Hope in Pain

// March 5, 2022 // Hope in Pain //

Thank you to Amy and the wonderful people at The Good Fight Church for inviting me to share during the IF:Gathering simulcast conference today.

It was an honor to be able to share how I can have HOPE in the middle of trials.

It was my first time to wear “real” clothes this year! Ha!

This morning was rough. I’ve had a difficult week. I’m feeling the side effects of the life saving chemicals flowing through my body.

I am not a fan of prednisone.🤢 I take a high dose for 5 days after every chemo. It makes me feel so yucky, nauseas, nervous, tired, and more. I figured out if I get up, eat breakfast, take it, and then just go back to bed for a few hours that I function a lot better. Thankfully today is #5 and I get a break.

Neulasta is a shot I receive the day after every chemo. It’s purpose is to stimulate the growth of white blood cells in my body.
“White blood cells help your body fight against infection. Neulasta is a prescription medicine used to prevent neutropenia (a lack of certain white blood cells) that is caused by receiving chemotherapy.” Thanks google. 😉

After my first chemo my white blood cells dropped to .1 (not good!) and I had to get 3 units of blood by infusion. So…praying this shot works this time and helps me stay healthy! Unfortunately, it comes with some side effects. Some of them that I have been struggling with the last couple days are bone pain (especially in my legs), body pain, and breathing problems (nothing major, just hard to get my breath at times, losing my breath and tiring out very quickly).

I’m trying to always stay positive, and I’m confident in the Hope I have through Jesus. Today I shared that one of the reasons I can trust Him is because we have a history together. I’ve been pursuing a relationship with HIM for over 30 years. So, I’ve seen Him show up before in so many decisions, trials, blessings, promises..and I know He will do it again.

I love the story in Joshua 4 where God splits the waters and the Israelites walk across dry land!!Then God tells them to go into the Jordan River and take out 12 huge stones to represent the tribes, and build a memorial so that all future generations would remember this miracle and what God did.

This is what I think of when I think of all the times He has been there for me – one stone at a time. I have built a beautiful memorial that I can look at and remember when things get hard.

If you don’t have a history with Him – you can start NOW!!! Trust in Jesus, live your life learning about him and building a relationship with him, and I promise He will begin to build a memorial where you can look and find HOPE in the darkest of times.

Kristi Rhoton

#jointhefight

#kristiswar