I believe one of the scariest and most nerve-racking moments in someone's like is when a physician discloses an unfavorable diagnosis. Getting a cancer diagnosis for anyone can be very numbing and hard to swallow. As prevalent as many cancer types are, there are a few rare cancers that still don't get much media and research, and because of this, thousands die because we just don't know how to treat them (and most importantly, prevent them!). Cycle for Survival was created by a young lady who got such a diagnosis. Jennifer Goodman Lynn got diagnosed with sarcoma in 2004. Instead of using this diagnosis as some form of bondage, she took her love of cycling and helped create this event with her husband, Memorial Sloan Kettering, and her local gym. That was in 2007. Today, the indoor cycling event is now a national fund-raising, high-energy event that has raised more than $40+ million dollars for cancer research.
This was my second year cycling for cancer research. I cycle for my friends and for the hundreds of patients that comes through our doors all year round. I was looking forward to Cycle this year. I do admit, I was a little afraid with all the snow that we have been getting, that we may have a snow storm around this weekend, but THANK GOD, we had the most beautiful warm winter weather we have had in quite some time! I had a great ride today and I am sure I will be feeling the 'effects' of riding in a day or two, but I definitely welcome them ;-)
This event also made me think. How many times do we get bad news or an 'unfavorable diagnosis' and we fall apart? How many times do we take the situations and tribulations The LORD allows to happens, and just give up on living? Now, now, I am not saying it is wrong to be heartbroken and heavily burdened by bad news. We are emotional beings and we naturally hurt when painful things/experiences come our way. What I am saying is that even with the trials and tribulations, the 'cancers' that we find ourseves diagnosed with, we must seek some meaning and purpose in pressing forward, and looking to Christ to help turn our pain into praise.
Mrs. Linn did just that. She took her diagnosis and turned it into a means of bring 1000's of people together in a fun and fit way while raising money for more cancer research. We can do the same. We can take our painful experiences and use to help and encourage others in any way we can. Hope is a spiritual powerhouse that is very difficult to kill. Let us endure whatever burden comes our way and with Christ, turn our sorrows into joy.
"...weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning" Psalm 30:5
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