It’s been an eventful weekend for my family. If you aren’t privy to what’s happening, here was my Facebook status Friday evening:

My dear Christian family: I am so thankful for all of you because I know how faithful you are to pray whenever you’re asked. I have a request for you tonight. My dad has a “nodule” on one of his lungs, and will have a procedure done Wednesday to remove it and find out if it is cancer. I know that God is faithful to hear His children’s petitions, and I ask that you’ll pray that this will not be cancer. Then, Wednesday, I will probably have an updated prayer request.  Thank you all for being so supportive all the time, and for doing the greatest thing you could ever do, praying.

Needless to say, this C word has never been so close to home before. Undoubtedly many of you have experienced it, and I had multiple brothers and sisters who encouraged me and wrapped their arms around me yesterday while sharing their stories with me. And while I cried in the car on the way home Friday night, I’ve had a pretty strange, wonderful feeling ever since:

Peace.

You see, it’s one thing to write about worry and anxiety when nothing is happening. It’s easy to say don’t worry or stress when everything is pretty much ok; and if not ok, at least not life-threatening. But what about when circumstances beyond your control creep into your life and threaten the lives of the ones you love the most? What then?

Then, and in every moment, God is bigger.

That is why the Scriptures tell us to be anxious for nothing (Phil 4:6) and to cast our cares upon Him (1 Peter 5:7). Because God is bigger. God is in control. God is watching every moment, and hears when we call (1 John 5:14-15).

I’m not at peace because I know my dad won’t have cancer. I’m not at peace because I know the outcome or prognosis. I’m not at peace because I know anything at all. I’m at peace because I serve the God who knows all things, created all things, and has His hands on all things. I know that regardless of what will happen, I can pray and know my Father in heaven hears. I know that He will heal my pain and feel my grief. I know that He is able to cure and heal and save, and my peace comes from knowing He will do what is best and necessary.

My prayer first and foremost throughout this endeavor is that God’s will will be done. The next is that my dad will NOT have cancer, and the third, and maybe most importantly, is that God will use this trial to strengthen me and to show His glory to the people I have the privilege of coming in contact with. If you would join me in praying for these things, I would truly appreciate it. Especially say a prayer Wednesday, as my dad will have a procedure to remove whatever it is that’s on his lung.

Until then, I will have a few special verses close to my heart.

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.
“For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways,
And My thoughts than your thoughts.