I am thankful that my time isn't over yet;
I am thankful that God sustains me in my weakness and will never leave me;
I am thankful for a wife that has stood by me every single day of this journey;
I am thankful for a supportive family that has put life on hold in so many ways to lend a hand;
I am thankful for a community of friends and loved-ones that cares for us dearly and shows it;
I am thankful that physical pain is temporary and eventually passes;
I am thankful that I have a job that provides for my family;
I am thankful for the roof over my head and the provision in my life;
I am thankful for the sunshine that basks the new flowers in our front yard;
I am thankful for our furry children who seem to know I'm going through a hard time;
I am thankful for all the other cancer fighters out there who don't give up;
I am thankful for a whole lot more...
Candace just showed this to me... and I feel like I need to read it over and over and over again. Maybe there is a morsel or two in there that will call out to you:
"Quit living as if the purpose of life is to arrive safely at death. Grab life by the mane. Set God-sized goals. Pursue God-ordained passions. Go after a dream that is destined to fail without divine intervention. Keep asking questions. Keep making mistakes. Keep seeking God. Stop pointing out problems and become part of the solution. Stop repeating the past and start creating the future. Stop playing it safe and start taking risks. Expand your horizons. Accumulate experiences. Consider the lilies. Enjoy the journey. Find every excuse you can to celebrate everything you can. Live like today is the first day and last day of your life. Don't let what's wrong with you keep you from worshipping what's right with God. Burn sinful bridges. Blaze a new trail. Criticize by creating. Worry less about what people think and more about what God thinks. Don't try to be who you're not. Be yourself. Laugh at yourself. Quit holding out. Quit holding back. Quit running away. Chase the lion."
- Mark Batterson
Our Brand Is Crisis (2015)
9 years ago
6 comments:
Happy Birthday Stuart, thank you for sharing your journey.
Love, Mark and Monica
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, STUART!!! I am in Jacksonville, Florida with my brother, David, checking in on you and Candace. It has poured down rain all week and it's great to be here. We spent a few hours at the beach yesterday and found wonderful shells washed up by the storms. I love the ocean and as I was walking along, I wondered how many waves had crashed onto that beach since I was there two years ago. I bet Brian could do the math and give me a very close estimate of the number of waves. If God orchestrates the rhythm of the waves, the number of grains of sand and the phases of the moon, He surely cares about us!
I showed your blog to my brother, who just lost a kidney and part of his colon to cancer a couple of months ago. He smiled and said he remembers you and we were uplifted by your birthday testimony. You bless us all with your faith, Stuart. Thank You!
Have a wonderful birthday today with Candace and just celebrate throughout the week! You are a precious little family.
Love, Martha
HlennHi Stuart And Candace...you guys have remained in our prayers...Happy Birthday Stuart and many more! And, I know from Kelly that you have a lot of dates to celebrate in May...you both have the Lord, friends and family and your spirit is most present! Love to you...Helen and Ron Hilliard
Happy Birthday to You! and three cheers for Mark Batterson! well said.
Happy Birthday, Buddy. I, like you, will never again take another year for granted.
I downed a boatload of fish tacos today at lunch in celebration of your birthday.
Great quote.
-Sam
Happy Birthday, Stuart! We are always thinking about you and Candace. Keep your positive outlook, things are looking awesome and only getting better. Love you- Kim and Chris Riley
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