible says "having done all to stand" (Ephesians 6:13). Standing seems like NOT doing anything. But are you willing to tell God He's wrong? That, in your opinion, action is the only way to accomplish victory? Pushing yourself beyond what you think, consider this: Solomon said, "There's a time for everything" (Ecclesiastes 3:1). That could mean a time to work at solving problems, and a time to rethink them. After standing at rest, you may be surprised to see them in a new light.  
   

Waterfront Beauty

It's hard to see the future through staggering personal problems. I used to marvel at the homeless sleeping down by the harbor in San Diego. That was before the city took a harder stance and cleared downtown for the booming tourist trade. Walking by the bay, I often wondered what was the breaking point for these men? But that was before life became harder and I staggered through some personal problems myself. It seemed like one step forward and two steps back, but I kept walking. Financial debt made the future hard to see. I tried budgeting to get me through. It worked, but felt very confining. Day to day seemed hard enough. Who cared about the future? Looking back on it, I did.  

I have been looking for more fascinating first lines, but they’re hard to come by. Try it yourself sometime.

Meanwhile, let your mind wander over a favorite line here this week.

Fascinating First Lines: Part Two

FASCINATING FIRST LINES

Part 2

I wrote Fascinating First Lines: Part One before Thanksgiving. My goal was a three-part series, so here is part two:

Hope is the Way to Go

My family had high hopes and a lack of money. But lack of money did not hinder my parents’ high hopes for their children. That meant my brothers and I had to learn to use manners at the dinner table. We also had to be polite to guests and learn to get along with people---all kinds of people, not just those in our social circle.

High hopes meant we had to do our share of chores---not just enough to get by, but do them well. It also meant we had to get good grades in school. Their high hopes developed character in us and prepared us for life outside our home.

At times lack of money was an issue, but love was there. They provided for us the best they could. Vacations were not fancy, but we got away. Clothes were not the latest fashion, but they were clean. Birthdays were not lavish, but they were acknowledged. College was on their hope list, too, and we all found a way to go. Their high hopes had a lasting effect.

Tiny Babies in a Big World

Everyone comes to the world on a journey of self-discovery.  It’s not long before a baby discovers if he makes enough noise, someone will pay attention. Self-discovery continues when he reaches down and touches his toes. Later he learns to gather smiles by touching and naming eyes, ears and nose. And, oh the praise he gets when he learns to use the potty!

Discovery becomes creative when playing with Legos, or crayons, or plunking on piano keys. He learns to distinguish tastes, like sweet, sour or salty. Then comes discovery at school. Perhaps he enjoys math more than language arts, or science more than history. He may not be happy to learn he has to study them all, no matter what.

It’s an important discovery, and one of life’s biggest lessons. It’s possible to do things we don’t enjoy. Life will not always go our way.

Cancer is a Challenge

I’m not a hero, even though I tried to keep from being destroyed by what happened. It’s nice to know that people admired me for facing up to cancer treatments with faith and hope. It was a challenge I never dreamed I’d have. 

I’m not by nature a quitter, but this challenge was bigger than me. God is the One who got me through it. I read His word, meditated on scripture, prayed and determined to remain positive.

I invited Him to go with me to each treatment and every appointment. I challenged myself to be thankful for small things every day. I felt that each day was important. No more taking life for granted, as if I had all the time in the world.

I hope these paragraphs have inspired you.

If so, you’ll have uplifting thoughts of your own.

THINGS I LEARNED IN THE VALLEY of the Shadow of Death

THINGS I LEARNED IN THE VALLEYof the Shadow of Death

PART ONE

I never thought I'd get a cancer diagnosis. Everyone in my family seemed to have heart trouble. But I'll never forget listening to a surgeon give me the biopsy report: Cancer! One little word . . . but a major life-changer. My initial reaction was shock, then tears. But time was crucial and I needed to move quickly.

My journey into the Valley began in 2007. I was diagnosed with Stage Three Breast Cancer, along with Inflammatory Breast Cancer (IBC). Due to an insurance mix up I was not able to get treated immediately, so from the start I learned to trust God. Psalm 23 took on personal meaning. The Lord was my Shepherd and still is. Until 2016, I had labs, diagnostic mammograms and ultrasounds every six months, and more PET scans than I ever wanted to endure. Since then I have graduated to yearly mammograms. I'm still asking God for good reports (Matthew 7:7).

DARLIS SAILORS
Glamour Shots: Usage Permit Purchased 2007

Treatments began with chemo, then surgery, followed by radiation. A friend once told me she was mad at God. When I asked why, she said, "Because He gave you cancer." I said, "I don't believe that. It's just part of the human condition in a fallen world." My diagnosis was challenging because I had always been in good health. The labs, treatments and appointments seemed endless and were very tiring. But I found comfort in God's invitation to come to Him for rest (Matthew 11:28-30). In my months of chemo and radiation, physical rest was needed, but I found rest for my soul, too.

I experienced hope on a daily basis. I made it a point to read scripture. Some days I had energy for short Bible studies. Other days I simply read a chapter or two in Psalms and jotted down notes about verses that stood out to me. Sometimes I dated scriptures in my Bible that seemed particularly important to remember. Isaiah 55:9-11 says that God's Word will never return to Him empty. It will accomplish what He desires. For that reason, my hope in God and His Word was not in vain.

At times I was isolated, but I was never alone. I lived in Yuma, Arizona but due to insurance, all of my treatments were in Phoenix. God was way ahead of me on that one. My husband and I had purchased a small co-op a couple of years earlier as a vacation place. Though I was alone, I always felt safe. When I had to wear a face mask or avoid people due to my low white blood cell count, I always felt that God was near. He kept His word NEVER to leave me or forsake me (Hebrews 13:5b-6).

(Watch for Part Two next week)