Hope and Help for Hard Times

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Last October when Kedron was diagnosed with thyroid cancer, I looked at the calendar for fall and spring and prepared to brace myself for a long winter of waiting. I knew we’d be waiting for recovery from surgery. Waiting for results. Waiting to find out treatment options. I figured that by the time spring break came in April, we’d be through the worst of it, and quite ready for a family getaway.

Little did I realize that between October and Kedron’s good news in February we’d not only have cancer surgery, but over 100 inches of snow, months of temperatures well-below freezing, a job change, and T-Rex breaking an arm.

The hope of escaping to the sunshine and fellowship of good friends and family in Florida was definitely a bright spot in a long, dark winter.

We returned late last night, and we’re all still suffering from Spring Break Stupor. It was worth every mile, every night on an air mattress or pull-out bed, and every late-late night spent catching up with people we love. I call this trip the “Rhodes’ Road Trip to See Fabulous People in Faraway Places.”

Every moment was restorative, for body, soul and mind. And the best part? We did very little “touristy” things. This trip was spent in living rooms and dining rooms laughing, visiting, and loving on people. Best break ever.

One of the highlights of the trip was the opportunity I had to share with the Ladies’ Bible Study at Bay Life Church. This was our home church in Florida. Many of the people and events from our time in Florida fill the pages of my first book, Isn’t it Time for a Coffee Break?, including the story of how God met us on the church’s sidewalk the first Sunday after we moved to Florida. I was excited to share with the women and give a little back to the community who has blessed us so much over the years. They were as wonderful, warm and welcoming as ever.

The church recorded the talk, and I’m delighted to share it with you. It’s titled “Hope and Help for Hard Times.” I share some of our story from the cancer journey over the past year, and specifically about the hope for the future and help for the present God offers us in the midst of our challenges. I pray it will encourage and bless you. He is a faithful God, and He meets us in our needs. (I suffered from a cold the entire trip and the day prior to speaking barely had a voice. I was living out God’s help during this talk!!)

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Amelia Rhodes_Hope and Help for Hard Times 04-09-14 from Bay Life Church Ladies Ministry on Vimeo.