BJ

Back in Oct of 2007 I met an amazing lady named BJ. I had just arrived with my aunt at Ohare airport in Chicago. It was my first trip to The Cancer Treatment Center of America and I, like BJ, was seeking hope. Not knowing what to expect we wandered around baggage claim looking for someone with one of those cards with my name on it. Sure enough a gentleman appeared and from that moment hope begin. As we entered the limo for the 45 minute ride north to the hospital I took my seat beside a middle age woman that had her head rested against the window. Out of politeness I extended my hand and introduced myself. She reached back and with all the strength she could muster at the time simply said "hi I'm BJ". 

As the journey begin I noticed BJ coughing frequently as she gazed in desperation out the window. Finally feeling the need to break the ice I decided to see if there was a possibility for conversation. She seemed warm to the idea of someone caring enough to ask how she was doing. She told me that she had stage 4 lung cancer, was 60 years old, and had been sent home to die. I could tell she was scared, as any normal person would be, heck I was scared myself. She did the normal things a person does at the crossroads in life. She told me that she trusted God and she was praying that his will for her was healing. Even though she trusted God she was also fighting for life not yet ready to cross the threshold from earth to heaven. It was obvious that she had little fight in her, almost no hope, and her mind had long sense informed her body that this was a battle she could not win. 

Before I continue this blog, let me ask you something: has your mind trained you that you are fighting a battle you cannot win. Has all hope been drained from you to the point that you are simply waiting on God to do your work for you or you are waiting for the end to take you a way to somewhere far from where you are. 

The mind along side environmental conditioning can steal so much from us. Not only do we allow our talent to be robbed we also allow what little hope we have to get hi-jacked by intruders that are hell-bound set on keeping us down. Once we buy this bill of goods we tend to fight hard to stay in misery because that is what we signed up for. We pray to God to show us the way, we pray to God to change our lives for us, we pray to God to give us the means to pay our bills, we pray to God as our minds have been conditioned, give me, give me, while I sit back and ride this train of despair that I purchased the one way ticket for. We expect God to do the work and show us the way.

This life episode was BJ,s life at one time as well. Then that definitive moment occurred when she heard those words that woke her up, "you have cancer". All the sudden life took on new meaning. The sense of urgency that was not there before came rushing out of nowhere to center stage. BJ always wanted to own a little gift basket boutique, but like so many of us life was busy and she never got around to it. Now, by gosh, she was going to open BJ's Baskets and put smiles on people's faces. As treatment came and went BJ followed her life dream and opened her gift basket store. Life was great, she was happy, and for once in her life LIVING A DREAM. Then it happened, the curse of God, cancer came back and it was raging through her body at a pace so fast doctors could not stop it. 

It does not have to be cancer that brings your life to a halt, it can be many life situations that build us up or tear us down. The peaks and valleys at times can be so difficult that it is easier to stay down than it is to get up. We go through the normal protocol of prayers, pity parties to friends, negative post on social media, but seldom do we put our happy face on and go out and use our God given abilities and change the course we are own. BJ did just that. 

As the ride neared conclusion, it was obvious to me that BJ was short for this world. Her life seemed to be hanging by a thread. Her energy was non existent, her hope was all but gone, her dreams shattered, yet she found the strength to fight one last battle. 

I did not see BJ for the next few days, but then as fate would have it I ran into her in the lobby of our hotel. Matter of fact BJ had to speak to me because I did not recognize her. She was all smiles, her make up looked great, her hair was lovely and vibrant, and she was a chatter box of hope. She told me that she was heading home soon to get her little boutique going better than ever. I, being me, had to slow this conversation down, I said "BJ are you cured", she replied "heavens no" I still have stage 4 lung cancer but they gave me hope that I did not have before. Folks she still had the same cancer she had when she arrived. She was still facing a series of horrible treatments but they gave her something more powerful than medicine, they gave her HOPE. When was the last time you gave someone hope?

I wish I knew the fate of BJ but I never saw her again. I will never forget her because I realized the power of hope that moment. I learned how God truly works in our lives. I have no idea if BJ lived another week, month, year, or if she is still alive. What I do know with absolute certainty is that she lived until she died. 

So many people spend their days dying when they should be living. BJ learned the true power of God, she learned that prayer without action usually does not have the desired results, but prayer with action awakens the Holy Spirit and amazing things begin to happen. Your life, like BJ's is worth living. It doesn't matter how hopeless the situation is, you can change the road you are own. This is a true story and I will never forget the friend I knew only briefly. I believe I saw the face of God in BJ, I saw the power of hope and the strength of dreams. It is my sincere desire that you too will find hope in your life and choose to live fully until you die.

peace be with you

Dale