The word infusion is used commonly in the medical world, and it means to inject fluids directly into the bloodstream. Little did I realize back then how much I would need faith infusions for my soul as I received chemo infusions for my body! What I want to share with you right now does not just apply to chemo days—it applies to daily life.
Every four weeks I went to the hospital’s infusion center, where I would receive an IV in my arm that fed chemo and other drugs into my bloodstream to kill any cancer cells in my body. The process takes several hours. The advancements in cancer treatment over the years have been amazing, and I thank God for them and for the medical professionals in this field. I must say, though, that a chemo infusion is not an afternoon picnic.
Walking Out the Journey
The anxiety of the whole chemo process was a huge issue all its own. As much as I believed in my mind and spirit that everything was going to turn out for the good, I still had to walk the journey out in the natural every day and every moment. That’s why my motto became “miracles by the moment.”
The chemo routine is pretty intense. It’s very troubling to know the chemo going into your body will kill off cancer cells. Of course, I wondered, “If it will kill off those cells, what else might it kill off or damage? If it is toxic enough to peel the skin off Lion’s little baby feet, what else might it do? If it is making me feel nauseated and sick, how hard is this going to be on my body?” You get the idea.
As I took the chemo infusion, I would quote this scripture with confidence. ”These signs will follow those who believe…if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover” Mark 16:17–18. I determined to take chemo and all medications with faith that they would help my body without deadly side effects.
Treatment Day Scriptures
Here are a small group of some of my favorite scriptures. I had thirty verses that I used during treatment. I wanted to share some of them with you.
Let all that I am praise the Lord; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name. Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me. He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies. He fills my life with good things.
My youth is renewed like the eagles! The Lord gives righteousness and justice to all who are treated unfairly. (Psalms. 103:1–6, NLT).
I declare that you are the Lord who heals me (Exodus 15:26).
You will remove sickness from me and give me a long, full life (Exodus 23:25–26).
You will protect me from all sickness. You will not let me suffer from the terrible diseases that people fear (Deuteronomy 7:15).
You turned the intended curse into a blessing because you love me (Deuteronomy 23:5; Nehemiah 13:2).
Christ has redeemed me from every curse, sickness, and plague (Galatians 3:13).
As [my] days, so shall [my] strength be” (Deuteronomy 33:25).
You bless me with strength and peace (Psalms 29:11).
You will protect me and keep me alive (Psalms 41:2).
You sent out Your Word and healed me, snatching me from the door of death (Psalms 107:20).
I shall not die, but I shall live and declare the works of the Lord” (Psalms. 118:17)
Making It Through With Faith
All that I went through is in my rearview mirror now. I can say that God really did perform miracles by the moment. But hindsight faith is much easier than foresight faith. When you’ve made it onto the other side of the chasm, it is much easier to rejoice. But when you’re standing in front of that chasm, trying to figure out how you’re going to reach the other side, it’s hard to breathe. Not only do you have to deal with physical nausea and achiness, but you also have to deal with the anxiety of the chemo infusion coming up again so quickly.
I have always chosen to live life on the sunny side, rather than magnify the problems we’ve faced, we’ve always magnified the promises God has given and fulfilled in our lives. I hope
that as you’ve read this, you know it’s not so much about what I went through, but what got me through! God is always faithful!
If you’ve walked with someone through cancer, you know there is a heaviness that permeates the cancer treatment centers. People are in various stages of treatment and of facing their new reality. Grieving families gather in hallways or can be heard through thin walls. The waiting rooms are packed with many who are hunched over in physical pain, along with their nervous family members. Over the months you become familiar with some people, and it’s not easy to be surrounded by the visible possibilities of your future. I’m not trying to sound grim; I’m describing the world of the sick.
I entered those corridors deliberately trying to bring encouragement, a smile, and a warm hello to patients while expressing appreciation to the hospital staff. Each time I entered that difficult world, I took deliberate steps toward my victory over cancer. Those steps have taken me through a journey of healing filled with miracles by the moment.
