Are You Paying it Forward?

Allan

I have little patience for those who only perform "lip service." I believe that God allows us go through the trials and tribulations of life so that we in turn can extend our hand behind us and grasp the hand of someone else who needs help.  To give them our love, our understanding, our support and to encourage them that they are not alone.  What good is life if you don't use the lessons that you learn to benefit someone else?  To make someone else's way easier... Sometimes the comfort can come in just the knowing that you are not the only one who has "experienced" whatever it is you are going through.

Just think how much better this world would be if we truly functioned as the church in the book of Acts did?  All of our needs would be met.  If everyone contributed the gifts and strengths that God has blessed them with, the world would want for nothing.  If everyone took a moment to think about someone else other than themselves - what a wonderful world we would live in!

If you have the resources or the heart's desire to help someone, why wouldn't you?  As everyone gets caught up in the frenzy of the billion dollar upcoming Powerball drawing, I think about how I would just love enough to not worry about how I'm going to pay this, or that.  Just enough to not worry about money - not to be greedy but so that it would allow me to free up my time to concentrate on other things... It's not that I believe that money can "buy" happiness but it sure would take away the anxiety and stress and worry for those of us that live from paycheck to paycheck, or constantly have to "rob Peter to pay back Paul."  That being said, there are many ways that you can be a blessing to someone else - if not financially, with your prayers, with your presence, with your love.  It's really very simple - show love.  You'd be surprised how to what extent that love will come back to you.  This is spoken about throughout the Bible.  How "God will open up the windows of Heaven and rain down blessings upon you that they will be more than you can withhold."  You cannot outbless God.

I am a cancer survivor.  Not a day goes by that I forget that God has given me a second chance at life. I know quite a few people who were not given that opportunity (please do not ask me why, for I am no better - in fact probably WORSE than some of those who have been called home... That's being honest..)  But here is the thing - I see that second chance as an opportunity to pay it forward however I can, because at the end of our lives - it will be HOW we lived that mattered.  How did you show love? Did you do all you could?  Were you the best parent you knew (even in your imperfections to be?) Did you love fully?  Did you wander outside your comfort zone at times to assist?  Now I am not saying you will be "saved" by your works - NO.  Our righteousness is filthy rags - or so the Bible tells us in  the Book of Isaiah 64:6.  It is nothing but the blood of Jesus, His grace, His mercy, His love that allows us to go to Heaven.  It is no works of our own.  And honestly, when I do something for someone, I don't do it to be noticed - but because it is the right thing to do.  It is a "heart thing."
It should be something you don't think twice about, that you don't let your "right hand know what your left hand is doing."  I have found that to be the BEST kind of feeling. It's simply one that money could never buy.

I have shared with my readers my strengths, my weaknesses by my transparency in my own walk.  Now I find that there is someone I care about who has had to humbly allow the people who love him   - help him.  There is no weakness in admitting that it is YOU standing in the need of prayer. In fact, I find during those humble times is the times when God can bless us most.  You will find at the lower right hand section of my page a YouCaringFund that has been set up for a man who has become dear to my heart.  I have not known him or his family for long, but in the short time that I have known them I have shared so many happy moments - just by their genuiness, their generosity, their warmth, their kindness.  The thing that I have learned about  Allan is that he does things that are kind that he doesn't even realize how much it moves or touches someone. He has a gift in making someone feel special without even knowing he has done it! That seems to be a trait in his family and it has meant a lot to me and continues to do so.

So I am taking time in this blog to ask you please to pray for my friend and brother Allan.  The Bible tells us "that we are many members, but we are one in the body of Christ." (1st Corinthians 12:12). If two or more are in agreement there God will be in the midst. (Matthew 18:20). We are called to pray for each other.  Our God is the same today as He was yesterday as He will be tomorrow.  So please pray for healing for Allan.  Ultimately his life is in God's hands and I know the number of his days God will fulfill - but it is God to determine what those numbers are and it is our responsibility that when one of our our own is hurting or is in need - that we lift them up in prayer.  That we stand in the gap and lift their weary arms when they are tired.  I know that God answers prayer and I know He hears it.  I also know that God is no respector of persons.  He doesn't have favorites and as much as Allan is surrounded by people who love him - no one loves him more than God.

If you are able to financially assist helping with the cost of Allan's medical care I would ask that you prayerfully consider doing so.  The fund has been set up and will be used to assist the challenges that Allan has/is facing with insurance issues.  No one should be denied care because of financial constraints, this is something that I feel very strongly about.  You cannot put a price on someone's life.  Personally I have seen this be the case in many survivors care and it is wrong.  In order for Allan to receive the care he deserves to continue fighting (and being victorious) over this battle with colon cancer he needs to be able to solely concentrate on the physical battle he is facing - and not have to deal with the worry of whether or not he is going to be able to afford chemotherapy or a CT scan.  I know from personal experience how exhausting (even just in the physical sense) chemotherapy is.  It is a battle that goes on within your body.  Allan is strong and determined to win this fight - but he needs to be able to concentrate on getting well and not if he is able to get the care he needs due to finances.  So I ask that you please (and foremost) keep Allan and his family lifted in prayer and then I ask you please to help financially if you are able and at the very least (but this is in no way of little importance) please forward on the YouCaringFund to others so that if you are not in a place of being able to give, someone else may be.  We all either have experienced cancer ourselves, or know someone who has faced the battle.  If you can pay it forward please do so.

Do not belittle the prayers that you bring before God. I have seen what God can do and I will not put Him in a box.  Please also lift up Allan's family at this time.  It is extremely hard to see someone you love fight against cancer.  You feel helpless.  But we are not helpless.  We have a God who is understanding, compassionate, and caring.  Let's flood the throne room of God with our prayers.

Thank you for reading my post, for your prayers and your faithfulness - this is part of my "paying it forward" because with life comes the responsibility of knowing what a gift it is.  Not one of us is promised tomorrow, yet we live as though it is "owed" to us.  It is not.  Please remember to tell those that you love that you love them EVERY DAY.  To make each moment that you can count.  And to thank God for the gift of every blank sheet of life He gives you when you wake up in the morning, because it is a precious, precious gift.  Let's write upon those pages well...