My Blog Has Been Hijacked!

Blessing the Honeybee 

Hello faithful friends, family and followers of our favorite honeybee.  My name is Sarah, and I have the privilege of hijacking Melissa’s blog today for a very special reason.

 

If you are reading this blog then you are well aware of the journey our dear friend has been on over the past year. She was given the news of breast cancer in February 2013 and has brought us along for each and every step right here on her blog.  She has shared the triumphs along with the heartache.  She has shared pictures which explode with joy in the midst of the unknown. She has opened her heart to us in the messy as well as in the beautiful.  She has fought this battle with courage, dignity and glowing with the grace of God.

 

I have known Melissa for a few years now, and the memory which shines brightest occurred towards the beginning of our friendship.  A few of us women joined our then fearless leader in women’s ministry for a weekend away up north.  We celebrated each other.  We laughed, cried and one of us may have injured ourselves running from the creatures in the woods. We left that weekend ready to tackle whatever it was that God has in front of us; individually and as a team.  Little did we know that in just a short time our dear Melissa would receive that life-changing piece of news. I look back at that time in the woods together and there is one moment which has been etched on my heart forever.  We were gathered around the kitchen table and given the lead to write words of encouragement on post-it notes and stick them to those women God had placed around the table.  The five of us were covered in squares of multiple colors.  Words such as “gracious”, “loving”, “kind” were flying left and right.  There were post-it notes on our heads, arms and backs and soon they were falling to the ground in piles.  The love of God was flowing strong.  We read the notes out-loud, with tears streaming and hands held tight.  The truth mixing with the soul-deep love exploded in pure friendship. I remember reading one very special note, which as I type this brings back that overflow of emotion I felt when my eyes first read the word written across this blue piece of paper:

 

….for you have a special place in my heart…. Phillipipans 1:7b

 

Those words brought a over pour of emotion which fell down my face in a stream of tears. Words which were beyond soothing to my battered heart, and words which ignited a friendship that has been one of life’s greatest blessings.

 

I tell you this story for one reason – for I am sure if we were standing in a room together at this moment the stories would go on for days on how this beautiful woman of God has created a special place in the hearts of everyone she touches.

 

Even if you have never met this amazing woman in person, through the words of this blog I am sure she has found a place in your heart. 

It is on this blog where she writes about the hardships and trials of a woman battling breast cancer….but that isn’t all.  She write about God showing up in the big and in the mundane.  She has proven that God can reach down into something messy like cancer and create something beautiful and eternally impacting.  She exudes trust with each word typed across the screen.  She displays faith with each step taken toward victory.  She does all of this and continues to love others like Jesus.

Now it is our turn to return that very love.

She has come so far.  Carried by the very hands of the God she shines with every aspect of her being.  He showed up through surprise donations. He has shown up through hand-cooked meals. He has shown up through hugs, smiles and emails.  She has come so far, but she isn’t done yet. And neither are we.

This next year she will face continued chemo, reconstructive surgery, doctor visits and the mounting ‘every day’ expenses that come with battling cancer.  The Borners also face the new year which for many bring new deductibles with her insurance.  The expenses are mounting while the physical burdens are still ever-present.  While we cannot take away the burden of cancer, we can help shoulder the burden of expenses.

That is where Blessing the Borners comes in.

What is Blessing the Borners?  It is a holiday boutique.  It is an online auction. It is a fundraiser.  However, more than those things it is a prayer.  A prayer that God would continue to show up in the hearts and hands of those he surrounds Melissa with.  A prayer that we can take the teachings of Bible and put them into action; becoming the hands and heart of Jesus himself.  A prayer that God would take our 5 loves and 2 fish and feed thousands.

I encourage you to hop over to www.blessingtheborners.com and read about the many ways in which you can help ease the financial burden being carried by this family.  Read about the holiday boutique being held on November 10, with a portion of all proceeds going to the Borner Family….then spread the word. Read about, and shop, the Online Auction (which is growing as we speak) where all proceeds are going to this dear family.  Click around and continue to read about the growing number of other ways in which you can financially and practically Bless this family.

But please, whatever steps you take after reading this blog post I urge you to keep this Honeybee and her beautiful family in your prayers.  For the One who hears those prayers has  the power to do more than ease these burdens…he has the power to heal.